Unsure what to say!!

Public Archive
21

When I was in remission from primary bc I used that term interchangeably with NED and ‘living with’, I don’t have problems with remission as a word.

I can’t use it of myself now because its not true. I still have active cancer but am delighted its ‘stable’ this month. (or rather it was last month and I’m hoping it still is this month but not going near anyone till next month to find out).

Liz: thanks ever so for thinking of me but I don’t think I want to be a communty leader! I also don’t think breast cancer is yet at the stage of being a chronic condition like Crohn’s or diabetes, though it may be in the future. None of us knows the current figures cause even the ‘experts’ don’t seem to know but between a third and a half of those with primary breast cancer are probably likely to go on to get metastatic cancer and the average survival time for people with mets is reckoned to be between two and three and a half years. (again difficult to get accurate up to date figures.)

Jane

22

I just say I’ve had breast cancer twice and wait for the reaction - a lot of people don’t know what to say.

23

I usually say that I’ve had breast cancer and still taking treatment to hopefully prevent recurrance…Arimidex.

I don’t like the word remission because to me it feels like a temporary state…it will come back at some point. That maybe true statistically true but I prefer to think positively.

Sheana

24

I find remission quite a positive word.

25

I’ve had breast cancer or I’ve been treated for breast cancer. As they have removed the lump and found only one lymp node affected.

Not sure I can cope with the term survivour and I don’t yet understand remission.

Pauline