Life does not end with a stage IV diagnosis (really!)

amontro

exbrnxgrl -

You deserve to take it easy. You've been through a very trying time.

I'm so proud that you said "No" to the school. It is sometimes difficult to let go of our past patterns, especially when it comes to our past jobs. Right now, you need to concentrate on your healing both emotionally and physically.

Cure-ious

Hey, hey, hey, waving at everybody!!! Arrived in Bilbao yesterday, its a bit reminiscent of San Francisco with the museum (Guggenheim), modern art, foodie culture, an exciting city! It's also Basque festival week (Semana Grande) so fireworks over the river every night and stuff going on all over the place- from here we go to Granada (Alhambra, Hammam) and then Barcelona (Sagrada Familia, Gaudi, Dali museum in Figueres)- a quick trip but so lucky to get it in Covid times!!! And they didn't evan cancel a flight OR lose our luggage!!!

Chicagoan

That sounds great Cure-ious. Enjoy your trip!

Elderberry

dean75: Haven't seen a post from you for awhile. Let us know how you are doing!

cure-ious: Suffering from envy. I bet you are having a fabulous time. Post photos when you get back.

exbrnxgrl: Yes to saying no!!! Go back on your own terms and enjoy retirement.

Tina2

Hey, hey, hey, cure-ious! I am thrilled by the news of your trip. We had a fabulous time in Spain several years ago, even though it was hot as blazes. Barcelona was colorful and fun, Madrid resplendent with fantastic museums (many on one incredible avenue, as I recall), and Grenada was magical with a sinister edge, as evidence and memories of the Inquisition seemed never far away.

We spent an entire day in the gorgeous gardens of the Alhambra and would go back in a heartbeat. I hope you're enjoying yourself!

Tina

Positive2strong

Hi All,

I need to hear from some of you over 3 yrs with MBC. I have been reading survival rates and need some encouragement. It will be one year Sept 9 since I had my femur rod surgery

Anonymous

This month I completed five years with metastatic breast cancer. Still going strong on first line treatment. Hugs and healing vibrations to you, positive2strong.

illimae

positive, November will be 6 years with MBC and October will be 5 years with brain mets specifically. I’ve changed treatments a few times and have had lots of brain radiation but I’m here, a little worn down sometimes but fully functional and living a pretty normal life. I’ve even started thinking about a big trip for my 50th birthday, which is still 3 years away. That’s something I never would have considered early on but research is always ongoing.

SeeQ

positive2strong - I haven't hit 3 yet, but I'm 2 yrs 3 mos and still NED on my first line of treatment. I am also ER/PR+, HER2- with liver mets, so we have some similarity there.

exbrnxgrl

Just hit my 11th year. I have had no progression since original treatment. I am not typical and have no explanation for my survival but it’s becoming, in my casual observation, more common to see longer survival times.

Chicagoan

Positive-In September, I'll be six years out from my MBC diagnoses and still on my first line of treatment. It seems like breast cancer is such an individualized disease-it is not worth worrying about statistics. I live a happy, pretty normal life right now. Having this wake-up call about my mortality has been a good thing for me because I do try and enjoy each day.

DivineMrsM

Cowgal, I love the idea of jewelry making! It sounds like a fun hobby. I don't wear much jewelry, but I always admire it on others.
Eltigre, watercolor art sounds lovely and relaxing.

It's great to hear of the travels some of you have taken recently, Chicagoan on an Alaskan tour, Cureoius to Spain and Aprilgirl heading both east and west! Your adventures are inspiring and I'm so glad you're out and about.

*

My scans in early June were good and current treatment is tolerable, so my goal was to focus on enjoying this summer…mission accomplished! I spent many days at the local pool two minutes away. I especially like adult swim from 10 to 12. Relaxing and nice to socialize. The group had a covered dish picnic at the pool shelter house to close the summer out.

My grandkids age 13 and 11 visited for a week and we had a blast with them. Besides lots of pool time, we attended a big family 4th of July picnic, road thru a safari animal park in a caravan truck and helped dh's mom (their great g-ma) celebrate her 94th birthday.

In August Dh and I took a bus tour to Nashville. We stayed at the beautiful Gaylord Opryland Resort. Lots of amenities to enjoy. The trip highlight, tho, was an evening at the Grand Ole Opry. Just WOW. Incredible entertainment.

I'm enjoying the vegetables from dh's garden & tried a few new recipes: fresh tomato salsa, bruschetta and a zucchini casserole. All delicious! My ds moved to a trendy Pittsburgh neighborhood and when I visited, we walked up the street to a French bakery for pastries then had lunch at a lovely outdoor courtyard restaurant. Thru the summer I had fun watching Season 4 of Stranger Things, Ted Lasso, the new Downton Abbey movie "End of an Era" and Mare of Easttown, among other shows. We bought a smart TV in January and it's great! [A side note—I got my first big screen TV 11 years ago when I started radiation so I could lay around all winter, watch tv and recuperate. The new TV is a wonderful upgrade.]

