3 years ago today I was sat in the outpatients clinic listening to the doctor telling me I had cancer and that it had spread to my bones. My whole body shut down at that moment -it was like I was watching myself in an out of body experience, everything went through my mind, everything bad, was I going to see Christmas in 6 days time etc etc. I remember putting the Christmas decorations away in January & wondering whether I should leave my husband instructions for next year as to where the decorations were put around the house! !
Nearly 2 years on I had added liver mets to the mix and 6 cycles of docetaxol later a lovely bald look! 3 years on I actually feel pretty ok most of the time and I know that I have come a long long way from diagnosis day. I have learnt that you have to try any treatment thrown at you, be kind to yourself and live for the moment. In the last 3 years I have found new friends and support both on this forum and in the real world and consider myself very lucky to have such supportive friends and family. Cancer is no longer the first thought I have when I wake up - I never imagined that 3 years ago.
Helen x x x
Thank you for writing this Helen I’m newly diagnosed liver and lung and I’m in the middile of docetaxol and I feel the way you felt I’m glad to see it can get better. All the best to you and your family x x x x
Hi Helen and Julz
My mum is just at the beginning where u are Julz and where u have been Helen and it’s a scary dark place but reading both your posts has shed light on it all! We have appmt with Onc this week and are very scared of what the outcome may be but we are hopeful that when a plan is put in place we can start living with it rather than being afraid of it!
Thank you again for sharing, truly inspirational!
Lesley
Hi I know this is an older post but just wanted to thank helen44 for this post. I’m coming up for one year after my initial diagnosis which was sbc right from the start. Had Docetaxel and H&P , I feel very grateful I’m still here yet kinda wobbly it’s been a year, is my luck gonna run out this year? I have secondaries in my liver will stay on H&P. Your post helen44 when you said about putting away Christmas decs rang so true with me this year. I am lucky also to have great family and friends and still working albeit part time. I cannot wait till cancer is no longer one of the first things I think of when I wake up helen44. My is finding some sort of new normality. I just wanted to say “thank you” for your post.
Keep well
Julia x
2 years and 6 months ago from know where I was given the life I have now …breast cancer liver and bone . Devastated still am but the breast and liver are now clear with chemo .some days I have hope and other days I just want to sleep it away .i have looked at this forum today because I have done a big amount of this alone and I wanted to see what help and to see what has happened to others …
Helen what a lovely post you made and its very inspiring and like a lot of you …packed away the Xmas decs and wonder whether I will be here next Xmas to put them out again.
I was dx with bone mets at the end of October - hips, pelvis, spine and knees …I live a day at a time and now I dont keep special things for special occasions like I used to. I spray the expensive perfume every day even if Im not going out, wear new clothes even if I am only sat in the chair at home etc etc.
When I first got the primary BC in 2004 there were four of us …Im the last one standing and appreciate that I had 11 years of good health and being in remission that long. But somehow after all that time its more of a shock as you begin to believe that you have beaten this cruel disease .
Carolyn xxxxxxxxxxx
hi Helen your story has given me hope… did you have treatments that didn’t work? iv just had my first lot and its not worked, im just a little worried.
Hi Fizzypop,
My first treatment for bone secondaries was exemestane which didn’t work for me and after 5 months I also had liver mets too and the bone mets were much worse. I was scared nothing would work for me. However, I was put on Capecitabine chemo tablets which have shrunk my liver mets and are holding the disease in my bones stable. So don’t give up hope. xx
Hi all I’m new to this forum only registered today.
I was diagnosed with Her2+ secondary liver mets Sept 15’. I started with 7 rounds of Dox/pertuz/herceptin. Tumor in breast complete response. I’ve had mastectomy of left breast with lymph clearance in March with clear pathology followed by Liver resection this also came back clear. I’m about to have another 3 of Chemo on Wednesday this week as my oncologist wants to be sure even though he thinks this may be over kill.
I feel very positive about all my results and hope this message gives hope to others.
How are things going Jakemack?
Dear Helen,
What an amazing, uplifting post…thank you.
A secondary breast cancer diagnosis is a real shock, but for me that is almost 3 years ago. My secondaries are in my pelvis.
Living with uncertainty is indeed hard but now I live my life, literally a day at a time.
My grown up daughters are now oblivious that I’m still a cancer patient & this is ever so hard.
Sending many good wishes across the ether to u…:womanhappy:
Hi Silverlining
Glad you found my post uplifting, if you look down the threads I posted one at 4 years & at 5 years!!
Am just waiting for a change in treatment as my liver mets have increased slightly? however I feel pretty ok at the moment.
Wishing you all the best with your treatment.
Helen x