Stage III Cancer Survivors...15+ years and out

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  • DancingElizabeth
    DancingElizabeth Member Posts: 415
    edited October 2016

    Your posts really help...

    My MO keeps reminding me of how high risk I am for mets and it makes me feel like I should not be hopeful.

    Lately I feel that, I will be lucky if I am here in 3 years.

    And, ready to dip into my retirement fund - because I can't imagine living to be 70 at this point. (I am only 49). But, reading your posts really helps (I still feel like getting into my retirement money because I want to enjoy whatever time I might have left instead of leaving it to my DH....)

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  • HelenWNZ
    HelenWNZ Member Posts: 485
    edited October 2016

    Hi everyone

    Thought I recognised you scared67 I feel the same way - so many bad things in my diagnosis how can it be possible. My surgeon says we are going for a cure. My oncologist is trying for the 80% chance of making it past. 5 years if I follow the treatment plan. So why does my silly brain keep focussing on the 20% that won't. I'm 52 and still a wee way off from retirement.

    It's good too see that the possibilities are there.

    I have a 97 year old grandmother still living in her own home. Wanted it to be me.......

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  • YATCOMW
    YATCOMW Member Posts: 664
    edited November 2016

    I am 12 1/2 years out......only 2 1/2 more years to post here.........and although I too am not following all the rules........I plan to be here to post. Hang in there ladies......there are quite a few ladies within years of posting the big 15. I would have killed to have seen that when I was diagnosed with all the doom and gloom in 2004.

    Fists up!


    Jacqueline

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  • live_deliciously
    live_deliciously Member Posts: 346
    edited November 2016

    so awesome jaqueline. thanks for spreading the hope!


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  • Stacyd
    Stacyd Member Posts: 4
    edited November 2016

    My sisters mother in law was estrogen + and is a 16 yr survivor.

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  • Denise-G
    Denise-G Member Posts: 1,777
    edited November 2016

    Ran into my grade school friend this week by chance. Didn't recognize each other, but she was working at a floral shop, and I gave her my name to call me when a special order came in. Wow, it was great! Haven't seen each other in 45 years! Was telling her about myself, my mom and sister all diagnosed with breast cancer within 3 years. Then she told me her story.

    1997 - Stage 3C, thought she was Stage 4, but didn't have great technology then. Tumor as large as an orange, 20 positive nodes, chemo, radiation, they wanted to do stem cell as they were doing back then, but her insurance would not pay. She had one of the first Tram flaps which she said was a terrible job. Single mom, 10 year old daughter at the time. SHE IS DOING GREAT. It will be 20 years in January!!

    SURE MADE MY DAY in more ways than one!

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  • fightergirl711
    fightergirl711 Member Posts: 300
    edited November 2016

    Wow that's amazing, thank you!

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  • weesa
    weesa Member Posts: 707
    edited November 2016

    This thread keeps tripping along...what it lacks in vast numbers of responses it makes up for in the very powerful responses...which makes it so meaningful to people looking for hope. I would have given my right arm (along with its odd numbness and lymphedema, oh--and the loose fingernails) to have had this topic to read when I was first diagnosed. Thank you, all of you who have paused here to talk about 15 year survivors. You have created a wonderful gift for those starting out. Weesa

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  • live_deliciously
    live_deliciously Member Posts: 346
    edited November 2016

    good to be alive. I too appreciate all the great people that come back and post their success. it really does help so much. thank you

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  • ash123
    ash123 Member Posts: 99
    edited November 2016

    Thank you of all the ladies who come back and fill us with hope. You are awesome, please keep coming back.

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  • weesa
    weesa Member Posts: 707
    edited November 2016

    Fourteen years today...Weesa

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  • DancingElizabeth
    DancingElizabeth Member Posts: 415
    edited November 2016

    That's AWESOME Wessa!!! You give us all so much hope...

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  • ash123
    ash123 Member Posts: 99
    edited November 2016

    Thank you Weesa for continuously giving us hope. we all know how hard it is to go through the initial shock and treatments. May you have many many more years .

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  • Denise-G
    Denise-G Member Posts: 1,777
    edited November 2016

    Weesa - THANK YOU FOR POSTING AND CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

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  • lkc
    lkc Member Posts: 1,203
    edited November 2016

    weesa congratulations! A very happy thanksgiving to you all of our sisters

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited November 2016

    Congratulations, weesa! Big thanks for posting!