Oh, and I joined the Garden Club in town.

It was a fun but not hectic summer. Equal parts activity and rest work best for me as I definitely need my down time and always factor it in. I have a few plans in store for the upcoming months. My next scans are in October.

DivineMrsM

One of the reasons my summer went so well: boundaries. Not letting people consume my time on things I don't want to be doing. Not getting trapped into conversations where the other person does all the talking (this was a big one for me—and is that even a “conversation”?) Being selective with how I spend my time and learning not to feel guilty about it and not allowing others to make me feel guilty about it. Recognizing how others try to manipulate me and no longer falling for their tactics. Letting other people solve their own problems. Not saying yes to everything. The only time I saw my family this summer was at the 4th of July picnic, and I had a wonderful time! Less is more. It really is. One day filled with positive interactions at the picnic (where I'm safe in a crowd) is better than many smaller interactions where they belittle and criticize me. I'm learning to show up for myself, something I did not do before. I was always, always putting someone else’s feelings before my own. Now I check in with myself first and go from there.

Chicagoan

Divine-Sounds like you had a wonderful summer! I have to second your endorsements for boundaries and checking in with yourself. I have been doing the same. Boundaries are something I really have to practice but they make so much of a difference. It took having cancer for me to check in with myself first instead of feeling obligated with all these "shoulds."

ericalynn

Divine,

Fun to hearyou visited Pittsburgh - that's where I live. It's a great beautiful city.

sunnidays

I have just come back from a lovely holiday, I have had a great summer my oldest daughter got married.

DivineMrsM

Ericalynn, great to learn you live in the 'Burgh! My son attended college in Pittsburgh and has lived in various neighborhoods there since then; he also lived a couple years in Cranberry Township. I am an hour west of Pittsburgh in Ohio. (We are Steelers fans). My oncologist is also in Pittsburgh at AGH where I've been getting treatment since diagnosis in 2011. My son was in college at that time so after treatments I'd pick him up and we'd go to lunch. We continue to get together most days I have appts at AGH. Much as I hesitate to say anything positive about the disease, our lunches and visits have been a silver lining to the ordeal of mbc,

Sunnidays, so happy to hear you had a great summer. Congratulations to your daughter, the new bride, and her groom!

cowgal

Congratulations Sunnidays!

Divinemrsm - I guess sometimes when life gives you lemons you make lemonade. I am glad that you can have "lemonade" lunches with your son.

Last weekend we went to a college football game. It was a major victory for me to be able to do it as I have a lot of side effects but I managed and got to see my alma mater play live, which I have not been able to do for 35 years due to living so far away. This year they played 6 hours away from us so we went with some friends. It felt good to do something "normal" and also to get that old college spirit back a little bit.

Chicagoan

Celebrated my six year cancerversary today! I hadn't planned anything but it turned out to be a great day. It was absolutely beautiful here-sunny and hot-perfect for our last day of summer. I got a step that was rotting out replaced and took my car in for some maintenance. Oddly these projects felt good on my cancerversary-like I am making plans to be around a while longer. Then I treated myself to lunch and took a glorious hike in an arboretum. As I hiked, I remembered that 6 years ago I could barely walk around the hospital. I had a needle biopsy and they looked at me with a very sad face-then I rushed off to work to tie up loose ends so I could be admitted to the hospital. Today it felt so good to be alive, especially at the arboretum. I just wanted to soak it all in.

exbrnxgrl

Am I insane? I was asked by the my former school district to sub in 5th grade for month of October. I said I couldn’t because I have heavy grandchildren commitments every Tuesday. No problem, we’ll get another sub just for Tuesdays they said. We’ll also pay you a premium over your already premium pay (district retirees are paid more than other subs)… Guess who’s teaching 5th grade in October (minus Tuesdays)?

Anonymous

Chicagoan! Congratulations on a beautiful day and 6 year anniversary. This gives me so much hope!

Exbnxgril - that sounds like an offer that is hard to refuse! I don't think you are insane, enjoy the extra $$$ and halloween parade (if they still have those? I always loved elementary school Halloween!).

SeeQ

exbrnxgirl- it depends - are you happy about it? If so, then you're not insane. It seems you've been missing it a little. One month of 5th graders could cure that! Lol

Chicagoan

exbrnxgrl-That sounds like it will be fun for a month-especially since you can keep your Tuesdays with your grandkids. Also nice to be appreciated financially! Then November 1-back to the freedom of retirement.