Stage III Cancer Survivors ...Five + Years and Out.

congrats Sharon stay well

Thanks to everyone who comes back to share their stories.... amazing it gives me hope.

Hi all!

Just to say Hi, this is my first message since I just created an account. I was diagnosed in July last year and went through chemo, surgery and radiotherapy, and on the 1st of August started Tamoxifen. I was looking in the internet for long term survivors stories to fill up my tanks with optimism and hope, and got to this site and forum. And I just want to say, THANK YOU ALL that are sharing your stories years after your diagnosis, it brings us the not so long ago diagnosed a lot of strength and hope to go ahead, live our lifes day by day, and feel like the persons we were before that happened to us!

To tell you my story in a couple of lines: last July 2014 while having a shower, I noticed two enlarged lymph nodes below my left axila, a couple of months later a biopsy was made to it and proved cancerous....so the story began. They never found the tumor in my breast, only a benign one, something like sclerosing adenosis with papiloma cells, but not invasive cancer. So, as it seems, I had what is called "occult brest cancer". I had a Pathological Complete Response to chemo, so after it, in the path report after the surgery, it stated: 0 from 20 nodes had cancer, nor were invasive cancer cells found in the breast, but fibrosis scar tissue was found in 3 of the 20 nodes, so I guess it is considered that the cancer had reached these 3 nodes. But in the path report what is stated is, 0 from 20 nodes positive, which made me really happy the moment I read it! By the way, the size of the nodes that were enlarged before starting chemo reduced, but they didn't get back to normal, so I (and my onc too) thought tumour would still be found after the operation, but fortunately, everything was clean:-)! So I was not completely sure now if I have to put in my details in this web 3 nodes, or 0?

Really really hope to be able to write here in some time and give hope to newbies in the way you girls are giving it to me!

Hugs to all from Spain! And all the very very best to all of us!

Kate

Congratulation Leslie!

So happy and thankful for you! Thank you for letting us all share in your milestone!

Diana

Sharon and Leslie, thanks for spreading hope to us stage 3er's!!

I am stage 11 but just reporting in to say it's 7 years for me on the 8/9/15

Lexi4,

Big congrats!!!!😊😊😊😊👍

Lexi...you brought joyful tears to my eyes! I celebrate with you...thanks for infusing hope💛

Delvzy...congrats to you too!! 💜

leslie and sharon..congrats on 6 years and thank you for sharing with us!! Congrats Lexi4 on your healthy 10 years and counting! Also, on your engagement! It's always an encouragement to see our sisters doing so well! Thank you!!

Maryanne,

So good to see you, too! We started this stage lll stuff together. Yes, I am hopeful to see grandchildren in my future! 😀 And, I'd better clarify. My son is engaged to be married next year. DH and I will celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary next year Looking forward to 2016

Yay Sharon! So happy that you continue to be well! I wish you good health always

Hello all you wonderful ladies! And congrats on all your amazing milestones!

We just posted a request for Survivorship Stories -- would love to have some of you contribute!

Survivorship generally refers to life after immediate treatment (surgery, chemo, radiation), though a patient may still be on ongoing treatment (hormonal therapy, targeted therapies, complementary methods, etc.). To coincide with an new, upcoming section on the main Breastcancer.org site on Survivorship, we're looking for stories from members who have gone through the active treatment rollercoaster and are now experiencing life after a diagnosis. Specifically, we're wanting to hear your experiences with longer-term side effects of diagnosis and/or treatment, such as sexual issues, weight gain, chemo brain/chemo fog, bone and heart health, exercise and nutrition issues, menopausal issues, lymphedema, infertility, neuropathy, joint pain, skin/hair issues, relationship issues, work and career hurdles, and emotional issues including fear of recurrence.

Some things to think about for your story: Have you gained a new perspective on this other side of treatment? What life lessons have you learned? What advice would you give your newly-diagnosed self? How does your "old" self compare to your "new" self? What impact has your breast cancer diagnosis made on your life? If you've become a Breast Cancer Advocate, what is your mission and how are you fulfilling it?

If you're willing to share your perspective of your life after diagnosis and treatment, we'd love to hear from you! Please send your story via PM to the Mods along with a picture of yourself or something that represents you, and a note about how long since you've been diagnosed. Seeing these stories will surely inspire our new members, along with members just going through treatment now, to see that you CAN get through treatment and get to a new normal on the other side.

Your story will be included with the other Members Stories photos on the main site, and may also be used in part throughout the website and/or in fundraising or event materials.

Thank you for considering!

congrats Fitz very encouraging

Hello

in 2010 my wife was is bad condition, we looked for help...in 2009 she found the problem but not told this to anyone, only in 2010 we went to doctors, who told at the beggining hat its nothing and no need to worry...around middle 2010 she started the treatment (neoadvejent) , AC4 and after taxol hereceptin, 5 months after she made surgery, 15 of 20 lymps were touched..we were concerned, its was HER2+ (triple positive). i was shocked from all the story.  this forum after i found and i seen other positive survive cases, it saved me...now 2015 - everything is ok. so always there is a hope. and believe it will be ok for more years many years. and i hope it will give strength to others.

A big help she also received because she is doing self cultivation of mind and body and she has decided, after what happened, to open a new page of her life.

I used to read this thread back when I was first diagnosed, and it helped a lot. That was five years ago!

I was diagnosed at age 29 with stage 3A ILC, 4 out of 5 lymph nodes bursting with cancer and a tumor with tons of foci. I had a lumpectomy, then a reexcision after chemo that found more cancer So I got a mastectomy.

I can't believe I'm sitting here writing to you all. I've had so many wonderful days in those five years. Thanks for helping me see that it was possible.

For newbies, here are a few things I learned along the way:

• Always get a second opinion.
• Young women, if you can, see a specialist in young women's breast cancer!
• Don't ever blame yourself.
• You deserve all the love in the world.
• Bad TV shows are AMAZING when you're on all the drugs.

Love to you all!