I am impressed with this group!!!

[lauren]

Back when I was first diagnosed and scared and upset about being her2neu positive, I used to lurk here and flee periodically because I was so scared about all the mets I saw on here. Well, now that I have spent significant time here, I have to say, I was soooo wrong to be scared by that. What I see here is a LOT of brave and FEISTY women FIGHTING the beast and WINNING the battle!!! Stage IV does NOT need to be a death sentence - it does up the ante and make the fight more grueling, though. So, I commend all of you who are dealing with this, and I also commend all of you who did NOT freak out on Merridith from Canada, who did say something quite insensitive but who probably is much more scared than insensitive. You guys rock.

lauren

[Anita]

Lauren, I agree with you completely. I too lurk here at times, but then I get sad and upset reading about mets. and I am AMAZED by how brave everyone is. Im not sure I will be that brave if/when I get mets myself Im scared to death by it and then also tend to flee, and then go through a bit of life for some weeks pretending Im "normal".

Mostly, I get sad reading about all the mets. stories. I wonder if somehow we could not all share the mets burden...crazy thought, but why could we all not be IIIa?? I would gladly trade in my 2a status to get IIIa if that would spare someone the stage IV status....

But above all, everyone, please dont be annoyed with Meredith from Canada. I dont think she meant to be insensitive. And I dont think she meant that everyone at stage IV is on their way out. Please dont take remarks like that personally. She sounded very very frightened...as we all are at some level....and I'll bet she had no place to turn to to express her fears. I've there and AM there! I cant talk to anyone about my fears....they all expect me to be the strong mother, wife, co-worker, daughter, sister, friend. Not many people know that many a night I cry myself to sleep....

Meredith, if you read this, please continue posting...and email me if you want to talk...

Love and healing to all..

Anita

[Lolly]

lauren and Anita, I'm impressed with YOU two! Your courage in facing the possibilities of a cancer diagnosis is admirable, and I appluad you. It doesn't matter that you "lurked", and if there are other lurkers out there, this is for you also. What matters is you sought to arm yourself with knowledge, and that's a big step in living successfully, whether one is a cancer survivor or not. But I'm also glad you're now posting as I'm glad we have other voices to light the way.
Love, Lolly

[dee]

Count me in with lauren on Meridith.
S-C-A-R-E-D, and needing a safe!!!!! place to vent and to connect. Meridith, I am holding your heart, gently. I would have behaved and thought the same way had I gotten the news you did. As it is, I made the arm that included Herceptin for early stage breast cancer, and tomorrow is my second to the last treatment. Words fail me in describing what I am going through. But who needs words? You, Meridith, and everyone else reading my transmittal on this website -drawn togther by Her2Nue, and hopefully, Herceptin, know what I am going through. At least, I suspect you do...