6 year Survivor

Hi Lorene,

Edited by steve - Sep 03 2010 at 1:06pm

Thanks for all the wonderful posts!!!

For what it's worth I can also tell you a story of a wonderful woman that meant a lot to me and survived BC for over 20 years. My dad's older sister was diagnosed with BC at 36. It was 1983 and she lived in Colombia, South America. She had several infected lymph nodes and back then the treatment was a radical mastectomy (she wore a prostheses all her life) and she received radiation to her chest and arm. She had trouble with lymphedema all her life; I remember that she slept with her arm above her head and it always puzzled me when I was little. She never got married and didn't have any children so she was dedicated to us her nieces and nephews and was a very important person in our lives. Her bout with cancer impacted her life in such a strong way that she decided to become a nurse (she was a nutritionist before that) and she was head of the neonatal unit at a hospital in Colombia for many years.

When she was diagnosed she was not tested for hormone receptors (of HER2 of course) so we don't know for sure if she was TNBC or not. My dad and I speculate that she probably was since she was diagnosed at a young age and she was probably BRCA1+ like my dad and me. Well, her breast cancer never returned. She passed away from a different illness five years ago and I miss her everyday.

I've found hope in knowing her story and how she survived BC for many years even without having had chemo and better treatments like the ones I was lucky to have. She was a kind, loving and happy human being. Now I've shared this battle with her and even though she was not here with me I've felt her by my side all the time.

Best to all,

Natalia

Lorene,

Edited by trip2 - Sep 04 2010 at 10:09am

To follow up on what Pam said above....and to avoid posts going unanswered....please consider starting a new thread under your name if you would like....Very few of those go unanswered, from what i have seen and if that does happen you can 'bump' it up by re-posting....Sometimes the posts that follow though may have nothing to do with the thread you posted and then the thread seems to take on a new life of its own...

Natalia,

WOW!

Terri: I have a question regarding the timing of the scans that are in your stats. You had a PET and Brain Scan two years after diagnosis. My Oncologist does not feel that scans have a value in the absence of a symptom that would require further tesing. Did you present with symptoms or did your Onc just think that the 2 year mark merits scans or did you request them.  Just curious. Thanks. Chris

Praying a long and healthy life for you, Swisscheeze!!!!!

Hi All!  I am a Realtor and I have a client who is 10 years out from TNBC~~ I hug her every time I see her because It is SO exciting to have her in my life!!! She is involved in some sort of study for long term TNBC survivors...she ROCKS!!!  Yes survivors are out there.  I believe that SO MANY survivors just don't even realize this sight is out here as they are not FRANTICALLY looking for information about this illness like most of us have~! My three year aniversary is creeping up...okay, it's in April....but hey thats only 7 months...right!  My 3 year anniversary will coinside with my 50th birthday..can anyone say PARTY!!! Hopefully I will have TWO things to celebrate!!! <3

Wow. I haven't been on the board for awhile and have been feeling real blue. My chemo ends next thurs and I just found 2 new lumps under my armpit.....,
so.........,reading your post this morning gives me hope.
Thank you for taking the time to post your a 6 year survivor.  I need to hear that. and I think other ladies do as well.
God Bless