Forum Discussion
Secondary breast cancer
Hi this is my first blog,
I have been living with mestatic breast cancer for 4 months now, well that is when I found out that the cancer had spread to my skull, spine, pelvis, ribs, throat, chest wall and 2 weeks ago I was told that it is now in both my lungs.
I am still working full time, now that the pain has been managed, it's amazing the treatments they have out now, I thought I was going to be bed ridden with the pain.
Though I think the best medicine is having a positive mind, faith and HOPE. I know there is no cure for my cancer now, but there is always HOPE as new treatments are coming out that will prolong my life. I could still be around for many more years to come, well I am going to be around for many more years to come, that's better thinking.
I praise the Lord for helping me with his courage, spirit and wisdom.
64 Replies
hello max1ebob, I've only made a few comments here, with Sue and Celeste, and yet i get so much stength in knowing of the women in this group and out there, through all our states of Oz (meaning Australia.... although taking confronting news on board feels like a "land of Oz experience"!!)... I reckon you are courageous in sharing your story. Faith, hope and loving yourself enough to do something.
hello max1ebob, I've only made a few comments here, with Sue and Celeste, and yet i get so much stength in knowing of the women in this group and out there, through all our states of Oz (meaning Australia.... although taking confronting news on board feels like a "land of Oz experience"!!)... I reckon you are courageous in sharing your story. Faith, hope and loving yourself enough to do something.
Hello max1ebob, welcome to the group that no-one wants to become a member of! You are right, it is a great thing to be positive, but I agree that it is also important to grieve for all the losses that we have. This diagnosis is devastating, but where there is life there is hope, and we must never give up hope.
I was diagnosed with EBC in Oct 2008 (age 40), and diagnosed with secondary BC in Oct 2011 (age 43), when it was discovered accidentally! They found tumours in both lungs..."far too many to count" they told me. They were amazed at how I was able to breathe! I started on chemo, and then 8 weeks later the cancer had spread to my bones -skull, thoracic and lumber spine, ribs, hip (my right hip was very badly affected) and pelvis. My treatment was changed (new chemo, bone strengtheners and radiotherapy to my spine) and in June this year, after 16 months of chemo, I was told that the cancer was "non-identifiable". There is no sign of any cancer in my lungs, and the cancer in my bones has regressed and is showing signs of healing :) These results were confirmed again in my latest scans in September 2013. I don't know for how long I will continue to get these results, but for now I cherish every moment! Never, ever give up hope! Celeste ?
- For those who are interested there is a petition going to change the name of breast cancer awareness month to Metastatic & Breast Cancer Awareness Month. May need to copy and paste the link to your browser. http://www.change.org/petitions/nbcam-collaborating-org-add-the-word-metastatic-to-make-october-national-metastatic-breast-cancer-awareness-month?share_id=MbFJpvUKbL&utm_campaign=share_button_mobile&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition
I do have my bad days Klea, I try hard to turn them around and it is hard. I think work is keeping me sane at present as I have an office job so I sit most of the day which is handy, though I am going to cut my days down to 4 days a week now. You hang in there too lovey lady
Nice to hear from you, I have had so many responses since my post yesterday, that I am trying to caught up with a few in my lunch break. I have Oestrogen positive no HER-2. I wish you the best of luck with her scans and CT today, I am thinking of you, for me that is so..................scary. I have been getting bad pain in my skull I have mets in my skull though I am getting more forgetful and I didnt even remember my pin number today. I think I might need a brain scan, not being negative but its a bit scary forgetting your pin when you use it ever other day. I really hope you get great results. I am on Femera tablets, I had radiation on my spine and use Fentayl patches every 3 days for the pain.
- I've tried to find the group you mentioned but I can't. Is there a link? I want to be one of those people who lives way past that timeline. Fingers crossed.
- I think everything is all so new that everything has bubbled to the surface all at once. We have decided at this point to see how the chemo goes and go from there. I'm not sure that this is the right thing but my husband and family feel this is the best way to do it. I will call the cancer council about the financial planner and see how we go. 5 days ago my mental state was much worse than it is today, so I'm hoping I have turned the corner. The big things like the mortgage are a worry, but I can only do what I can do and who knows, I could be here for another 20 years! I have contacted canteen, just waiting for them to get back to me about the kids and trying to set up a network for them. I have an amazing support network, they just live a long way away. So in the event that things go pear shaped, I worry how my husband will cope. Hopefully, I still have a good long while to drive him batty though.
- I think everything is all so new that everything has bubbled to the surface all at once. We have decided at this point to see how the chemo goes and go from there. I'm not sure that this is the right thing but my husband and family feel this is the best way to do it. I will call the cancer council about the financial planner and see how we go. 5 days ago my mental state was much worse than it is today, so I'm hoping I have turned the corner. The big things like the mortgage are a worry, but I can only do what I can do and who knows, I could be here for another 20 years! I have contacted canteen, just waiting for them to get back to me about the kids and trying to set up a network for them. I have an amazing support network, they just live a long way away. So in the event that things go pear shaped, I worry how my husband will cope. Hopefully, I still have a good long while to drive him batty though.
Yes it certainly is a new kind of normal, thanks for your post it is great to talk to other women about what is happening, it gives me strength to hear from others that are fighting the fight.
