A year ago for me was pretty stressful sorting out my friends estate who had died in a car accident. I thought by the time January came I could put 2007 to bed and get on with my life and start my new photography business, alas not. It all started in April I woke up one morning and bingo a large lump was sticking out of my chest I went to see various Doc’s and on the 7th May diagnosed with lobular BC 25mm alien in situ! I could not believe it I am 39yrs old I have been fit and healthy all my life, I don’t smoke or drink, wow I sound boring!
Anyway I have had 6 lots of chemo which was hell, a mastectomy and node sampling and now waiting for my rads to start which will be on the 3rd Dec, just found a small lump below my scar last week so I now have to get this new lump looked at, I have shed some tears again this week praying that it has not come back so soon. I just want to get on and enjoy living again with my 10 year old son and Hubby.
Best wishes to all.
This time last year I had just finished radiotherapy after 6 months of chemo. And preparing to fly to the USA for two weeks with OH and son for a longed for break as we had to canx our summer holiday due to my diagnose
Still coming to terms with finding out I had secondaries only a month after my primary diagnose. And now waiting to find out if its gone walkabout again and settled in my chest
Looking forward to Christmas with OH and son -every extra day I have with them is so precious
Jools
This time last year I was unleashed from my tutor and allowed out on solo patrol in my new career, my husband was starting a new job, the kids were all ticking along nicely for a change and after a rough time over the previous 3 to 4 years for the family caused by deaths, family rows, children leaving home (some), marriage difficulties we were hoping for to a “quiet, uneventful” year ahead (for once). We got 9 months without anything major happening for once and everything improving, marriage, son being selected for prestigeous college, daughter sorting her life, husband and self getting to grips with new jobs and doing well in them. 18 August this year BC dx, mx, now going through chemo wondering whether I can and will get back to that “quiet, uneventful” life or whether there is ever such a thing as a “quiet, uneventful life”.
A year ago I was looking forward to Dec 12th when I had my 18th and last herceptin so ending my hospital visits of every three weeks.
So it was a very happy end to 18 months treatment.
Good luck to others still going through it. It does end one day.
a year ago had just had my mastectomy and expander implants …this year the usual emotional roller coaster now waiting for a bone scan but i am still here and am maxing it up xxxxx
A year ago I was unpacking from moving house, which I am also doing this year again but a lot more slowly (but this time bought) … last year was writing Xmas cards and this year am writing fewer to the people I really want to stay in touch with… cos friends are what make a big difference to this merry-go-round… last year was not ‘in remission’ because I hate and loathe that expression, but this year have had secondary diag in May and am coming to terms with that, but living life to the full (with a few more rests in between!)
This time last year I was happily preparing for a skiing holiday & x-mas, this year I’m preparing for my first chemo (on Monday) but also still preparing for my skiing holiday (on Saturday) and still looking forward to x-mas as I wont let it rule/ruin my life and have learnt to make the most of fun times with friends & family.
Good luck and best wishes to you all.
xxx
My 19 year old daughter was travelling in Oz,My 22 year old son was giving me a hard time and I was wearing a wig.Now my daughter is home and applying to do nursing, my son is in London,working ,happy and a lovely girlfriend,and I have a short grey crop— need a hair cut !!!
This time last year I had decided to move back from Birmingham to Stoke… had found myself a great boyfriend and a great job… now I’m having radio after a lot of chemo… boyf and job are still there but its all very very different!
But even with everything… bc included, I’m alot happy now than I ever was in Birmingham… and realise that you can’t take everything for granted and know just how much support I have around me… you think you have friends but you never know until you’ve been through all of this
This time last year I had lost all of my hair and just had my 3rd dose of Chemo,I was feeling dreadfull and was wondering if I could go through the next 6 months.
It was a long journey.
But here I am today with a good growth of hair and feeling better,roll on 2012 when this Arimidex ends.
Good Luck everyone and have a good Christmas if you can
This time last year I was living in ignorant bliss, had been to my GP with my breast lump. Age 30 and no family history - no worries right? January 08 was a catalogue of hospital appointments. January 29th diagnosed, Feb 18th my Dad dies. Feb 27th my Dad’s funeral, Feb 29th Mastectomy. Chemo finished Aug 29th, Rads finished Oct 22nd. Now what? Can’t wait for 2008 to end!
A year ago I was being discharged after having lung biopsies done, the lining of the lung re-attatached , and several pints of fluid drained! This was a bolt out of the blue. I’d had 12 cancer free years from the primamry diagnosis, and had just begun to think that I was perhaps going to be one of the lucky ones with no further problems-as if!
This year, I have just been discharged from hospital-Hickman Line became infected, so was in for 6 days. With next to no immune system due to the chemo, it was pretty hairy to discover that I didn’t repond to antibiotics, and it was only after several days when the " restricted access" antibiotics were administered, that I started to respond.
