Stage III Cancer Survivors .... 10+ Years and Out

Juju-mar · February 2022

NancyD,

Thank you for posting! Just what I needed to see today.

Juli

Francesca30 · February 2022

congratulations NancyD and Wintersocks!❤️ cheers to many more healthy years :

victoriasecret · June 2022

Hi Girls

I always come back on my anniversary- LUCKY 13 this year - to share and give hope to the newly diagnosed. You can read my stats although stats became just that stats to me... A stage 3 diagnosis can be daunting I can tell you it scared the ... out of me. After many years of cysts and lumps and bumps I found myself sitting across from my breast surgeon in total shock. She had to almost Cher slap me .. Moonstruck- Snap out of it moment ! When she told me my tumour was most likely late stage 2 maybe stage 3 . It ended up late stage 3 .

I found BCO as I was doctor googling myself . This site was the start of my mental healing . I was searching anyone who had survived a stage 3 diagnosis and I found it here. I met some wonderful women here many I am still in touch with. Sadly have lost some along the way. I would reach out and there was always a shoulder to cry on. I can't thank BCO enough for that in my early diagnosis.

So what and where did I go to navigate myself into this whole new world ? I'll shorten up the treatment - Double mx. ( after years of being mammogramed and ultrasounded ( not real words ) I was not taking one more chance obviously one was going the fight was on and if I survived that the other one was not going to take a swing at me ! Dose dense chemo and then radiation with a bolus .I found a naturopath and followed a regime of meds . I started REIKI treatments after chemo found great solace in that, went on to to attaining my master REIKI certificate. I also had Zometa infusions for 2 years. I waited 5 years before considering recon ...it was a disaster. I was followed by my onc for 5 and then graduated to my family doctor, I found the two week rule here. If anything persists after two weeks call - it never has.

What has happened in 13 years ?- my daughter was 17-graduating highschool, I had just turned 50, my sons were in UNI .. my daughter went on to become a peds nurse . My oldest son lives in Thailand living the dream my middle son married with two beautiful children .

So life has been good . Does the fear ever go away?- nope- you just get on living.. One of my favourite sayings- Everyday you think you are dying you are not living . I choose living !

So in closing I wish you all many more years of living life and making memories !

Much Love C

NancyD · July 2022

Great advice C!

Candilea · July 2022

Thank you, C!!!! I wish you many more years of choosing living!

new_direction · July 2022

I was diagnosed 10 years ago, went to the doctor the first time almost 11 years ago, my treatment with chemo, radiation and surgery ended in February 2013. So it's the 10 year mark of my diagnosis this summer. 10% ER 1% PR . Ki ~35. At least 4 nodes (1 with extracapsular extension following chemo)

As time has progressed I think less and less about cancer. When I was diagnosed I only thought days or weeks ahead. I was focused on survival but 2 years ago I decided for a reconstruction and I'm happy about that now.

I think my best advice would be to do what feels right for you and don't blame yourself even if someone else think you should or could have done something differently. Also be open to your own motives of choosing as you.

If I could do something different though, I wish for myself that I could have been more relaxed and taken more breaks from "researching". Some of my motive was not rational but out of fear. I don't regret making a book with pictures, quotes and life advice for my two children. They were 1 and 2 years old. I had planned to order birthday gifts for them ahead of my own time if treatment didn't work or I had a recurrence.

I don't dare to assume I'm cured in any way, but still the feeling of daring to plan some time ahead and not thinking about how to survive all the time is a relief. I really appreciate the feeling of humbleness. Not feeling immortal. That is maybe the biggest "gift" from having breast cancer.

I wish good health and love to everyone who reads this.