5 years.....

[42istheanswer]

Hi All - this is my first foray into this sort of forum.... Basically I was diagnosed with breast cancer in Nov 2008. I had a young family at the time (my children are now 8 & 10) so I soldiered on through chemo and surgeries and tried to keep life status quo for them (and me!). Now I'm facing my oncologist check up in about a month - my breast specialist advised earlier this year that I no longer need to see him (due to having no actual real breasts!!)and I can see my oncologist as the main consultant from now on. So - this appointment coming up will be the final 6 monthly check and hopefully confirm a nearly 5 year all clear. I guess I'm anxious....I feel I've spent the first few years getting treatment, having surgery...and now the anticipated 5 year marker! And life is normal...but not! 5 years flies by so quickly...how do other people mark this occasion?!

[Gaylene_Mc]

Hi 42istheanswer, It is funny how we put such importance on milestones like 5 years. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in sep 2006 followed by chemo, mastectomy and radiation treatment. Then life went on as normal as it can after a cancer diagnoses. Then at my 4 1/2 year check, June 2011, we found bone mets and I also now have liver mets. It's funny how I feel that just 6 more months and I would have made it but really it would be no different, I was obviously meant to get it back, and think I'd had for a while but it hid very well. Celebrate your 5 year mark however you like, some people get tattoos, others throw parties others just let it slide by. I love hearing and reading the stories of those who get to that cancer free mark as it gives so much hope to all those fighting this awful disease. So if you want to celebrate, do so for you, your loved ones and those battling cancer.

[marshie]

Hi I know how you feel my husband had floor of the mouth cancer with 10 nodes and his 5 years is up in November so we are waiting for that.It has been a long road he still can only drink shakes cannot eat any solids so its very hard to keep his weight up,and he has no taste either so you can imagine

[42istheanswer]

hi Gaylene Thanks for your response - it helped to put things in perspective. I guess the main thing going through my head when even searching this site - when do you call yourself a survivor?! I remember early in the peace asking my oncologist a similar question re the "all clear" - mainly because that seemed to be all friends' question in the first couple of years. He answered "it's like a marriage - you don't say it's good till you look back at 80 years"! I guess I should get out of my shell and say it loud and proud - I'm a survivor!!

[42istheanswer]

My thoughts are with you, Marshie. Keep smiling 🙂

[Gaylene_Mc]

Yes ladies it is hard to know, when do we class ourselves as survivors. I think the fact that we are still here be it as soon as we are diagnosed, 1,2,5 or 10 years later we are survivors. Even though I am now fighting secondaries in my head I survived the first diagnoses and I have so far survived the second one. Even though sometimes it is tough. And Marshie some people do it a lot tougher than others, your husband has done so well and I hope things improve for him soon. 42isananswer, celebrate your 5 years of surviving in a big way and even make plans for what you can do at 10 years. Thinking of you both.

[marshie]

H Gaylene I suppose when you put it like that we are all survivors its funny how life goes by you take so much for granted just like saliva in your mouth, but like we have found out they give you a curl ball every so often and you pick your self up and start again. Good luck to you and keep fighting marshie

[marshie]

H Hi 42 you have to keep smiling or you would sit and cry ha ha We will Brian has been through so much its just strength he is short of we feel guilty when we sit and have a roast dinner then give him a milk shake but he says he's used to it now its the dry mouth that gets him most. All the best marshie

[marshie]

Hi Gaylene I hope your still keeping the faith I have sent to Africa for some pills they suppose to make you eat so I am hoping they work on Brian. I think that's the only thing that's holding him back because just living on shakes i'm hoping this will make him wont more.Are you reading a good book at the moment, I used to have a secondhand bookshop before I retibed and I loved it and met some terrific people I think that was the best time of my life doing a job that I really loved. marshie