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  • sugarplum
    sugarplum Member Posts: 318
    edited November 2016

    WOOOO HOOOOO WEESA! You have been my shining star for years, as you are for all of us.

    May you have a truly debauched Thanksgiving :)

    Hugs from afar - Julie


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  • YATCOMW
    YATCOMW Member Posts: 664
    edited November 2016

    Simply awesome.......celebrate it!


    Jacqueline

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  • Marlenelin
    Marlenelin Member Posts: 56
    edited November 2016

    I was diagnosed April 2015. Currently undergoing proton radiation. 14 extrasapsular malignant lymph nodes out of 20. 3 cm tumor. ER P + Her 2 neg. Also very fearful and at times just want to give up. Take care.

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  • live_deliciously
    live_deliciously Member Posts: 346
    edited November 2016

    weesa. you are my hero. I have my exchange surgery Thursday. it's been a long delay but finally here. BC is front and center on my mind and then I read your post..... just like an angel to help me through this next week. Sending Many blessings your way and a big thank you for remembering all of us at the beginning of the line. big hugs!

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  • weesa
    weesa Member Posts: 707
    edited November 2016

    Will be thinking of you, LD, on Thursday.

    By the way, have your noticed how similar our dx's are?

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  • kar123
    kar123 Member Posts: 273
    edited December 2016

    Woo Hoo Weesa!!!

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  • live_deliciously
    live_deliciously Member Posts: 346
    edited December 2016

    thanks weesa. I did notice how similar our stats are and thankful you post to help keep me focused on the positive. I made it thru recon surgery. very sore but way more mobile and self sufficient than than the mastectomy surgery. Night and day difference. we will see how they look when the swelling goes down.......

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  • ladyb1234
    ladyb1234 Member Posts: 1,426
    edited March 2017


    Love this thread and the stories that are posted.  Weesa I followed you from the 10yr to the 15yr thread.  SillyHeart

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  • Castigame
    Castigame Member Posts: 752
    edited March 2017

    weesa,

    Thank you for the inspiration. As a newbie who recently had the uninvited automic guest reading about your story gives me energy. My mom is ovarian stage 3 survivor of 22 yrs and BC of 10 yrs. She is 85,alive and kicking. Now I have two people to follow!

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  • IAmElaine
    IAmElaine Member Posts: 87
    edited March 2017

    Weesa, I just went back and read your thread here. I see you are working on year 15!!!! Congratulations!

    I hit my 13th anniversary on the first of this month so my onc likes to say I am working on year 14. I like the way the man thinks!

    Anyway, I love to prove my surgeon, Dr. Doom, wrong. He thought I had a couple of years left when I was diagnosed. It was really that bad. I had some skin involvement, extracapsular extension and was totally inoperable without doing chemo first. My surgeon and my onc are down the hall from each other so I usually try to make a point of popping my head in at my surgeons office and giving him a smile. ;)

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  • Denise-G
    Denise-G Member Posts: 1,777
    edited March 2017

    IAmElaine - LOVE your story - congratulations and thanks for the encouragement! I would venture to say they rarely did chemo first when you were diagnosed.

    LOVE that you pop your head in and smile at your surgeon! You taught him a lot!!

    Appreciate the HOPE you bring to all of us! Here is to 13 more years and then some!

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  • Tinkerbells
    Tinkerbells Member Posts: 211
    edited April 2017

    ladies, popping in to tell you about my beautiful friend who is 15 years out this year! Stage 3, ER+, PR-, Her2+++, 9 positive nodes!

    That diagnosis was a recurrence- they did not give her herceptin for her first dx. She sure got it afterwards and it worked!

    She has lymphedema but is otherwise beautiful, healthy, and enjoying her grandchildren.

    I want to be like her when I grow up

    Keep the faith.

    Xoxo

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  • fondak
    fondak Member Posts: 376
    edited April 2017

    Tinkerbells Thank you for sharing that! That's very inspiring!

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited April 2017

    Yatcom & Weesa: Just curious to know if either of you are on AI's still, either Tamox or the others? I'm on year 8 out from dx, taking Femara. I usually get lots more headaches than I did on Tamoxifen. But the tamoxifen gave me bad leg cramps every day. At least I'm over half way to 15 yrs out !! You two are inspiration.

    Shelly

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