When am I a "Cancer Survivor"....

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Sereena
Sereena Member Posts: 99
edited June 2014 in Life After Breast Cancer

I have finished all rads and am into my second month of arimidex.....my question is.....when am I a cancer survivor? Am I dating back to my dx or my final treatment??? Where does my window begin. I know I am not cured...although not considered "remission" I am a survivor....right? 

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  • Kezzie62
    Kezzie62 Member Posts: 189
    edited April 2011

    I am recovering from my BMX no more treatment for now.  I am a survivor... not cured but surviving...

    Kezzie

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  • Sereena
    Sereena Member Posts: 99
    edited April 2011

    Kezzie62, Are you a "survivor" from your date of dx or from the date of your last treatment? Does it even matter? I should just be glad the nightmare is behind me.

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  • Kezzie62
    Kezzie62 Member Posts: 189
    edited April 2011

    I dont think it matters, I think of myself as being a survivor from when I started dealing with the DX.  All my traetments help me survive so when they started then when I became a survivor.

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  • chrissyb
    chrissyb Member Posts: 16,818
    edited April 2011

    Hi girls, the date that a lot of women celebrate is the day of Dx others the end of treatment.  It doesn't really matter which day as long as it's a day of significance to you.  Good luck to you all and I hope your treatments are treating you kindly.

    Peace, strength, love n hugs.  Chrissyb

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  • 37antiques
    37antiques Member Posts: 643
    edited April 2011

    At my onc's last week they said I would be 5 years out Christmas 2012, five years after my last rad.  As far as I'm concerned, as long as I am breathing and fighting I am a survivor!

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  • Medigal
    Medigal Member Posts: 1,412
    edited April 2011

    The way I think of it, from the day we are diagnosed we spend the rest of our lives trying to survive cancer.  However, some get to survive longer than others whether they finish all their treatments or not.  The way I have always put it to people is "I am "trying" to survive bc".  It seems to be an on-going battle and I guess it is up to you as to how you want to signify it.  When you tell people you are a cancer survivor, it sounds to me like they might think the worse is over and you are fine.  Not the way I look at it.  Sorry I can't be more cheerful about this disease but too many people I know were sure they "survived" it only to have the mountain fall back on them.  It's an on-going fight and we can never leave our guard down, imo.

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  • judyfams
    judyfams Member Posts: 148
    edited April 2011

    I agree with Medigal.  I will be a cancer survivor when I die of something other than breast cancer.  Right now I consider myself a cancer warrior as I feel we are always fighting this disease either overtly with specific treatments/meds or systemically within our bodies without any outward signs.

    I am not morbid, nor am I waiting around to die - I have had a bout with breast cancer that hopefully will not recur, and that is just a fact of life for me.  So I continue to do all the things that  that I have always done before the breast cancer.

    I have started counting my new status from the last day of my rads.

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  • 208sandy
    208sandy Member Posts: 2,610
    edited April 2011

    JBin:

    Of course you "want to catch hell" - it's how YOU get attention.

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  • bluewillowskys
    bluewillowskys Member Posts: 365
    edited April 2011

    I think I will consider myself a survivor after I have my surgery and my radiation is complete. I got a new rink ribbon/butterfly tattoo the day after my diagnosis to make the diagnosis more real and to empower myself. I surrounded it with the words, Faith, Hope and COurage and when i complete my rads I am adding SUrvivor across the top of it :)

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  • mebmarj
    mebmarj Member Posts: 380
    edited April 2011

    The announcer at a local event slipped. Before the "survivor" lap to start relay he referred to having all the "cancer patients" line up to announce their name, dx and length of being a survivor.

    Shocked the hell out of me they would refer to us that way and then to have to announce yourself.

    I've been survivor over seven years and had another dx less than two months ago.

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  • Gingerbrew
    Gingerbrew Member Posts: 2,859
    edited April 2011

    I am happy I am alive. Survivor sounds disingenuous to me, we truely will not be survivors until we die of something else. I don't like being told I am cured if I am not cured. Saying I am a survivor will not make me one! God can do that and I hope he will. I am happy I am alive and out of chemo and rads and healing from the PTSD symptoms I have had. I hope one day to have been a survivor as well as an old, old lady.

    Love Ginger

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  • bluewillowskys
    bluewillowskys Member Posts: 365
    edited October 2011

    well i have not yet added SURVIVOR on top of my tattoo...i have been nervous that i might jinx myself... I started Tamox and now have fears of getting another type of cancer from it. Im scared to claim im a survivor and "cured", that I may tempt fate and have it come back... anyone else feel this way ??

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  • cherokee807
    cherokee807 Member Posts: 10
    edited October 2011

    I too am getting a new tattoo with the  breast cancer ribbon....one way to remind myself of how strong I really am....it has been a very long year and have 6 more rads and am done....for now : )

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