Just for fun...

[Jackie]

I am 47. I am an Elementary Resource Teacher (I work with Learning Challenged kids in 1st & 2nd grade). I have been teaching for 25 years. I have been married to a wonderful, supported man for 26 years in May. I have two children, son 22 (in grad. school) & daughter 18 (HS senior).

I am new to this site and see it as a great help in my journey. I wish I had found it earlier. I was diag. 4/05. Have finished with chemo. and Herceptin (was suppose to take Herceptin until 9/06, but heart strength has dropped too much.)

Thanks to all who post on this site and to Joe & Christine for providing this support group.

Jackie

[helenh]

Hello All

I'm so glad to have found you all, although I seem to sit back, read many posts and take it all in, this site has been a godsend.

When I was diagnosed Jan 2005 I had been working as an Assistant Manager of a Bank 40-45 hours per week, in a way I feel my body was telling me to slow down. I had worked in the banking industry for over 30 years. Taking a year off work 3 operations, 4 A/C & 4 Taxol, has left me with mild lympaedema and neuropathy in fingers and toes. I'm currently on a gradual return to work program and negotiating with my Health Insurance for late Herceptin, (my chemo finished July 05), in Australia we have to pay for Herceptin for Early BC.

With positive support from my family; married 25 years, son 19 old and myself being the eldest of 10, 3 brothers and six sisters and friends have kept me going on this journey.

Best wishes to all
Love
Helen

[Liz J.]

Hi all,

I live in Brooklyn, N.Y. and am 48yrs old. Was dx 4/05. Had mast. 6 rounds of CAF and am currently receiving Herceptin every 3 weeks. I have been working as a Human Resource Specialist (liked it better when we called it Personnel) for the past 20 years. I worked full time until dx. Was home for 6 months and now work 3 days a week. I have a great hubby, he is a retired police officer and I have a 26 year old son who is currently teaching high school. I also have two girls. (Golden Retrievers) They are such loves. I always have been an animal lover. I enjoy cooking, reading, tending to my many plants and love going to Atlantic City. No, not a chronic gambler. Just a favorite getaway. I get so much solace and information from this site. Don't know what I would do without you. One night my computer was acting up and I almost panicked. Many thanks to Christine & Joe for getting this going and for all who have been so supportive. Most importantly I must Thank God that we have come a long way. My thoughts and prayers are with all. Hugs, Liz

[Sue2001]

Hi all,

I was diagnosed in January 2001 at age 40 with Her2+++, ER-, PR-, stage 3 BC. I had 3 tumors in the breast with 4/13 nodes positive. I had a mastectomy, 3 months dose dense AC, 3 months of weekly Taxol and then a year of Herceptin. I was in a clinical trial for early stage Herceptin treatment and I credit Herceptin with my being NED since.

When I was diagnosed I worked as a store manager for a large retailer. The job required 60+ hours a week and overseeing 200+ employees. I tried to continue to work through the chemo but found it was too difficult and eventually took a leave of absense. When my treatment was over I decided not to go back. It took breast cancer to make me realize that I was a workaholic and missing precious time with my family. I also wasn't taking care of my health; physically, emotionally or spiritually. I was lucky that I could afford to stop working. It was the best decision of my life. I now spend a lot more time with my husband of 25 years, my son Michael, my beautiful grandson Jace, my parents and sisters. Cancer is a horrible disease but it is also the catalyst for some very positive changes in my life.

I love to hike in the White Mountains here in New Hampshire. I also enjoy reading, writing, drawing, playing the piano, camping, yoga and working in my gardens. When I finished my treatment my mother and sisters took me on a celebration-vacation to Cape Cod, MA. We had such a great time together that we have made this an annual event. It's a time when all of us girls can spend quality time together. I also volunteer with the Dartmouth Hitchcock Cancer Center talking with newly diagnosed breast cancer patients. I am continually amazed at how strong women are.

Being new to this HER2 group I enjoyed learning something about each of you. This thread is an excellent idea. The site itself is excellent -- thank you Joe and Christine. I look forward to getting to know you all better.

Hugs to everyone, Sue

[lisahammo]

Hi everyone

Glad I found this thread. I am 41 y.o., married for 6 years and have a 5 y.o. son. He has just started primary school, and I don't work, so I have time to myself, which is wonderful.

Over the years I have worked in accounting practices, for a plastic surgeon, trained as a beauty therapist, waitressed and that's about it.

I love cooking, socialising with friends, genealogy, and just spending time with my family. They are the most precious thing to me. WE have just added to our family with a gorgeous female Spoodle called Coco.

