Well, Corrrr, Ffffflip Ilift - I see where your name comes from. That’s absobloominlutely amazing!! What did you get your degree and post grad in?? as you speak of you own therapy clinic?? All fantastic. Good for you. Ilift
xxxxxxx
Hi Sam, I was diagnosed with grade 3 HER 2 +++ BC in 2007 age 28. A 10 cm lump and 14/25 nodes affected. Had chemo rads herceptin… was told had gone through menopause. I am turning 40 this year. My son will be 6 in March and my daughter is 2 and a half. I am healthy and feel lucky every day. There are lots of positive stories out there. Good luck xxxx you can do this x
I had 5cm of squatter, stage 3, her2+ and er+, diag 2013. neo-adjuvant treatment with chemo, then surgery, then rads. Now on tamoxifen. I was 29 when it started. I came out of it cancer-free with 2 boobs that I grew myself; I now am being treated for anxiety and depression but have found solace in my career and my daughter, though it gets pretty difficult sometimes with the anxiety.
I started writing my story last year, chapter by chapter, and I was the same as you - it felt like there was nothing positive being said. I did get through it and have had scans every year that are clear, but every year since I’ve been scared by every new lump and bump that appears. I am seeing the oncologist on Monday about the latest lump but to date he’s always said it’s fat necrosis as a result of all the treatment. I am however considering just getting rid, for my own sanity - that’s in response to my anxiety though.
Not every story is a horror story. Come and read mine if it will help (that’s why I wrote it). www.alwaysablezard.com - click on Cancer and you’ll see 11 chapters. Ignore all the other stuff if you want x
Some helpful and positive stories. There has been so much progress with hormone receptive and her2 positive with herception. I am not sure what progress has been made with triple negative. If anyone has a positive story about triple negative it would be good to hear. Thanks
HI Ladies
apologies for late reply, I’ve not logged on!
I got my degree BSC Hons Complementary Therapies, at the bold age of 45, went on to do a masters but only managed 1 year and left with Post Grad in Autism (my son is on the spectrum with epilepsy so studies took a back seat)
Delley - I’m gutted I didn’t see original post 
Im not saying everyday is easy, now I’m 50 well into the throws of my second menopause, there are days I don’t want to get out of bed, especially when hormones are raging (mine not my son’s lmao)
walking helps, plugged into Eckhart Tolle, or Richard Miller/I Rest, or similar…
take care ladies, speak soon! X
Wow ladies… these stories are just amazing to read!! Thank you to every single one of you who has shared a little insight into their journey!
Please keep this bumped up for others who have been newly diagnosed as this is exactly the sort of thing is newbies need to read!!! ???
Hi everyone im 34! this is my first post…diagnosed with stage 1, grade 3 idc with a small amount in 1 node.
Had a lumpectomy and im starting chemo on thursday and struggling to see a happy future.
Looking for positive stories to help me through xx
Hi helena,
Thank you…my onco was quite positive when i met her but i cant help thinking the worst because of my age.
Glad to hear you are doing well, i will have a look at that link thank you xx
Hi evie, thank you for posting. Im up and down one min i think lets do this the next i feeling down and still not beleving its happening!
I will follow that group thank you xx
I try and do that, but mind races to the future rather than the hear and now which i know is not good.
Are you my age? X
I was diagnosed in November 2012 and it hit me like a sledge hammer. I was convinced I was going to die and the thought of losing my hair was almost worse than the disease. I just knew my life as I knew it was finished and any future life I may have would be cancer stricken.
A friend’s husband has just been diagnosed with lung cancer and it got me thinking of that awful time between diagnosis and treatment, and that in turn made me remember the wonderful help I got fro this forum. I told no one about my cancer apart from my husband, children and my brother, and I cold capped so that as far as the world was concerned I didn’t look like a cancer patient. But on this forum I could be myself and voice me fears and anxieties of which here were many. It’s hearing about my friend that made me return to this forum tonight.
I had a lumpectomy, 6 FEC and 3 weeks of rads. My tumor was triple negative so I didn’t have to take any drugs afterwards to restrict hormones. I am now 5.5 years since my treatment finished and life is good - wonderful in fact and whilst I have made it a practise to check myself every night when I take my bath I rarely give cancer a thought. The only time I become anxious and fearful is when my annual mammogram and ultrasound scan is due. I am aware that one day it may return but as each year passes the thoughts of cancer recede.
Cancer and the treatment altered me at the time. I lost all my confidence and really wanted to lock myself away from the outside world until it was all over. I confess my confidence took some time to return but in general my life is back to normal and I have become more appreciative of the little things in life and nature possibly because I thought they were all going to be taken away from me.
There is life after diagnosis. The horror stories are there for all to read but it’s the people like me who have come through it successfully that should get on this forum to encourage those currently suffering.
So glad I decided to come on this forum tonight. Good luck ladies - the light at the end of the tunnel gets brighter every single day.
