20+ years after bs

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maizey
maizey Member Posts: 3
edited June 2014 in Life After Breast Cancer

Are there others on these boards who had their surgery and treatment 20 or more years ago?

I just found this website while looking for information on elective contralateral surgery. My Halstead was done in 1977 and, except for having exploratory biopsies (non-malignant) in the other breast, have not had further treatment.

Interestingly, I find some topics (chemo) on the site still make me psychologically uncomfortable and the picture in the chemo forum of the woman sitting in a recliner getting her dosage brought back instantly the nausea and hot flush associated with it. I guess that part is for life.

Basically, I've spent the last 30+ years getting on with my life, getting advanced degrees, teaching at several universities and staying married to the loveliest man in the world. I thought that cancer didn't figure largely in my thinking, but that is not true. I'm aware always that there is no such thing as "cured" but "longterm remission," at least as the disease is currently understood. Reading through the various forums brings that home to me.

I'd be interested in seeing contributions from others in my category. Or comments and questions from others who are interested in what it is like to live so long after bs (great acronym, btw!). 

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  • honeygirl
    honeygirl Member Posts: 1,718
    edited July 2008

    Hi Maizey , so good and inspiring to hear from you. Welcome to the boards. I was just curious as to what your diagnosis was. What kind of breast cancer you had , and were you triple negative or ER,PR positive? Its so good to hear you have had a great life in spite of having bc and especially what it can do to ones mind. Always making us worry.

    I am only one yr out from my dx. When do you stop having to see your onc? At one year , I still have to go every three months. I am usually OK until I go inside the cancer center , and see the chemo room. Thats when I start to feel anxious and wonder if I will be back there again. You have done many wonderful things in your life. I'm really glad to hear life can go on. Thank you. Good luck with surgery if you do it. Hugs to you. Melody

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited January 2009

    There is a lady in chat called Badbabe that is a long term survivor.  She also occasionally post on the boards.

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  • Paulette531
    Paulette531 Member Posts: 738
    edited July 2008

    I too would be interested in what the original diagnosis was...what type of cancer. And a big congrats on 30 years!

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  • maizey
    maizey Member Posts: 3
    edited July 2008

    Thanks for your replies. To tell you the truth, I would have to dig through old records now in storage to find the dx. All of you modern women are so much more aware than we (certainly I) was back in the '70s. There is so much more information available and people in general are much more open. Back then I was assured that having bc was "nothing to be ashamed of," but getting prosthetic and bra fittings, etc., was very hush, hush and difficult. It made me mad!

    I quit seeing the oncologist five years out. He said that as far as he was concerned, I was "cured." Because he hadn't expected me to last the five years, he was very pleased, both with me and with himself. At his recommendation I had chemo (Adriamycin-Cytoxin......ugh! still makes me nauseated to write it out), followed by radiation. Again, I'd have to look up the records to see how long for each. It seems the entire course of treatment lasted about eight months, with some gap times to allow white count to go back up. I worked through it all teaching part-time at a community college, and my students were very supportive. As was my husband, who chauffeured me to and from my classes. I found the work necessary to my sense of taking back control of my life.

    The main worry I have now are the longterm effects of the treatment. At the time I was warned that I may eventually suffer cardiomyopathies and other debilitation if I lived long enough. It was a Hobson's choice and I gambled on the therapy, not expecting to see age 50. Now, at 66, I sometimes wonder if the fibromyalgia-type symptoms I experience are the therapy effects come back to haunt me. But, hey! 30+ years and counting ain't bad returns on a gamble!

    Be good to yourselves, and kind to those who love you.

    maizey 

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  • cp418
    cp418 Member Posts: 7,079
    edited July 2008

    Maizey - thank you so much for your post.  It really means a lot to those of us having gone through the surgery, chemo and radiation treatments.  Unfortunately many who visit this site are  currently stricken with this disease and it is so up lifting and positive to hear from a long term survivor!!  Many patients do not realize how far current treatments and dx have come in recent years.  Only recently tumors are tested for receptor status and tamoxifen has been around 25 years where you state 30+ years!!  Wishing you 30+ more!!!  Joann

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  • pod1257
    pod1257 Member Posts: 262
    edited July 2008

    My mom is a 28 year survivor. She was 56 and STILL premenopausal. Her tumor was a "gentle giant" at 6.2cm (obviously er/pr+). She had a single mast and they found the tumor was encapsulated. Amazingly, she had no other treatment.

    As far as her fears during all those years, she said she did worry from time to time. BUT ignorance is bliss, because I think she felt that with the surgery she was cured. She was very much "old school" and just followed what the docs said. (In this case they were right!) I often think, she doesn't know how lucky she was that the tumor was so large and yet with surgery only, she survived.

    She will be 85 in Oct. and has lived to see her grandchildren, ages 7 to 19. I am so thankful, she is still with us.

    Julie

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