Lisa

[dberg]

I was dx at age 45 in the summer of 2004. I am a teacher, but just subbing right now. I can't wait to go back to those toothless 1st graders in the fall. My wonderful husband and I have been married for 25 years, have 3 great kids (20, 18, 16) and a 2 year old yellow lab.

[Jackie]

Just bring this forward.

[jener8er]

I guess it's my turn then I'll be 40 in August, was diagnosed in Oct 04. I used to work as a secretary for a "Big Six" accounting firm, but have been home with my kids since '95. I now have 4 kids - 13, 11, 6 and 3 - and don't have time to work! I do the bookkeeping for my husbands 2 video companies, and that keeps me very busy. Originally from the UK, but now living in California, just outside LA. Glad to be here and getting Herceptin and not having to fight for it like everyone else in the UK. I wish my family was closer, that's one thing this whole experience has taught me. I've been married for 15 years and my husabnd has not dealt with this well at all, partly because HIS Mom died of BC when he was 20 - not a good experience for him. Still kinda struggling through the whole thing, but feeling very well. Brain MRI tomorrow, so all posititve thoguhts will be appreciated!

LOVE LOVE LOVE this site, everyone on it, and all the information and support available here. It's a club none of wanted to belong too, but I am amazed at some of the great people I've come to meet over the past year and a half. OK, I'm done!

[jhandley]

Hi

I am one of those who do a few different things. I am a teacher, an Army Reservist, a scientist and a single mum of Annie aged 9. I am also a 5 year survivor of BC. I am into outdoor activities particularly canoeing/kayaking and cross-country skiing. Lately I have taken up biathlon (ski and shoot) and run a competition for cadets every winter. I also play piano, guitar and the bodhran and am involved with our local drama production of Blackadder ( playing the Queen). Having BC has made me do more things perhaps because of the possible time limitations in the future..I am also planning to do volunteer ski patrol this year and am midway through an advanced first aid course.

cheers
Jackie

[tricia keegan]

Hi before dx I was a sales mgr,mainly top end furniture and designing kitchens,I also did interior design.I took a year out for treatments and to rest as my job was very stressful with long hours.I have two daughters and a son and three adorable kittens and one older long suffering cat! I don't see my children too often as my daughter is a teacher in Oman and my son is married to a japenese girl living in Scotland but moving to Japan shortly.I do see my youngest daughter every second weekend as she lives near college.I love to read swim and walk and since dx last year spend time on my laptop.I discovered the Komen site last year which was a great support to me and just recently found this site which is brilliant and everyone seems very friendly and helpful so I hope to get to know you all a bit better over the coming months.Not sure when I will return to work as yet as I still have some treatments to go but enjoying the rest.
Tricia

[Barbara]

Hi:


I am a retired hospital administrator with a Masters in Hospital and Health Administration. I was diagnosed 1/04 stage 2B, 3.5 cm, one of 13 nodes positive. I had 4 A/C and 4 Taxol teatments and am nearing the end of my second year of Hercpetin. Unfortunately, my Herceptin was sequential and not concurrent. I have four great children, three are married and four little grandson's between 4 months and four years of age. I am now 61 years of age and hoping to beat the odds. I have the most supportive children/spouses and my husband of almost 35 years to cheer me on.

Barbara

[Marlys]

Just bringing it forward again. Would love to hear more about some of you who post frequently and have not add to this thread.
Marlys

[julie a]

Hi All

From Melbourne Australia, 47 yrs young and just diagnosed staged 4 (lung).

Have worked for the government either in the water industry or telecommunications doing a myriad of admin/account activities. Have 2 wonderful kids that are 22 and 21, two very cute dogs (king charles spaniel x maltese) and a fantastic partner of 17 years. Still keep in contact with the kids father which is a plus.
Love anything outdoors - love golf and really really enjoy gardening and grow alot of vegetables and fruit including thornless berries -raspberries, blueberries, loganberries, blackberries, strawberries..yum. Really enjoy listening to the birds in my backyard - eastern spinebills,blue wrens, firetails etc.
Had a great trip to Canada/Alaska last year - beautiful country!
Have a great oncologist who is a gem!
No one else in family with this. I have a twin brother and sister and very healthy parents that are coping well with all this and feel as if my whole family are truly spoiling me. Enjoy every day!

[SherriT]

I am 37 and was diagnosed in Dec/05 with stage IIIb invasive breast cancer (IBC). There is no family history of breast cancer so this came as a very big shock to someone who has generally never been sick a day in her life.

I am a paralegal at a large law firm but have not worked since just after being diagnosed. I have been married to a wonderful man for seven years (we've been together for over 14 years) and have the most precious [soon to be] five year old boy.

