61and still going

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bigbhome
bigbhome Member Posts: 840
edited August 2018 in Stage IV/Metastatic Breast Cancer ONLY

Tomorrow I turn 61! I am posting this tonight since I will be at Mayo most of the morning tomorrow, where else does one spend their birthday?

Anyway, 6 years and 3 months ago I was diagnosed with Mbc! So many horrible things came to mind, that I thought that I would be dead in a year. I can't begin to describe how happy I am to still be here! I never thought I'd make it to 60, much less 61!

For those of you who are just starting your journey with Mbc, know that there is a lot of hope out there! When Faslodax failed after 3 1/2years, Ibrance had come on the market just 6 months earlier. The I/L combo bought me another 2 1/2 years. I am now on Xeloda and fingers crossed, will get a long time from this drug! The people on these threads have given me a priceless amount of support and helpful information! There are no adequate ways to thank them because I honestly believe that I would not have made it this far without them! I firmly believe that attitude has something to do with our survival and that without the love and support of my family, friends and Mbc family, I would have given up a long time ago. Instead, I refuse to give in and give up! Yes, some days it takes work to get in a better frame of mind and sometimes I just have to float down the river of denial to stay sane.

I have been blessed to have 2 beautiful grandsons in the past 5 years! I still have my horses and ride every chance I get. We put in a swimming pool last year and that has been a godsend!

I want to thank all of you who have come to mean so much to me and to send you lots of hugs and prayers. Let's keep on keepin on!

Claudia

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  • susan_02143
    susan_02143 Member Posts: 7,209
    edited August 2018

    Happy Birthday!

    I am astonished that I have made it to 59. _THAT_ wasn't supposed to happen! We are all happy that you are still here too!

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  • Chicagoan
    Chicagoan Member Posts: 728
    edited August 2018

    Happy Birthday, Claudia! Wishing you many more good years.

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  • Lynnwood1960
    Lynnwood1960 Member Posts: 1,284
    edited August 2018
    Happy birthday Claudia!! Birthdays are very special when you have MBC!!! I hope you do something special to celebrate after your trip to the hospital. Your story is inspiring, and gives hope to all of us!
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  • 50sgirl
    50sgirl Member Posts: 2,527
    edited August 2018

    Claudia,

    What a wonderful post. First of all, Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday, dear Caudia, Happy birthday to you. I would tell you to imagine that I am singing that to you tomorrow morning, but you wouldn't want my singing voice to disturb your day. 61, wow, I think I still remember being 61 although it has been 7 years. I hope you find time tomorrow to enjoy some birthday time in the midst of all that is going on.

    Next, I want to tell you how wonderful it is to know that you are still such a vibrant, interesting, active person after 6 years and 3 months with MBC. You are beacon of hope for others here, especially those who have been recently diagnosed and might feel frightened that their futures will be way too short and filled with darkness and pain.

    I hope that you see good response and tolerable SEs from Xeloda for many, many years. It is great that you had such prolonged success with your first two lines of treatment.

    Last, I can't close without thanking you for the contributions you make to these boards. Your words are always well chosen, your advice productive and thoughtful, and your intent full of kindness and hope. I love your positive attitude. Now, if I could only get you to think of your own needs once in a while! Lol.

    You in your DH will be in my prayers.

    Hugs and prayers from, Lynne


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  • Grannax2
    Grannax2 Member Posts: 2,551
    edited August 2018

    Happy Birthday Bigbhome. You are one of my favorite people on this site. I love that ride as often as possible, that's living.

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  • LoveFromPhilly
    LoveFromPhilly Member Posts: 1,308
    edited August 2018

    Happy birthday!!!

    And thank you for helping to provide me with some serious mental breathing room. Your post helped me feel like the walls moved away from me by at least 100 ft!!! I have so much more spaciousness in my mind/body/soul! Thank you so much!!

    You are an inspiration to me as at age 40 last year diagnosed wit stage 4 MBC to bones. I now feel and know that I'm definitely going to be making amazing memories inside this body of mine :-)

    Hugs and Llama kisses! Brenda

    image

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  • holmes13
    holmes13 Member Posts: 214
    edited August 2018

    happy birthday!!!! Wow! 6yrs!! You are an inspiration to us all. After your doctor's appointment go out and do something fun. You de

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  • illimae
    illimae Member Posts: 5,710
    edited August 2018

    image

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  • wam
    wam Member Posts: 168
    edited August 2018

    Happy birthday! You are an inspiration to all of us.

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  • vampeyes
    vampeyes Member Posts: 1,227
    edited August 2018

    image

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  • Chico
    Chico Member Posts: 196
    edited August 2018

    Happy Birthday Claudia from the U.K. I am on cycle 25 of L/I and hope I can do as well as you are doing. So pleased that you are still marching on despite all the things that both you and your DH have had to endure. Good luck tomorrow and I hope you find time toenjoy yourself.

