I haven’t posted on here for a while, needed a little break. However I wanted to share with you that it’s my 5 year anniversary with secondary breast cancer!
My primary was in 1998 and 5 years ago turned up very extensively in my bones… a shock to say the least after so long in the clear. I was 3 and half years bones only then 2 small mets showed up in the liver 18 months ago.
Im posting this to give hope to those newly diagnosed with secondaries. I remember so clearly the pit of despair in the beginning and how I clung to the posts on here of ladies who were 2 or 3 or more years down the line.
My advice? DONT READ THE STATISTICS! However do try and keep up with all treatments/ trials that are available to us in the UK. Due to NHS budgets etc we aren’t always offered what is available. Don’t be afraid to challenge your Oncologist and fight for meds you feel you should be offered even if it means changing hospitals ( I speak from experience) they are looking after many patients… YOU ARE LOOKING AFTER YOU!
Try to enjoy something each day don’t let this bloody disease consume your every thought.
I hope this post helps somebody to believe there is still life to be lived!
Thank you Debs for such a reassuring, inspiring post and well done to you for reaching your 5 year landmark.
I am recently diagnosed with bone & liver mets. Have started treatment and altho I have a few niggles. I am coping and certainly not symptomatic.
Very few people know I have secondaries so I am not being permanently asked how I am and not being treated differently by them. I also have a rule with friends that it’s ok to discuss my condition via message & phone but not when we meet in person.
Carrying on with life as best I can whilst I can and striving for those yearly landmarks.
All the very best to you Debs and a very merry Christmas to you & yours.
Thank you Debs for taking the time and thought in letting us newly diagnosed women know that you are still here 5 years down the line AND living life to the full :heart:
Thanks again for your generosity of spirit and equally, I wish you a wonderful Christmas and a great New Year :heart:
Thanks Debs, I am a new secondary, my primary was 2008. Mine is in lymph nodes. Every time I think I am pulling myself out of the pits of despair, I get a knock back, like today a clinical nurse specialist phoned and told me I must make my teenaged children do more chores- I will not, things should be as normal as possible for as long as possible for them, which I am hoping will be years, so your post has come on at a really good time for me, thank you.
And congratulations on reaching 5 years. I am spurred on to continue to live, as you are, and already I realise that we do indeed have to be our own expert.
Thank you for this encouraging post. I was diagnosed with MBC in September (first diagnosis too) and have mets in my lungs and bones. I’m having my 4th (of 6) chemo and hormone therapy session on Wednesday. I flip between denial, total despair and feeling vaguely optimistic. It’s so good to read encouraging posts.