Stage 3b (not IBC) survivor stories please.

Karina121293

I know there are so many inspiring stories on these boards, and I cant get enough reading them every day,  but today is just a grey day for me ( one of those days in mid treatment ) . Please 3b survivors give me inspiration... Thank you all for getting me through this hard times.

Hugs,

Karina 

AnacortesGirl

Karina -

I'm not 3b, I'm 3c but I just wanted to reach out to you.  I'm a year ahead of you so I can related.  What part of tx are you going through right now?

I just have something simple to share.  Yesterday my Mom and Dad came over as did my brother.  We had an early Father's day for Dad.  Barbequed steaks, new red potatoes (sauteed with herbs), asparagus and a fresh salad.  It tasted wonderful and the conversation was great. 

So what's the big deal about that?  Well, a year and a half ago the whole dinner would have been lost on me because I had no tasted buds for almost 6 months.  And I felt great ALL DAY!  I had energy and got everything ready except the steaks (that my DH's specialty).  I had the energy to get involved in the conversations.  They got here about 11:00 am and didn't leave till 8:00 pm.  Once they left and I was relaxing that's when I realized that I pretty much had my full energy back.

Life gets better! Much better!  The tx is long but it's worth it!

pupfoster1

I'm 3c too and I'm still here!  Loving being alive and happy to be here today.  Yes, there are bad days, but I have to say the good outweigh the bad now.  You'll be here soon too!

Sharon

Karina121293

AnacortesGirl,

Thanks, That's what I really want to hear, our energy back and pain free!!!! I will be finishing the chemo next month,  sixth one after surgery, also had four neoadjuvant , then rads in August. It will be one year soon and I am so tired of this stuff, and on the days I am most tired and in pain from chemo I feel so brought down and miserable. But must confess, my misery is mainly from the uncertainty of the future. I mean, I will do everything to kick cancer, but then I want a piece of mind that it will leave me alone for many many years. Want to see my kids- 20 and 21, stand on their feet, they need me so much at present, well every child needs their mom. So here's why I cried out for positive long time survivor stories, need a jump-start...Thank you for sharing your story, I really miss a carefree get together with family and friends, so when that day arrives, I will remember your story. 

Take care. 

Karina 

SharonMH

Hi,  I  am stage 3a. Things really do get better.  It has been a year past all my treatments. I also feel pretty good, My taste buds are also back. Chocalate sure does make my day. My hair is coming back. Funny how is seems to take so long to get through  the treatments and now they are done. Good luck with yours. .SharonH

Karina121293

Sharon, Sherri and SharonH, WOW so nice to get responses from you all!!!! Thanks for giving so much hope. Feel a lot better knowing it gets better for those with similar dx, and yes, want my hair back, want my taste buds back, want my energy back, want my life back.. Hope not asking too much, end of day we all deserve them after such a tough year!!!! Good luck to everyone and have a great weekend.

Love,

Karina 

diana50

hi karina

the treatment for cancer is the bottom line' surgery, chemo, rads, hormone treatment....reconstruction.  just remember that what you are going through is going to "kick cancer's butt" trusting the treatment is really important; especially right now for you.  this is such a long process; after initial diagnosis....surgery...etc....and right now you proabably ARE having gray days.  these drugs really rock us physically and emotionally, much of how you are feeling IS related to how vunerable you are feeling because of the treatment...and fears about the future.  so, i am 9 years out.  i feel better then i have in 10 years.  however, i do remember my fears...how sick i felt at various times during treatment...(food tasted like cardboard..i would buy a lot of groceries and end up tossing them because my eyes were hungry but NOT my mouth or stomach)  come here often and post.  know one thing; right now, today...you are alive and living...stay in the moment and don't get into future...or "what if"  you can have bad days.....but don't stay there...and there will be good days ahead.  just keep on...keep on. i have a friend who today is celebrating 11 years out with very similar diagnosis as you. 