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  • MuddlingThrough
    MuddlingThrough Member Posts: 726
    edited August 2018

    Happy Birthday, Claudia!! Your post inspires me! I hope you get to have some fun after you leave the hospital. 🎂

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  • Maire67
    Maire67 Member Posts: 768
    edited August 2018

    Happy Birthday, Claudia🌻🌺🌹🌈🎂🦋

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  • bigbhome
    bigbhome Member Posts: 840
    edited August 2018

    Thank you all for your wonderful birthday wishes! Today is a banner day for me medically too! I had my bblood. work this morning and it looked the best it has looked since I went on Ibrance!!! I hit normal in almost every thing!! Woohoo, doing the happy dance for sure! Also, even though I show progression on the last 2 Petscans, my tumor markers dropped in the last 3 weeks!! We are hoping that means Madam X is kicking some butt! Now, if my left hip would stop hurting when I walk, I would have a perfect day!!I I found it funny that they didn't mention radiation for the pain, there must be a note in my file, that says t that the last time they mentioned it, I told them that maybe I would, but not at Mayo. Out of the 3 experiences that I have had with radiation, my experience with Mayo was by far the worst! I hate to say anything bad about them, but it was awful compared to my other experiences. I'm very happy today!!!😄

    Much love to all of you,

    Claudia

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  • AmyJM
    AmyJM Member Posts: 665
    edited August 2018

    Hi Claudia,

    I hope you had a wonderful birthday yesterday! I'm glad to hear that the med. news was good too! I'm right behind you on a similar path - was diagnosed stage IV, 5 years ago this past Spring. I had 3 1/4 years on Arimidex and 2 years so far on Ibrance/Faslodex. I was 52 when I got my Stage IV diagnosis, and didn't know if I'd make it to 60 either. I'll be turning 58 in September, so it looks like I've got a pretty good shot at it too! We should shoot for 70 now!

    Love n hugs, Amy

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  • WinningSoFar
    WinningSoFar Member Posts: 951
    edited August 2018

    Shoot for 70!

    I made my 70th birthday and realized that I've been in Cancer World for almost 20 years. The good news is that somehow or another I've had a good life during that 20 years. Many many camping adventures in Alaska, cruises across all the oceans (but the Indian ocean). Years to spend with my grandchildren who have grown up to be splendid adults. All while having cancer, sometimes chemo-ing, sometimes rad-ing and sometimes pill-ing.

    Thank you dear God for the miracles of science.

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  • DivineMrsM
    DivineMrsM Member Posts: 9,620
    edited August 2018

    Bigb, happy belated birthday! It is so good that you have been able to make the most of what was initially a bad situation. Best wishes for many, many more years in your favor.


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  • exbrnxgrl
    exbrnxgrl Member Posts: 12,424
    edited August 2018

    Happy birthday and may you have many, many more

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  • Grannax2
    Grannax2 Member Posts: 2,551
    edited August 2018

    Winningsofar. I'm 70 also! I also started all this BC, MBC stuff in 1992 when I was 44. This time is my fourth DX in those 26 years. Lots of chemo, etc, etc,etc. So much I cannot remember all the details anymore. Looking forward to 71 this Christmas.

    I've gotten to see and do so much more than I expected. My DH got married, my DD got married. I have two grandchildren. I could go on and on. Now I just want to go to my two vacations in September.


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  • bigbhome
    bigbhome Member Posts: 840
    edited August 2018

    Thank you again for all of the wonderful birthday wishes! It was a great day! My cup runeth over!

    Amy and Winning, and of course Divine, I say 70 is a great goal! Those of you who are in your 70's, shoot for 80. Why not! I think the more positive you are, the better! Every day, in the morning I tell myself to have a good day, every evening, if I failed to have a good day, I have to find one thing that happened that day that was good! I've gotten to the point where I can't rest until I have found something good from the day!! It May seem Polly Annish to some, but it works for me! This year, 2018, has been a really rough year for us, I have fought hard to remain positive, in light of all that has happened. I decided one day to make a list of all the good things that has happened and found out that it is quite a long list! Wow, who knew! My resolution, from here forward, is to focus even more on the positives! I hope that I can live up to the challenged! I am definitely going to try!

    Stay strong!!! I'm sending lots of good vibes out there, along with lots of hugs and prayers.

    Claudia

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  • Celebrate_Life
    Celebrate_Life Member Posts: 103
    edited August 2018

    Happy birthday Claudia! You go girl and happy your blood work looks awesome. Wishing you many more happy birthday's ahead.

    Therese

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  • Sue2009
    Sue2009 Member Posts: 228
    edited August 2018

    woo hoo, love these threads. I remember celebrating my 50th birthday & thinking about my grandfather who died at 56 from lung Cancer & thought surely I can make it to 56 too. Last June was 57 years of life, the past 10 w/ MBC. Happy Birthday Claudia & May you be blessed w/many more.

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  • Heidihill
    Heidihill Member Posts: 5,476
    edited August 2018

    Belated Happy Birthday, Claudia!  With your great bloodwork, Swinging 70s is in your sights. Go for it! Hope to be swinging there with you as I turn 61 next month.

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