Stage 4 Survivor Stories for My Friend

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Pure
Pure Member Posts: 1,796
edited June 2014 in Stage III Breast Cancer

So this week my friend Christie was diagnosed with a reoccurence. Her first diagnosis caome in 07 at the very young age of 27. She was also pregnant at the time. She was an incredible source of support for me despite what she was going through. She is dedicated Christian and an incredible person. She has 2 beautiful babies. He faith never waivers. She is amazing. Anyway if wanted to present her with stories of long term Stage 4 survivors. He reoccurence is to her clavicle and nodes in her neck. They did see a shadow on he lung as well but I haven't heard if that is cancer or not.

The goal for her now is stay alive until the cure or more txs. She is highly er and pr positive. When she was orignially diagnosed they DIDN"T give her a TAXENE. After she had the baby they told her that the taxene wouldn't do much for her and she didn't need it. I find this weird since she was stage 3b with 12 nodes and so young. They also didn't give her a tamoxifin metabolizer test until I told her about it. This was 2 years later. She was only a moderate but they still kept her on it. She got shots every month for her estrogen. She lives in a small town. I am hoping since she didn't get a taxane that maybe that will be an option for her now. Or a different AL. Anyway if anyone knows of anyone being 4, 5 whatever years out I KNOW that would help her. She would never come on a board as that is not her thing.

Thanks for your help:)

 Blessings to all of you!

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  • YATCOMW
    YATCOMW Member Posts: 664
    edited June 2011

    I know LOTS of women that are 6-8 years out with her minimal disease.....they did chemo and got their cancer stable and have kept it stable for a long time....and still doing well.

    I think she needs to rethink where she is getting treatment.....she's too young....has young kids....she needs a kickass team to get her stable and keep her there.

    I personally like the team in Texas at the Arlington Cancer Center.....and MD Anderson in Houston....

    Will add her to my prayer list....

    Jacqueline

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  • kathleen1966
    kathleen1966 Member Posts: 793
    edited June 2011

    I met a woman while getting Herceptin yesterday who has had metastatic breast cancer for 14 years now. You would never know to look at her.  Now, I don't know her stats but it was only in her bones.  I assume she was er+ as she was not getting chemo to keep her stable.  I think that being ER+ is better for being stage IV and there are more treatment options. Met another woman at Gilda's club with metastatic breast cancer that was in her liver and Her2+.  She is on year four, NED.....that's right NOT in her liver. And yet another woman at Gilda's, had cancer over 20 years ago that she found out was her2+ when she had a recurrence in her shoulder 11 years ago.(must have re-tested her old slides).....yes, 11 years. Herceptin is her miracle drug. I hope this helps.

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  • Pure
    Pure Member Posts: 1,796
    edited June 2011

    These are great!!! Thanks guys for taking the time to write back... I just sent these to her:)

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  • jennyboog
    jennyboog Member Posts: 1,322
    edited June 2011

    I'm sorry I have no stories but will offer my thoughts and prayers instead. 

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  • Claire_in_Seattle
    Claire_in_Seattle Member Posts: 4,570
    edited June 2011

    Jen,

    I have a friend who didn't initially have Tamoxifen as was diagnosed prior to it being the standard of care.  She went in for foot surgery, and the screening x-ray discovered the lung tumors.  This is more than ten years ago.  The removed the larger tumors.

    With Tamoxifen, and now Arimidex, she has been NED for more than a decade.  She lives a full and wonderful life.  She does need to be on some sort of hormonal therapy for the rest of her life.

    She has since had her feet fixed.

    BTW - she is absolutely beautiful and a top national salesperson for one of the major cosmetics companies, so lives her life fully that way too.

    She was in her mid 30s when initially diagnosed.  She is now in her 50s. - Claire

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  • Pure
    Pure Member Posts: 1,796
    edited June 2011

    Tks so much Claire...My friend emailed me today and wa very thankful for all these stories:)

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