HUGS

Karina121293

Diana, what a strong woman you are and what an inspiration with 9 years. I have been admiring you and SherriG since i was diagnosed and been reading your posts so often. Really needed to hear this today. Yes, my problem is going to ahead, I admit it, I know staying in the moment rule, but big part of me wants a reassurance that I will be ok TOMORROW. I think , the treatment is taking its toll on me, just impatient and want to be done and feel normal / ok, a  new normal /. During my last infusion on Tuesday , I had a meltdown and tears started to roll themselves and wouldn't stop, felt  miserable and sorry for myself and for women sat next. So, cant pull myself together yet, that's why posted to hear all your positive thoughts and advice. Thanks for sharing so much.

Hugs 

faithfulheart

Hi karina,

I too was stage 3c,  I say was,  beacause I am no longer!!!  they treated me Hard!!! Just like they are treating you. You will not be labled a 3b, you will and probebly already are cancer free!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Trust your Dr.'s have faith that all you are going through right now is preparing you to be a little old lady. We are not stages, we are people who got BC, and we have amazing treatments, even in the 4th stage, I HAVE FRIENDS DOING AMAZING. THE GAL'S HERE ARE THE BEST I HAVE EVER KNOWN, TRUE HONEST AND LOVING. WE ALL GET IT, AND WE ARE HERE FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The sun will come out tommorow, so you got to hang on till tommorow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You are in my prayers , for peace through this very hard, but very worth it journey!!!!!

God bless you sweeti !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Stephanie

amlg1

Karina,I too am stage 3c,and it was such a blow to me,2 years ago,it did take a while for me to get over the very angry stage,then always crying.You will go through many emotions,I know how you felt during your last tx,because I was crying the whole week before my last herceptin.The day will come,though,that you won't be thinking of it 24-7.Trust me.So here is an inspiratioal story,it's been 2 years for me!(((HUGS)))

116

Karina, hang in there it does get better. I did not melt down during treatment, but waited until I was done, and then I melted down again when I hit the three year mark. We all have meltdowns and I know that I still have days that I worry even though I am four years out now. I may not be as "long term" as you are looking for, but I totally understand needing inspiration and wanting to be there for your kids. I am my daughters only support system and they both really need me, especially my daughter who was diagnosed two years ago with a rare genetic immune deficiency who depends on other's antibodies to stay alive. My oldest daughter also had a rare brain tumor removed when she was 16 years old, and although she recovered well she is a little emotionally liable and really needs her mom at times. Since my diagnosis they have both gone on to be independent and this last weekend my youngest daughter graduated with her AA degree and left for a bigger University, my oldest just finished her MA degree at 23 years old and is heading home for a visit before heading off to the South Pacific with the Peace Corps, and I just graduated with my BA degree, Yeah me! I have been working full time and going to school full time the last two years, and I am so happy to be done. My professors were pushing me to start on my MA, but I decided to take time off to rest up first. No one in the program had any idea why I started school with really short curly hair and they all kept saying how nice my hair is now that I have let it grow out and how much younger I look than when I first started . They had no idea that I started school when I was still rebounding from treatments, It really does take a few years from diagnosis before you start really healing again. So there are good days and bad and I worried that I was wasting time in school, when I was unsure what time I had left, but I just decided that I have to live like I got time to do all I want and then some. I am starting to look forward to grandchildren now! That will certainly give me something else to worry about

NancyD

I say I'm a 3a because I'm not sure where I really am, having had neoadjuvant chemo. My onc is always very solicitous, so maybe I'm actually 3c in his chart, lol. The protocol is the same, whatever the letter.



Like my favorite saying on my cocktail napkins, "I just picked myself up by my big girl panties, and dealt with it."



