Hi everyone! Thank you for welcoming me to the thread. It was a big shock to find I had secondaries 12 months after throwing away the last of my arimidex and celebrating the end of my active treatment. But I think anyone who has had a primary cancer has that niggle at the back of their minds that it might come back, and now I seem to have jumped on the treadmill again. It is reassuring to know that my treatment plan is sorted and to read the posts on here about living with secondaries. Also to find out that others are on similar treatments. I wish you all all the luck in the world.
Welcome from me too Thumbie. I had a ten year gap from first diagnosis and mastectomy. So it came as a great shock to me too. My second diagnosis was in 1999 so you can see that there a quite a few of us that are managing reasonably well with bone mets. I have mets in my spine ribs pelvis and thorax. I did give up work with this second diagnosis but I do not regret doing so as I have been able to spend doing things i want to do and visiting family etc. I still drive the car. Have you applied for a Blue Badge or for DLA yet? (Disability Living Allowance). You can apply for DLA if you are under 60 and this may help you with any money worries you may have. Just ask any questions as you go along and one of us will be probably able to come up with an answer or a suggestion of where to go for advice. Wishing you all the best and sorry you have had to join us. But we are a loving bunch and help each other through the good times as well as the difficult ones. Val
Thank you Val, especially for mentioning practical stuff such as DLA. At present I am still receiving sick pay from work, but as I was working a temporary contract this will run out at Christmas, so I will have to start looking into whatās available to keep me going until I am able to work again, unless that proves impossible. Itās very much an unknown at the moment, although my orthopaedic surgeon is hopeful that I will be able to walk miles by February! Itās so encouraging to know that you are managing well. Thank you for your kind words.
Just a minor point to Valās post above. The upper limit for claiming DLA is actually 65 and not 60. Hope you donāt mind Val 
Dawn
xx
After that it is AA, which is essentially the same but there is no extra Mobility element available.
julie
Thanks Dawn for keeping me right. Glad you told me. Hugs, Val
Sorry itās been so long since Iāve been in touch, we have been back to Cyprus where we retired to 5 years ago.
To re-cap, I was dg with BC in 2000 and early this year was dg with sec cancer in my sternum. Had a course of radiotherapy and was on exemestane and bondronate. Was having bad stomach probs so switched to infusions 3 months ago.
Came back to the UK 2 weeks ago to see my Onc again for the results of another Bone and CT Scan. Pleased to say itās stable and not spread (yet).
Next week we are going to Australia and then to New Zealand to be with our daughter. I feel I need to do this while I am still well enough.
We will be away for 4 months, back end March for more hospital appts.
This website has been a lifeline for me. Itās so good to know that there are so many other ladies going through the same emotions etc as me.
I will keep reading the threads to ākeep upā and will be in touch when we get back.
Hi all
Three weeks since mx. Radiotherapy planning tomorrow. Our suitcases will be packed and in the boot, off to Cromer after appt.will get my dates for zapping tomorrow too. Aim to spend Christmas by the sea, for how long depends on zapping dates.
Hope everyone is as ok as possible
X Sarah
Hi Demelza
Sounds like youāve joined the Stable Mabels? Well done Have a fabulous trip to Oz and New Zealand - how exciting, and to see your daughter as well. I agree with getting these trips and holidays in whilst we can, even if our bone mets stay stable, we donāt know if and when pain may be a problem. So enjoy every moment and I hope you update us when youāre back.
Hi Sarah - hope your recovery from your op is going well and you also get away - not as far I know but Cromer does hold a special place in your heart if I read you right
Hi to everyone else, oldies and newbies, hoping everything is well with you all.
Nicky xx
Hurrah. Zapping begins December 29th so I can enjoy the festive periodā¦ In Cromer at the moment, just decorated it and feel like Christmas now. There is a really good store here, Aldiss. I have managed to acquire some lovely table decorations, a runner,napkins etc. Feeling quite happy at the moment. Just off to begin preparing dinner, itās pig tonight. Yum!!!
X Sarah
Ps. Where do the tears come from? I was in the middle of the radiotherapy planning session, the staff were lovely, the wait was non existent , the process painless. So why did I find myself in floods of tears. The outburst only lasted a few minutes and I was fine afterwards.
I need to point out that I havenāt decorated the whole of Cromer,the council do that. Just my flat lol
Sarah, youāre totally entitled to get upset. Hope you have a fantastic Christmas, and good luck with the zapping. xxx
Donāt worry about geting upset, it comes over us at the most stupid moments. I was at my grand-sonās nativity play and could hardly stop myself, thinking will i see him again next Xmas and then itās time to tell yourself of course you will. This b------d cancer wonāt get me yet.
Love to all
Trash aka Rosie xxx
Sarah you have coped SO wellā¦those tears can be a safety valveā¦just donāt make your knitting soggy.
Demelza, I spent some happy times in Australia and NZā¦one year saw both islands another year we stayed northā¦have a wonderful time.
Val, hope you are feeling the benefits of the transfusion and hi to everyone elseā¦x
Hi everyone, my husband has just collected my new drugs from the chemist - exemestane (aromasin). As usual, the list of side effects on the leaflet is making me distinctly uncomfortable. However, obviously Iām going to take them. Do any of you have experience of taking them? I was on arimidex before and tolerated them pretty well.
Mmmā¦ Maybe itās not sensible to read those lists
Yes Thumbie, donāt read all that stuff on the leaflet. I was on Aromasin for quite a few years and it worked well for me. I too was on Arimidex before that. My Oncologist has now put me on Femara. She likes to fool those hormones I think! Hope it works just as well for you. Val
Just to say āHello to everyoneā
I came on here a few weeks back and since then was in ānot a very good placeā. However, i have been coming on to this page each week to ālistenā to you all and it has done me the power of good - just thought i would say thanks everyone so much xx
Can I tag along?
Diagnosed in Jan 2008, Grade 2, lobular, 10cm tumour HER2+ 7 out 7 nodes infected. Mastectomy, chemo, radion, Herceptin and tamoxifen. I was doing well until Tuesday when I found out that it had spread to the bones. Once again I feel in complete shock as I was otherwise feeling really well.
Once again, I was drawn back to this forum after having neglected it for a long while. Instead of being more worried after reading some of the posts, I feel much more serene. Indeed I realised that I would not be dropping dead tomorrow. There is hope, just need to take it one day at a time. Thank you ladies.
Hi Vercors,
I remember your posts rom a while ago - I was also diagnosed in 2008, and my bone mets were confirmed in Feb 2010, although with hindsight they had been there a while. Like most of the others here, I take things one day at a time, am feeling very well at the moment and hope to do so for a long time yet!
Sorry you have found yourself joining us, but very best wishes,
J x
Hi vercors,
I have just joined the thread too after an initial diagnosis in 2005 and a diagnosis of bone mets just a few weeks ago. Iāve had a total hip replacement and am in the process of getting back on my feet from that. I have already found folks on here to be a great support, and reading the posts has been pretty enlightening (in a good way). They gave me a great welcome and I know they will give you one too.
I am very sorry you have to be here.
Good luck and good wishes
Ruth xxx