Border-Collies
Hi Catee
My post below was written befre I read yours. I was as I said diagnosed in Novemberf 2012 with Grade 1 Invasive Triple Negative Cancer fortunately with no node invasion. I was told that because i was Triple Negative I wouldn’t need any medications after treatment which I thought was great until I consulted Dr. Google and realised that Triple Negative was the worst kind to have. However the rest of my story is below and 5.5 years since treatment ended I am clear having an annual mammogram and ultrasound scan to prover it. Life is good.
Border-Collies
Hi everyone what a great site this is, when I was first diagnosed I was so scared, i’m A few years down the line now, thankfully all I know mines was her 2, got lumpectomy, lymph nodes removed, couple were cancerous, radiotherapy, herceptin & 10yrs tamoxifen, at the beginning you think there is no hope, but amazing now looking back you think was that really me!! I couldn’t believe all the treatment that you would get, all the nurses and doctors & consultants were amazing, your the one falling apart and they’re the ones lifting you back up again. Having a cancer diagnosis doesn’t half change you big time, getting told this will make you stronger, at the time you don’t see a light at the end of the tunnel, but now there is, you find out who your real friends and family are too, I never take life for granted now, lots of people have helped me and now I would like to help people going through the exact the same. To everyone keep going and stay strong.x
Oops I forgot to mention chemotherapy how could I ever forget that!!!
Hello all,
Well here’s a positive (outlook) story. Just reading through the papers and have come across a story about a woman who had breast cancer who states that she is glad that she had breast cancer… This is the second similar story about this person that I have seen over the months stating this. Again the general gist of the article is that she is glad because it has made her feel empowered to help others.
Each to their own and all that - but seriously glad for the breast cancer? I wonder if that would be the case if treatment had left her more disfigured, debilitated or at an incurable stage etc. It’s great to use your experience to help others and be positive but I don’t think I will ever be grateful for the breast cancer.
Mind you I did think of some positives from Chemo. Apart from the total pathological response and medical benefits, I have never needed to wear deodorant since chemo ended (yes chemo not radio), and I grew a set of toenails that are much nicer than the previous set, I suppose you can look for the positives in anything.
Regards and positive vibes to all x
Hi
I was diagnosed with breast and oral cancer in September and October 2004, during the tests the hospital got the guide wire stuck in me and I acquired MRSA, which delayed my surgery, I underwent the surgery for the oral cancer first. The waiting time drove me to despair, we sold our home and I went the private route. 6 years later the implants capsulated, we could not afford me to go the private route again, so I learned from Daily Mail Elaine Sassoon was one of the best, my GP arranged for me to see her at NNUH in Norfolk, she put HUGE IMPLANTS into me and caused me severe back problems for several years, I returned to my GP and refused to return to NNUH, then the fun started, the plastic surgeons all told me I could not have the DIEP because I am too slim, I was also told I could end up with NO BREASTS and was verbally abused by another surgeon who I learned is a friend of Ms Sassoon, I saw two private surgeons and they said thy could do the DIEP, approx.£55,000. I researched Belgium and went to ANTWERP and boy am I happy - delighted , thrilled. My scan was done on the day I went to the hospital £200, here I was quoted £2000 yes two thousand, the consultant charged me £25 for his consultation and he personally spent one hour with me, I paid £250 plus plus for the provate consultations here . My surgery in Belgium cost £20,000 I had the DIEP performed by a fantastic surgeon, Steven Colpaert, he is a really caring doctor and his work is FANTASTIC, it is one year ago this week he performed the surgery and you can hardly see the scars, I had the nipples reconstricted in January he did the tattoos 6 weeks later. He also had to remove the skin cancer which occured again, I learned this week it returned because they used cream rather than surgically removing it! . It took me a long time but I am THRILLED, plus I have a wash board stomach, so you have your good happy story
Nobody wants to have BC I am sure, but I do feel I have grown since then. I have found a lot of support and frienship. We have raised over £700 for cancer charities so far, for instance, I live a much healthier life - most of the time anyway (started Karate recently 
) and I know more what I think is important in my life - used to be quite a workaholic and can be still, but my priorities have definitely changed!
I am 5 years free, tnbc with 2 node involvement. The main concern I have is that I am now on the routine 3 year screening. Oncologist said they won’t do it every year now as I am basically cured. It bothers me that some nasty cells could grow and spread in the 3 years till next mammogram. She told me that if I found anything unusual I can get referred back etc. But I never found a lump the first time, it was only visible on the first mammogram I had just before I was 50. But on the whole I feel fine, working full time. Had hip replaced recently which was a doddle! I know that surviving 5 years with tnbc is meant to mean reduced chance of coming back, so I try to be positive. X
I had exactly the same diagnosis in 2011, and thankfully still clear. How do you cope emotionally when check-ups are looming? I go into a downward spiral every time, it’s awful. I live a very full, positive life, but can not get over the feelings I had when I was first diagnosed.