Living with Metastatic Breast Cancer

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nowaldron
nowaldron Member Posts: 94
edited May 2017 in Stage IV/Metastatic Breast Cancer ONLY

Hi Everyone,

I recently joined this site. I was diagnosed in February of 2016 with metastases to the bones (spine, ribs, femur and skull). At this point, I am "stable." I was just curious as to how long my fellow warriors have been living with this disease. I know the average survival rate based on most recent studies is that I have a 20 percent chance of living five years. I have two very supportive sisters, but they refuse to accept the fact that this disease with eventually kill me. In addition to my diagnosis, I lost my 90-year old mother and my partner of 13 years within the past year. Thankfully, I have a job that I love and which gives me a purpose in life.

Oh well, I am glad I found this site and thanks for listening.

Nancy

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  • ABeautifulSunset
    ABeautifulSunset Member Posts: 990
    edited March 2017

    I think you can live an indefinite amount of years with Bone mets. I, personally, am coming up on year 6. DXd in 2011 de novo.Don't write yourself off yet, dear. The disease may eventually kill you, but it could be twenty years, and we all die ofsomething. Listen to your sisters.

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  • pajim
    pajim Member Posts: 2,785
    edited March 2017

    Nancy, welcome to the club! A very exclusive club I might add. Only the very best people belong :-)

    We are fond of saying that none of us have a 'use by' date. Could you die within five years? Sure, if you have bad luck. But you could also live 10 or 20 years.

    Happy you have a job you love (so do I! and four years on I continue to work at it).

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  • nowaldron
    nowaldron Member Posts: 94
    edited March 2017

    Thank you. I am just living it one day at a time. It's funny, when I got up this morning cancer was not the first thing that I thought of!

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  • nowaldron
    nowaldron Member Posts: 94
    edited March 2017

    Hi,

    Thank you! When I was first diagnosed I told everyone that I was not a carton of milk, there is no expiration date on me! By they way, we are neighbors I live in Revere, MA. Thanks for your kind words!

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  • Baochu
    Baochu Member Posts: 2
    edited March 2017

    hi

    I m also new to the club. Good to know that you are so positive and I always believe that attitude matters! Definitely you will live on for another decades!!!

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  • pajim
    pajim Member Posts: 2,785
    edited March 2017

    Attitude does matter. It's not the be all and end-all, but it helps. We all wallow for a while right after diagnosis. That's perfectly normal and usual. But looking on the bright side of life helps during the dreary days of March.

    Welcome Baochu!

    Nice to meet another neighbor, Nancy. Over the past few years I've met a few folks in person -- meeting another one next week. She's seven years with mets

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  • Tina2
    Tina2 Member Posts: 2,943
    edited March 2017

    Nowaldron and Baochu,

    I've been living well with mets for five and a half years. Take heart!

    Tina

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  • susan_02143
    susan_02143 Member Posts: 7,209
    edited March 2017

    Nancy,

    Welcome!!!

    The first months with mets are just surreal. I think I walked around looking like a deer in headlights for that entire period. I did a lot of "planning" and figuring. I didn't tell anyone so that I could preserve my professional life, which took its toll on my friendships. I spent some time evaluating what was going to be important in my life. And then I kept being alive, with great scans. So, I just lived.

    As you can see from my signature, I have been playing the breast cancer pool since 2005, with my first mets diagnosis in 2010. So, May 2010 to March 2017 with mets. Only this last progression has me thinking about no longer working. Again, a question about where I put my energy vs. do we have enough money for that?

    I am even closer to you than Pam, since I am in Somerville, 02143.

    *susan*

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  • JFV
    JFV Member Posts: 795
    edited May 2017

    Just recently diagnosed with extensive bone mets.  Reading this page is very helpful..


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  • zarovka
    zarovka Member Posts: 3,607
    edited May 2017

    Nancy - It can be very tough but as long as you have something to live for, you have a long life ahead of you. Especially bone mets. It's first a mental game ... so ignore any statistics. There are 100 reasons they may be wrong generally, another 1000 they may be wrong for you specifically and even if the were more accurate they don't help you live with cancer, which is what you need to now.

    Welcome.

    >Z<

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited May 2017

    Welcome Nancy and Baochu! We're glad to see you're finding such great support here in this wonderful Community.

    JFV, so sorry that you have advanced to stage IV. Hang in there!

    If you want, you can take a look at the Living With Recurrent or Metastatic Breast Cancer section from our main site, where you can learn more about ways to live with metastatic breast cancer, manage feelings, talk to family and friends, etc.

    Hope this helps. If you have any questions for us please do get in touch.

    Warm wishes,

    The Mods



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