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ugagirl29
07-09-2011, 08:08 PM
I was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer in December 2010. On July 5, 2011, I was told that it has now spread to my brain, liver and lungs. I am 36 years old and have a 4 year old and a one year old. I also have a wonderful husband who I know is worried. I had Her2 positive inflammatory cancer and I am still on Herceptin. I had my surgery in May and started radiation not long after that. I have now started radiation on my brain and will be staring chemotherapy again. I could use any encouraging news at this point.

Trish
07-09-2011, 09:49 PM
I'm really sorry to hear your news-it is particularly hard when you are so young and have such young children. I'm so pleased you have a supportive husband, though- that means you can work with this situation together. A lot of us have been living with Stage IV disease for a long time and there is a thread devoted to it which is worth searching. I have pretty active treatment for my mets (liver and bones since 2006) but some people on this site have quite stable disease. There are a lot of treatment options and lots of reason to be hopeful that you can live with this as a chronic disease-at least until a cure becomes available. All the best with the challenge of juggling treatment and family life. I hope you can find lots of support to help you through.
Trish

chrisy
07-10-2011, 10:32 AM
Certainly you have reason to be scared and depressed. But as trish says, there is also reason to be hopeful. Do not lose heart. There are many treatment options available to you which can be effective; and more are on the way. The game has changed for you (it is now a marathon instead of a sprint) but it is NOT over!

Hang in there

ElaineM
07-10-2011, 10:44 AM
I am sorry to hear of your diagnosis. It is difficult at any time, but especially when a person has young children. However, as the other members wrote there are many people here who have lived a long time with mets to all the places where you have mets. There are many treatment options available and more are being developed regularly. The idea is to be as proactive, as positive and as aggressive as one can be, so one can live many more years. Good luck and good health to you and your family. Feel free to drop by our little site anytime. You are welcome here.

yanyan
07-10-2011, 10:27 PM
I am also 36 with a 5 year old daughter. It is not easy. Try to stay strong and positive things happen. Lots of hugs((())). This is a great support group.

Jackie07
07-12-2011, 03:52 PM
Hi,

Be sure to check out the Inflammatary Breast Cancer Forum on the Board. I've been busy revising the list of Stage IV survivors in 'Calling all Stage IV Sisters" http://her2support.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=48453 Also, there's a Young Survival Coalition link in this Conference webpage http://www.c4yw.org/

There are quite a few 'young' survivors on this Board, you can find some of them just by glancing recent postings in the 'New Commers Club/Welcome Wagon' page.

It's sacry. But the treatment is doable and the cure rate is quite high these days. (Ignore old statistics - especially regarding Her2 because now we have Herceptin and Tykerb and many other 'targeted' medicine and/or special delivery method such as T-DM1.)

Be sure to exercise. Walking 30 minutes a day can do wonders. Exercise increases the release of endorphin which not only makes us 'feel' better, it actually aids our immune system.

Sending you good vibes. Do keep us updated.

schoolteacher
07-15-2011, 07:26 AM
Hope to hear from you soon.

Amelia