Stage III Cancer Survivors .... 10+ Years and Out

caaclark

Just popping in to say that Jan.22nd was my 13 year cancerversary. Just trying to give hope to those who need it.

When I was diagnosed my kids were 4,6, and 8. They are now 17(hs senior), 19 (Sophomore in College) and 21 (Senior in College)

ash123

Thanks for the post caclark. God bless you. Many Congrats.

HoneyBeaw

Caaclark

Thanks for posting it give us all hope

LeesaD

Thank You for sharing caaclark!!! Continued good health to you!!

lkc

Great to see you again Carol and welcome to the 13 year club. Ain't it wonderful?!

NancyD

Congratulations, Carol!

lexi4

So happy to see your update, caaclark! Wishing you many more happy and healthy years ahead

Castigame

Carol,

You lifted up my spirit.

Ty.

Bugs

Hi all! I will admit that I have not logged on to bco in FOREVER, but I'm so glad I popped on here and started reading these updates. So many familiar faces/names celebrating!! I love it! On Feb 1st, I celebrated my 13 year NED!! When I was diagnosed I was a single mom of an 8 year old son, wondering if I'd live to see him grow up. He's now 21 and a junior in college. He's on an Air Force ROTC scholarship, so when he graduates he will also commission as an officer in the Air Force. I'm SO proud of him!

I keep in touch with most of you old timers over on Facebook, but I just wanted to pop on and add some rays of hope for the newbies.

Hugs to all!

Cindy

pip57

Hi Bugs. It is good to see so many familiar names posting here.

Stage 3B...12 years out.

hopefour

Thank you to each of you for coming back and cheering us on with your stories of how many years out you are!! Love it!!

hopefour

Alwayshope thank you again for starting this thread and the encouragement it brings to us all. Hope you are doing well!!

mpetago

Just posted officially on the 15 years NED thread! 😊❤️

NancyD

Congratulations mpetago!

sugarplum

PIP57, so good to see you again! Bugs, you were one of my very first posters when I finally joined here, back in 2008...

Coming up on 13 years myself!!

Julie

mpetago

Thank you Nancy D, and as I posted in the other threads, I plan to keep coming back yearly 👍

karen1956

February 3, 2006 is when I heard those dreaded words. 13 years later and I still visit bco - it was a lifeline when I was going through chemo and radiation as well as reconstruction and AI's. BCO was my support group - I've made many friends all around the world who I have met live time. I plan to keep coming back!!

When I was diagnosed my kids were turning 8, 17 and 20. Next month my youngest will be 21. I've seen all 3 graduate high school (oops - oldest was already in college). Two are college graduates and youngest is in university. Celebrated oldest daughter's wedding in 2009 and youngest daughter's bat mitzvah in 2010. 13 more anniversaries with my DH - 41 years - I'm still working 4 days/week.

There is live after diagnosis!!!

beeline

I love to hear this! Thank you and congratulations karen on 13 years!!

NancyD

Today marks eleven years since my diagnosis. A lot of life has happened in those years. Deaths, births, graduations, changing homes,other illnesses. It is all part of moving on and not letting breast cancer end your life with the diagnosis. Life isn't over!

stephilosphy00

Thank you for giving us hope!!

Texas357

Diagnosed Stage III in 2008 and feeling better than ever! Don't spend time worrying about statistics. Focus on living one day at a time and build a life beyond BC!

NancyD

Congrats Texas357!

foobs

10 YEARS ago I was diagnosed with STAGE III ILC, many positive LN and a significant family history. I never post here anymore but 10 years........ I hope someone just diagnosed will take this honest account to heart, try to be positive through treatment, and be braver than she's ever had to be.

I remember getting angry if anyone even suggested my life/health would change after this. I remember thinking "let's just get started so we can finish this! I wanted to win, to throw everything they had at this beast! I was a little naive that way, but all in all, today, I'm pretty healthy, busy, and very happy. Chemo and aromatase inhibitors have taken a toll, but I'm living and it's a good life! My primary care Dr has been wonderful in caring for my long-term issues. His awareness and compassion are rare and I'm lucky to have found him. I don't believe there's enough awareness of the long term effects of breast cancer treatment, even among the oncologist teams. Still, I am so grateful for where their focus is and for them saving lives.

I felt vulnerable when chemo, radiation and surgeries were over when I was only checked every 3 and then 6 months. I worked hard to look forward, not back and tried my best not to worry. "Laugh and the world laughs with you, cry and you cry alone"! I asked myself "what's surviving worth if you spend your time worrying"?

I now say to myself every morning, "tonight when I go to bed I will say, today was beautiful".

Most of us survive this horror. I'm probably older than most of you now, and can tell you that life goes by too fast to let any beast make you afraid for very long.

Anonymous

Foobs: congratulations! I am also 10 years strong and isn't time a great healer?....especially with piece of mind that we aren't so depressed about the fear of recurrence. At least that's how I personally feel. I was given the option now to decide about continuing on Femara or quit taking it. I've decided to stay with it at least one more year.

beeline

Congratulations and thank you both for sharing these milestones! It helps so much to hear as a stage 3 newbie.

HomeMom

December 7th is my last 6 month check up - I was diagnosed in March of 2014 with 4 nodes positive (I have never updated my "tag line" below). I was thinking of continuing to go to the Oncologist once a year for blood work - has anyone done that? Should I continue to take Arimidex? I like to drink, not to excess, but I do love my wine and sometimes a beer. My doctor told me I could do any of it if I want, just curious of what you long term ladies have done to help keep it away

NancyD

I'm over eleven years out. I still see my onc once a year for blood work, and to discuss the latest aches and pains I have. I still take anastrazole. I took a three month break last Fall to see if my aches and pains would go away. They didn't, so I started back up the first of the year. I like having it as a kind of security blanket, and as long as my bone density holds up, my onc and I don't see a reason to stop.

I drink wine regularly, and liquor occasionally, but not to excess (never more than two). And a beer with certain foods. I think the benefits outweigh the risks. Heart disease runs in my family about as much as cancer, so if it isn't going to be one, it'll be the other. A glass of wine with dinner is supposed to be good for your heart/circulation.

libby2002

Hi all - 

Newly diagnosed. 3cm tumour, at least one lymph (we're doing neoadjuvant chemo so we're not sure yet) and ER+ PR+ HER2- 

Just wondering, I noticed many of the long term survivors had stayed on their hormonal drugs for longer than 5/10 years. Has anyone on this thread successfully come off their hormonal medications?

Thx 

Libby

karen1956

I stopped AIs after 3 1/2 years - that was in 2010! Thankfully, I'm still NED. My oncologist still sees me every 6 months

HomeMom

Well I had my visit and my MO told me that the latest studies show that continuing on AI for 10 years instead of 5 helps by about another 3% to fend off a recurrence. She also said that since I would stay on the AI I would still need to see her every 6 months. We negotiated 2 more years and re evaluate then since there is ONE study that says 2 more are just as good at 5. I hate going there. I have to have a shot for my bone density when I go and I have to go to the treatment room to get it. I have PTSD sitting there waiting for it. I don't mind taking the AI, I just don't want to keep going every 6 months.

She said with Arimidex I have to see her every 6 months. So I guess I'm NOT done.