Over three years later, I'm still dealing, but happy to say very much in a post-bc way. My youngest is in college and I just bought my first home. Now, would I be doing that if I planned to have a recurrance?

gillyone

Another IIIc - just hit the 2 year mark.

pupfoster1

It's so good to hear all these inspirational stories.  As for the meltdown Karina, I had one when I wasn't expecting it too.  I was having a pre radiation appt w/my rads oncologist and he told me my lymph nodes had "extra capular extension".  I had told my husband he didn't need to take off work for this appt, so there I am alone, and asking "what is that?"  It's when the nodes are basically popping open because of the cancer.  Great, just great.  I was in the examination room changing and just lost it.  The poor nurse came in to see my crying out of nowhere.  It took a while for me to pull it together.  You would have thought I had heard it all by then, but that tidbit threw me for a loop.  It's like being on a roller coaster.  One minute you're at the top the next you are at the bottom.  But the bottoms do get less frequent and are further between.

(((Hugs)))

Sharon

jennyboog

Sorry you're having a rough day, I had IBC and you wrote (not IBC) so not sure but I hope I can help.  I'm IIIC and just finished chemo in Dec., BMX in Jan., rads in Apr and ooph 2 weeks ago.  My hair is about 3 inches long now, I have lots of energy like landscaping my yard all week energy & I'm taking my girls to the beach every chance I get.  Sure I have aches and pains from the AI's and the fear will always be there to show it's ugly self and ruin your day if you let it and I've had many days where it has.  But I've learned it's a long process that takes time to process so hang in there it will get better, it has for me and I'm not a year out yet.

Karina121293

Dear ladies, thank you all so much for encouragement. I get my strength from you more than from family and friends. Its amazing..

Giddyup, you put both tears and smile on my face, you have done a great job with your daughters. When I first heard the diagnosis, my first words were " My Mary's/ my daughter / education will suffer" She then just started her MA degree at American University of Armenia.  I was so worried, I would not have the right energy to support her morally, but we got through and she  just finished the first year with excellent scores, been elected as a vice president of the student council, and BTW has applied for a position at Peace Corps in Armenia. My son is back from the army / here in Armenia army is compulsory for two years / and will start his second year at the University in September. So I know I have to fight this beast hard to be there for the kids.

I feel a lot better today. I have noticed , that I am optimistic and my usual cheerful self, when I don't have back, leg pain. I know it can be from chemo / have asked on the boards about it too/ , but it brings me down so bad and  also takes me to the dark places. 

Jenny, no offence  when I said no IBC, in fact I thought IBC is IIIB too, and I am in this stage because my tumour was attached to the skin, but yes, like Nancy says the protocol is the same, whatever the letter says.And even better we are cancer FREE  once it's out of our body.

Wish you all decades of healthy life. You are the best.  

Love and hugs.

Karina 

connielyd

my mom was stage3b with  open wound,she suffer  so  much  her condition while shes taking  up her  5th chemo...but  her  doctor  said, after   she  finish  her  6th  chemo they  dont  think  there is  an  operatio   will done  due  to  her  openwound which getting  worse..pls  help  me  how  to  dressing  her bad odor  cancer..

Karina121293

Connield, I really do not know what dressing will help your mother, have you asked her doctor about it? there must be some way out of it.I have heard at my hospital, that they will operate when the wound is healed. As for chemo, I had 4 rounds and I was ready for the surgery.How is your mum responding to chemo?? Mine was not an open wound. Where do you live?? And how can you get a specialist for the wound?

Sorry I am not too helpfull, but if you have more questions, please ask. Everyone is so helpful here.

Love,

Karina 

jennyboog

I'm glad you're having a better day.  I think we all have good and bad days, I can hear a song or have a pain and here it comes so that alone is another battle we deal with daily.  Trying to stay up beat and positive throughout this is hard, we're still bc babies so maybe it will get better.  Have a wonderful bc-free day!

lkc

Hi Karina, Just reading and thought I'd share;

I was dxed Stage IIIC with 12 pos nodes Back In May 2005.It has taken abit of time to get back to " me' but I AM BACK and you will be too.

Six Years and going strong

 The wonderful ladies here are all testimony that it can be done, and life goes on. We are all so fragile in our " early days" but it progressively gets better and we reclaim our life and all the joys that go with it.

Congratulations dear on getting through the hardest part.