Here I go again

Hi Joro84

We share a very similar story. I found a lump in July 2012, saw a Doctor in the August who told me "it wasnt a nasty lump as it was sofy and moved with the tissue" Literally the next day I was made redundant from a job I loved as a Recruitment Director for a well known company in Melbourne  - my career highlight. Decided to move back to Sydney and so was contracting, Lump had grown bigger so finally got it checked again and bang 1st diagnosis of breast cancer. However all was positive had surgery - lumpectomy, lymph node dissesction, then adjuvent treatment 16 rounds of chemo, 35 rounds of rads. I was in remission. Had managed to conitnue getting work on a contract basis - god knows how as very hard to get employers toagree to taake you on when you are on chemo but I did. Was in remission for 12 months and then routine check up with oncologist and tumour markers were elevated (1 above normal) back in for scans and bang 2nd diagnosis of bone mets  to spine, ribs and hip. Getting your head in the right space is the tough one. I did not feel ill. My oncologist however was very positive as many women go on to live a long time with bone mets as whilst not curable it is treatable and there are a lot of drugs available these days. My treatment is that I am now on Arimidex and Bondronat. Oncologist has said if progression changes which it will at some point we change treatment which may include some more chemo. Radiation can be used to skrink any tumours that are causing pain and give pretty much insstant relief. Since I have been on bondranat have no achy bones whatsoever which I did have before (put it down to too much bush walking at the time). So for me at the moment I have check every 6 weeks and that will determine the treatment regime I will be on. I am still working full time as secured a permanent position in Nov 2013.

Everyone is different but I have got to the point where I am carrying as per normal and don't really give it that much thought. My mantra is worry about things when they happen not a moment before and normally when there is worrying news you just get on with dealing with it as best you can. Initially though I was a bit absorbed with the "what is to come" but just found that not being to control that made me feel more out of control of the disease. So now I get up and say yep I feel good so life is good.

The good news I got was that within 6 weeks of being on Armidex one of my tumours on my ribs had gone or no evidence of it on scans. It is amazing what these drugs can do!

Hope this helps

DX Jan 2013 IDC ER+ Stage 2b Grade 3, Lymph Node dissection 6/12. Chemo EC 4 sessions, Taxol 12 sessions. Rads 30 + 5 sessions. Tamoxifen for 12 months. DX Bone Mets Oct 2014 Armidex and Bondronat