I am now starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel with chemo treatments and am now having to make the surgical decision of "remove just the one or both". I keep saying that it would be so much easier to make the decision if someone would just tell me what the 'right' decision to make is.

This site has been a huge source of information for me. Thank you to everyone who posts to it. I wish you all nothing but the best for the future.

[Petesmom]

I am an administrative assistant with a new project that is working to increase family practice doctors in rural Alabama. I just transitioned into this job after working for over 6 years with a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grant called the Southern Rural Access Program which dealt with addressing access to health care issues in 8 southern states. That was a great program and I felt like I was part of a family that included Alabama, Arkansas, Goergia, Louisiana, East Texas, South Carolina, Mississippi and West Virginia. There are some wonderful people out there working to improve health care for rural, underserved folks. Before the admin assistant job, I was a therapist at a mental health center ( I have a masters degree in counseling) working with adults and older adults in nursing homes. When I had my first bout with bc in 1998, I felt I needed to get out of that stressful environment which is how I found my current bosses. It was the best move I could have made. Life is good.


Petesmom

I live in northern Minnesota with my husband of 11 years. I am 50+ years young and dx'd stage 4/mets liver & spine 11/05. On the prior path of life (b4 bc) I was a mainframe software engineer and business analyst for a major health insurance provider. (ironic!?) I have 3 grown children and 8 super :-)grandchildren. (ages 16 to 1 year)
My husband (Dave) and I have 40 acres not far from the hq of the Mississippi. We have an 'oldie but goodie' 5th wheel parked out there and will soon be camping out! (got elect & water recently!) My in inlaws will soon be returning from Az to join us out there for the summer. Hubby drives school bus and occasionally OTR with his brother. (he prefers to be in the woods!)
I am starting herceptin/taxotere today (3 weeks) with Zometa monthly. From reading the postings in this site from you all, I have added faith that this disease CAN be controlled. I am still on the planet and fighting!
Blessings to all from Minnesota and 10Q!!!

[sadie]

I live in lower Michigan. 52 yrs old; Dx Oct 2005 w/1cm IDC; No family history of bc;
Work as a billing specialist at an engineering firm for almost 20 years.
Before that, I worked for 12 years in the medical field as a registration clerk at a hospital and then as a biller at a neurologist's office.
I have a daughter who is married and has given me the most precious granddaughter, almost 3 yrs old; and a son who just recently moved to Washington.
Before bc, I was caring for my mother who has alzheimer's. We had to put her into a nursing home once I was diagnosed. I didn't know if I would be able to care for her any longer. My family and friends have been wonderful supporters thru-out these trying times.
I love to read, surf the net, shop for the home, dine with friends, watch tv(big fan of "Lost"); Also like sitcoms. I have 2 cockerspaniels that also keep me busy. I plan on living a long, healthy, happy life!

[RhondaH]

as the last entry was a month ago

Rhonda

[LOPSIDED]

HI, I'M 41 AND WAS DIAGNOSED IN SEPTEMBER 2005. 2.5 CM TUMOR IN RIGHT BREAST, 8 POS. LYMPH NODES, A/C, MASTECTOMY, TAXOTERE, RADS AND NOW 1 YEAR OF HERCEPTIN. I'V BEEN WORKING AS A BANK TELLER THE LAST 6 YEARS. I AM SO GLAD I FOUND THIS SITE. IT HAS SHOWED ME THAT YOU CAN SURVIVE AND GO ON, I ADMIRE EVERYONES STRENGTH & COURAGE AND WANT YOU TO KNOW HOW MUCH IT HAS HELPED ME TO READ YOUR STORIES. I ALSO TAKE CARE OF MY FATHER WHO IS 89 AND HAS HAD 2 STROKES. I DO HAVE HELP FROM MY SISTER. LIFE IS A CHALLENGE AND I KNOW SOMEHOW I WILL FIND A WAY. SHEILA

[rinaina]

This was a great idea, a way to get to know more about everyone other than their cancer histories. I am a retired dental hygienist. Four and a half years ago I had a 4 level cervical disectomy and fusion and was told by my neurosurgeon and my rheumatologist to give it up due to a few other bad disks that they couldn't operate on due to where they were located, (too much of a threat to the brain). Then 2 1/2 years later I had a tumor removed from my parotid gland...a by product of having Sjogren's Syndrom...they were worried it was lymphoma but thank G-d it wasn't. then 1 1/2 year later I had b.c. So basically now I guess you could say I am a full time manager of my health and becoming an expert researcher. I will be married 33 years this August to my high school sweetheart who is a CPA and we have a 27 yr old daughter who is a teacher and a 24 yr old son who just finished his 2nd year of law school. I am very thankful and appreciative for this wonderful life I have been given and intend on living this life out for many years to come.