In the past year, my hormone status has changed from er-, to strongly er+, and yet I didn’t respond to hormone treatment. I had limited success with combined taxotere/herceptin, and when on herceptin alone, the short period of stability (2 months) was soon over, and the tumours progressed further. We’d had such high hopes that herceptin alone would have held things at bay, for a while at least, so it’s failure to do so has been a bitter blow. I re-started chemo (capecitibine), a few weeks ago, and am now on my second cycle.
Overall I still feel well, deriving huge pleasure from life, and able to do most of what I used to do. I’m so grateful that it was found when it was, as I’d had no symtoms-it was picked up simply through a chance comment to my gastroenterologist, who prudently decided further investigations were wise. Thank goodness he did, as the mets to the pleura he found have now spread to the liver and bone, so tough times ahead. It’s hard to find the balance between trying to stay optimistic that we’ll find a therapy which will be beneficial to me, and expecting too much-made that mistake with herceptin!
This time last year I was bald, but happy, after the usual mastectomy, chemo and rads, and although prognosis not brilliant ( large grade3 triple neg ) I was determined 2008 would be better. Could it be worse? We booked a holiday, theatre trips, Katie Melua tickets, and signed up for Ribbon Walk. Had to cancel everything after developing severe back problems and spent the year unable to sit, stand or walk! Thankfully no return of cancer, but at least 2007 was spent vaguely fighting something. This I can’t fight. Having 3rd op tomorrow, so with a bit of luck 2009 will be cancer-free and pain free!! I am not going to book anything in advance ever again, but do everything on the spur of the moment!
This time last year I was ringing my GP after finding a lump (turned out to be a cyst but they found the lump in the other breast…I didnt even know it was there!!! which still scares the pants off me) had mammogram and biopsy 17th Dec and DX christmas eve.
We have put up our christmas tree today and have just been all organised and made a christmas card speadsheet on my new laptop, its been a roller coaster year even though prognosis is good and ploughing my way through the 5 years tamoxifen/zoladex combo. I dont post too often these days but do pop in and have a read now and then. Thank you to everyone who kept me sane.
Good luck to all and heres hoping the next year is better than the last for all of us.
Love and luck to all. S x
This time last year I was making up for the bad xmas I had the previous year , having just finished treatment and thinking my end was nigh I had a ball of a time, and intend to have the same this year. Life takes on a whole new meaning when you have been on this cancer journey.
Merry Christmas girls, I wish you all the best for the future whatever stage of the journey you are at
This time last year I had been dx but was thinking it would mean a few weeks off. I was on a Uni course and thought I could manage to stay on that with 3 weeks off for rads…surgery was 27th Dec and after that they discovered it was grade 3 so I have done all the chemo, dropped out of Uni, to some extent dropped out of life.
The worst thing was telling my Mum. Even telling my kids paled in relation to that. The best thing was that I now know without doubt who my friends are, and who was not to be relied upon.
I recommenced the course this September (by the skin of my teeth!) and am working more or less normal hours again. Very tired but some hair peeping out of my scarves and taking Tamoxifen without too many ill effects. For me, this Christmas can only be better than the nightmare of last year.
this time last year i still has my dear sis with me ,although she had been really ill with heart problems we wernt to know that jan would bring bad news re a cancer spread diognosos and then her death im march ,also my bro in law who was diognosed last christmas died on the same day .im fighting liver mets and lymphodemia in arm is giving me gip ,now going to see consultant tomoz re right side ,dont know if ill be posting next year but my god i intend to fight with all my ,might !! hers to 2009 hopefully it will bring better times for all .lynn x
Last year was essentially ‘normal’, planning and packing for Christmas away at Granny’s house in the forest. After diagnosis in July this year, surgery 12 Sep that revealed a 14cm DIC and invasive cancer and 27/35 affected lymph nodes we will be staying here for Christmas. The side effects of chemo and persistent spiking temp means I want to be near our local centre. Only 2 more Tax to go, then 3 weeks rads, then 5 years Tamoxifen…
Looking forward to finishing this treatment and getting onto Tamoxifen in 2009 to try and get a new sense of normality
This time last year I was in blissful ignorance. A friend in Oz had emailed me a link to www.nbcc.org.au and their questionnaire to assess my risk of BC. ( my Mum died of BC )
I was low risk and thrilled.
But there is no hiding and it sat up and bit me July this year.
Same Ozzy friend jumped on plane and we had an unusual summer!!
This time last year - looking forward to Christmas, looking forward to friends popping in, looking forward to wearing a new black dress to dinner with friends, looking forward to a sunny holiday in Barbados with my best friend…Oh and had a job! Bit me in July too Kat.
xx
I had a ball of a time, and intend to have the same this year. Life takes on a whole new meaning when you have been on this cancer journey.