stage 3a breast cancer survivors

tresa - remember many of the commonly available statistics (and the "i knew someone 30 years ago who had a tough time then died" stories)  are just that 30 years old ... we're making progress and none of us is a statistic ... even though my 9th anniversary is next month there are still moments when my heart stops and i think "oh crap" but i'm enjoying life and retirement .... take a deep breath when the panic hits and hang in there ...

Thank you Jenni. It's just so nice to hear from others like yourself. Where are you in CA? I lived in Laguna Niguel from 1980 til 92. Was a flight attendant with Northwest, then started a family in Western Wi. I have a 20 yr old daughter and 17 yr old son, wonderful husband, 4 dogs, 2 horses, and a cat.Lots to live for. My sister had stage 1 ILC 16 yrs ago and my mom the same just 2 yrs ago. They are both alive and well. I wish you and yours the best and hope to hear more from you

Am so very happy to see all of your encouraging posts-- just finished chemo and radiation with few side effects-- continuing Herceptin every three weeks for the rest of the year. Pretty scared about a reoccurrence, though. Would love to have current information from some of you on more success stories. Always gives me a lift and lots of hope to read these--we all have so much to live for. I'm her2 positive, stage 3a.  (4/24 nodes). I'm AliceS but real name is Stephanie.

Thanks and best wishes to all of you,

Stephanie

I am just one year out, stage 3a. I am loving reading the encouragement here and also realizing that I am not alone in how I feel. Well meaning people expect that I should be perfectly fine and "back to normal" since everything is done, but in no way have I defined a "new normal" yet. Some days are better than others; being busy helps, but not a day goes back that I am not reminded about my cancer and the anxiety about recurrances. Intellectually, I believe I will be fine and I know there is new research being done every day, but emotionally it's another story. Thanks for the support everyone!

hi

Just want to say hi to all and hope that you are all still doing great. I too a stage 3a'er and right now undergoing AC chemo and it's been really tough to go through such strong chemo, this Thursday is my fourth and final round of AC and to be followed by 12 rounds of palitaxel chemo. I feel weak and amazed to read about some ladies are able to go normal lifelike such as exercise during AC, my salute to them

summerhayashi, hang in there, have been there, hugs.

I'm interested as I am Stage 3A lobular, 4.5 yrs out no problems until PMB a few weeks ago. Tomorrow I go for an endometrial biopsy. I am drinking wine tonight. Wish I felt like drinking a second bottle. But I think it might make me feel sick. Nonetheless, I am afraid. Not so much, of endometrial cancer, because that is apparently only a 14% likelihood, more likely, 60% I have hyperplasia, probably with atypia. And even though only 30% will proceed to endometrial cancer I do not want a hysterectomy. Nor do not want to now start Femara because I can no longer take Tamoxifen as I have osteopenia. I had an 18mm uterine lining thickness on TVUS 3 weeks ago. Am I in trouble? Life can be so hard. I am half way through implant unilateral reconstruction on my right breast. I want to get off this merry go round. Stick my head in the sand and allow fate to play.

Thanks Lifelover,

I had the biopsy yesterday but the gyn/onc told me that he could only get partly up to my uterus and believes the sample will come back as insufficient. He told me he will make arrangements for me to come and see him perhaps as early as next week. He said he could try again because sometimes it will work but there seems to be an obstruction. He told me they could do a general anaesthetic and I think he said place a camera inside. Sigh! So much stress. My husband suggests not to worry as I have no information and therefore no need to worry yet.

This is a good thread for me to read. I'm heading up on 1 year since DX and I thought this would be just about over and it's so so not. I haven't started rads yet, landed in the hospital for 8 days about 10 days PFC, so I see drs next week to talk about it. And foobs, we didn't get to finish BMX because I almost croaked on the operating table. It's been a roller coaster.

I've always been so resilient, and I'm not sure cancer has taught me anything. I was stubborn before. Now I'm curled up in the fetal position. Still stubborn. I stubborned my way through chemo, worked, made everything think I was fine. "You look so healthy." I should get an academy award.

I'm getting more and more to where I can't get out of bed when I'm at home. I travel out of town for treatment and work. It makes me ashamed of myself. But a year from now - instead of this year - maybe it will be different? Maybe I'll be getting ready to start recon. Ugh.

But there is an end. Too many of you all are saying there's a light at the end of the tunnel.

I think some of it is that it is taking so long. Everyone (it feels like) that I started with in the November 2015 surgeries thread is done with treatment. My January 2016 chemo thread peeps are done with rads. If I could just maybe finish the treatment phase, maybe I would have some closure, even with a uniboob. Or maybe I could talk Lucy Lawless (BC surgeon's nickname) into finishing what she started while I've met my deductible if recon isn't on the horizon for next year's deductible.

There's no done with this-ness. Yes, I'm done with chemo, but I'm not done with them poisoning me. I wanna be done with that.

I have hobbies. Had. I know how to knit, crochet, paint, read, every craft under the sun, yoga, gardening....my yard last year was so freaking gorgeous.

A headache for me ...... I don't even.....two brain aneurysms AND cancer.....lol.......

im right in there with you on time frame. I'm almost done with the trial drug, i finish Oct 11. I will finally get the exchange surgery Dec 1 which had to be delayed til I was finished with the trial drug. My attitude is that yes I'd like to be put back together again but the bigger picture is surviving first so my vanity had to wait. It will make it all so much greater since I've had to wait. I too have watched all my chemo friends move on but now it's my turn too. Yes bc still takes up retail space in my brain but it's way less than it used to be and I'm sure from what everyone tells me it will become less and less so you are not alone, there are others too. They told us the biggest recovery time was for the mental PTSD this bc stuff causes. I believe it. Reach out as you need. We all get it and are here for you. Hugs........

Wonderful! Here's to another 5 years filled with health and happiness!

Congratulations Denise, that's fantastic news! Here's to many more years/decades to come

thank you and so pleased for you Denis

Glad I found this thread...2 weeks post-op and 7/17 nodes were positive. Feeling more hopeful. Thanks for sharing your stories.