The toll of tests, diagnosis and treatments
Hi, About a month ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer. You deal with the shock of the diagnosis with the goal posts kept changing as a result of further testing needed, which for me resulted in a...
Forum Discussion
Dear @Julie_D60
I had a mastectomy, 17 lymph nodes removed, six months of chemo, a year of Herceptin and I am in my last year (of 10) of hormonal therapy. Happily, I didn’t get all that advice in one go, right at the start! But once you start treatment, it’s amazing how one thing makes the next a little more acceptable. I had a pretty good run with chemo (worked throughout) , Herceptin alone was a breeze after that and I haven’t had any of the joint pain, flushes etc that is sometimes associated with an AI. Sometimes it all seems quite fresh, but often it seems a lifetime ago. And that’s the point - I’ve had a life for the last ten years, a really good one. I’ve worked at jobs I enjoyed, travelled, had a lot of fun (including with two grandchildren who didn’t exist when I was diagnosed). Am I happy I went through it all? You bet I am. Keep your eyes on the prize. Best wishes.
I had a mastectomy, 17 lymph nodes removed, six months of chemo, a year of Herceptin and I am in my last year (of 10) of hormonal therapy. Happily, I didn’t get all that advice in one go, right at the start! But once you start treatment, it’s amazing how one thing makes the next a little more acceptable. I had a pretty good run with chemo (worked throughout) , Herceptin alone was a breeze after that and I haven’t had any of the joint pain, flushes etc that is sometimes associated with an AI. Sometimes it all seems quite fresh, but often it seems a lifetime ago. And that’s the point - I’ve had a life for the last ten years, a really good one. I’ve worked at jobs I enjoyed, travelled, had a lot of fun (including with two grandchildren who didn’t exist when I was diagnosed). Am I happy I went through it all? You bet I am. Keep your eyes on the prize. Best wishes.