Breast Cancer Now Forum

Thank you @Evie-S  milestone posts were a lifeline to me when dx in 2006.  Much Love 😘 ... View more

Same @Ruby1  although I’m hesitant to post, it was these messages (of hope) that really helped me through.  Here’s to your 15th year and, likewise, many more to come 😘 ... View more

Hello @RoadRunner  Hope you are keeping well.  16 years today since my dx.  Much Love to you and all on the Forum 😘 ... View more

Hello @delly  good to hear you are keeping on keeping on.  Much Love 😘 ... View more

Just checking in @Ruby1  and catching up.  It’s nice to hear your Consultant share his happiness with you.  Nice for him too I’m sure. As you mentioned marking special dates, here’s one for you, it’s 16 years today since dx.  NED on mammogram in January 2022.  Always an anxious time around scans and anniversaries.   Hope you are keeping as well as can be Ruby and to all on here too.  Much Love 😘 ... View more

Hi Ruby1 Yes, here’s hoping for many more too.  I’ve said it before, it was posts like the one you started Ruby which helped me through the dark days.  15 years for me.  I feel like I’m tempting fate when I say this, however, if it helps anyone on here, then it’s a risk worth taking. Best wishes to everyone 😘 ... View more

Hi HelenW, take care coming up to your first anniversary.  Quite a moment.   Hi to everyone on this thread.  I think we are approaching a thread anniversary too!  I hope you are all keeping well. Much Love to you all 😘 ... View more

Oh my, where to start.  The Forum became an additional form of medication for my mental and emotional health.  More a lurker than a poster.  Did post relevant to my dx, pregnant with cancer, but the forum, as a whole, was such a source of information and support. A place where friendships blossomed, stories were shared, strong views held and debated, the heartbreak of loss ever present.  Though it wasn’t easy at the time, I look back at my time on the forum with fondness and am so grateful to everyone involved. A place where I can dip in and out, even after all this time.  I think I made it through several format changes too.  Now they were a source of controversy I seem to remember 😉 So, to BCN (BCC back then) to those who knew of me, the BCN community (past and present) and of course, to absent friends, thank you 😘 ... View more

Hi Janie123 I just jumped on Ruby’s bandwagon, glad I did and it’s nice to hear our posts helped you.   It’s natural to worry about recurrence. I no longer worry about it as often as I did but I’ll be honest, I still dread checking myself, every time.   Passing 2 years is a big milestone, such a relief for you and I hope you pass many more in the future.  With best wishes 😘 ... View more

Hi Evie Thank you, so pleased I was able to help in some small way. Have enjoyed various Vegan meals since my cancerversary from the ‘Keep it Vegan’ recipe book by Aime Carlin, recommended to me as a good introduction to plant-based cooking. This (Covid) year, more than ever before, has made me appreciate nature, plants, animals, Science and lifestyle, guessing this may well be the case for many too, whether dealing with a serious illness or not.   I know exactly how you feel about time of year making such a difference, it absolutely does, so much harder in the cold winter months and yes, dark short days but I hope you and your friend enjoy your festive Winter Wander, whether a bracing walk or a gentle meander, so good for the soul, a bit of a ‘Liker Hiker’ myself so I think you have made a great choice, though limited, as you say, due to restrictions. Thank you for your best wishes to my Family, I send the same right back to you.  You take care now Evie, much Love 😘   ... View more

Hi Evie-S Well, this forum, and the Charity itself, is close to my heart.  Many posters on the forum got me through some dark days, most of whom will have had no idea just how much they were ‘quietly’ supporting me with their posts, their knowledge, their experience.  It is good to hear that you have experienced the same level of support. I also learned a lot from posters who had a poor dx/outcome too, this forum comes with a lot of sadness but with grace and strength, at a desperate time in their lives, they were still prepared to engage, share and support others, quite some feat and how generous of heart, mind and spirit to spare their precious time.  There are some names no longer here but I haven’t forgotten them or their user names.  As for anniversaries Evie-S, such an individual choice, I tend to deal with them quietly and privately, though very much aware as there is a build-up to them but once they have passed, I tend to feel so much better.  I think your approach sounds good to me, own the moment but you also seem to have a super friend there, very in tune with you, hold onto that friend. This year however, though I’m not Vegan, I made my first Vegan meal in honour of the plant which helped to get me this far, the Yew Tree (Taxus) as I had Docetaxel (and the Fec combo as Grade 3). It seemed like a good way to celebrate my 14th cancerversary at the time. When looking to the future back then, if I dared, spontaneity took over from making plans but, over time, I can face making plans once again and now try to ALWAYS have ‘something to look forward to’ (borrowed with pride from Supervet), whether big or small, a film, a show, holiday etc, don’t put things off.  One thing I have learned the most though is that simple pleasures are often the best.   Hope some of this helps Evie-S 😘 ... View more

Evie-S, Ruby1, Like buses, two arrive at the same time 🙃 🙂 May be more ‘old timers’ will come aboard 😘 ... View more

Hi Evie-S and Ruby1 Thank you for your kind words Evie-S, though it was pure fluke I popped in when I did.  It makes me happy that I have been able to help, in some small way, though left me wondering maybe I could/should do more. However, Ruby1 is correct, for a variety of reasons, many no longer post on here, myself included though I have responded to private messages, when notified by email from BCN (or Breast Cancer Care as I knew it) over the years. 4 years post dx is great to hear and I hope you continue to keep well. Ruby1, thank you, you’ve given me ‘food for thought’ to pop on the forum more often, so hope to see you around.   Much Love to you all 😘     ... View more

Hi Murnaloo Thank you for your kind words.  To be completely honest, had it not been for events happening around me, making a conscious decision to log-on to the forum together with the timing of Ruby’s post, I may not have posted myself.  Glad I did though and good to know it helped you, hopefully others too. Hope treatment is going as well as can be for you on this mental, physical and emotional rollercoaster ride.  Hold on tight.  Much Love 😘 ... View more

Hi Ruby Lots of reflection this week, and yes, feel better for chatting, thank you too, serendipity hey! Much Love 😘   ... View more

Thank you Shi, happy to share, hope it helps.   With best wishes 😘 ... View more

Thank you Ruby, yes, this Forum was my ‘crutch’ back then and for some reason, which I can’t explain, it has become my support once again tonight, your post was super timed, the pick-me up I needed.   Yes, my baby is now a 14+ full on teenager 🙃 🙂 I am eternally grateful for the medical care I received, all disciplines (Obs/Onc/Surgeon) working together for the best possible outcome, my Surgeon telling me he had ‘2 patients to care for’ - he kept his promise there.   Right back at ya Ruby, so good to chat tonight, stay well and take good care 😘 ... View more

Hi Ruby, so lovely to read your post and to see how far you’ve come from dx in 2007.  I always devoured posts from ‘old timers’, to be honest, they kept me going through the dark days so hoping your post helps others too, so uplifting.   I’m another old timer, haven’t been on here for years but drawn to the forum tonight after receiving some sad news - not cancer related - but it took me back to my early dark days of dx.  The forum helped me so much. For the record, dx in 2006 with ER- PR+ Her2+, micro mets, aged 39, pregnant, surgery at 30 weeks, baby induced at 37 weeks, chemo, rads, Herceptin and was given Tamoxifen, though ER- my Onc felt best to take it as highly PR+  This takes me to 14+ years, hoping for so many more though didn’t think I’d reach this point back then.   Ruby, keep on keeping on and beyond, your post made me smile, inside and outside.  To all members, new and old, whatever stage you are at, I wish you all the very best along the rocky road.  Much Love to All.   ... View more