Would love to hear from some long term Stage III survivors...

Hi Lanagraves,

Just wanted to tell you that I will be 12 years out on AUG. 11, 2013- next month. I had stage111 Her2 nu + ERT+. 17 lymph nodes removed, 8 were positive and one was starting to escape lymph node but did not make it. I had a year of FEC,  a yr. of taxotere. 6 wks of radiation, a flubbed reconstuction. DR. forgot to tell me to stop Femara before diep flap surgery. Femara can cause the blood to clot and with a diep fat they use the fat and blood vessels from the stomach. I gained weight for it but came out with a tummy tuck. The nurses argued outside my rm. not to get the"flaps" because the doppler noise annoyed them. I could not wake up enough to say anything but I heard them. Long story short several surgeries later I have a lattisimus Dorsi flap and the girls are not even. I did not bother with a nipple.  To be honest I think the long surgeries are harder on the body and mind than the chemo. 

It's all good now. I am alive and was blessed to be at my son's wedding 3 yrs. ago and getting ready to fly to see my Grandbaby in 2wks. I really don't sweat the small stuff so much anymore and my relationships are the most important thing in my life.   I wish you all the best. I hope my story gives you hope.

H-Nette11... great story!  Congrats on being such a survivor.  I am now 3 years and 3 months out.  I will say that every little ache and pain still gives me pause, but hopefully, I will get over that soon.  I have had reconstruction difficulties and LE related to radiation but all is well at the moment.  I still see my ONC every 6 months for another year, then I am on the 12 month plan.  Yeah!

lkc.... that is SUPER!

This is an old thread but wanted to bump...need to hear from stage 3 survivors....please:)

It's been 9 years now since my diagnosis. I was diagnosed the day before the local Komen Race For The Cure. Every year afterwards I have participated. This year I didn't. Why? This year two of my grandsons had Little League baseball games that day and I go to all of the games and take pictures. In other words, my breast cancer is no longer the center of my universe, it is just a part of my past. I now have other important things I want to do. Next year I will try to do the race because it will be my 10 year cancerversary. Yes, my diagnosis was a major event in my life, but now I am a long term survivor. In the early days of my diagnosis I came to breastcancer.org everyday for support and information. I very rarely come here now, except on or near the anniversary of my diagnosis because I want to encourage others with a stage III diagnosis. Live long and prosper my friends.

now ten years, Livin large every day and happy as a clam!

Hey Ladies,

Just popped in to see how everyone is doing.  So happy to hear the positive from those of you that helped me through the first two years with treatment.  It is now 4 years,1 month, 27 days, 13 hours since I heard the "C' word that changed my life.....but whose counting?

Most days are good except for the aches and pains but I blame old age  AND  that's a good thing.

God Bless you all and keep the STRENGTH, COURAGE, HOPE, FAITH.

I thank each of you for posting! Each of your stories give me hope in my darkest hours.

On Sunday, May 31st, it will be 7 years from the scariest shower of my life. I was diagnosed within days - stage 3 bc, 5 positive nodes, er+. My oldest daughter turned 16 just a few months later and my younger daughter had just turned 13.

My older daughter will be turning 23 soon, she got married last summer and is having a baby in October. My baby just turned 20 and is almost done with college.

I appreciate every day, every minute (it's a struggle to appreciate the minutes stuck in traffic but I try!).

Jillian: I am blessed to be a grandmother of a 2 1/2 year old little "caveman". Grandkids really do keep us young -- if not forever tired !! I am going on 7 years since dx and can only keep looking ahead at this point. You will be a grandma I just know and will love it as much as I do. --Shelly