12 years and still counting
 

Happy New Year !! Hauoli Makahiki Hou !!
I couldn't let this occassion pass without wishing all of you peace, good health and joy in 2011 and beyond.
I was diagnosed in early January, 1999. A doctor told me I had 6 months to live at the beginning of 2000. I remember that day. I did not say anything. I just laid on his exam table quietly, but in my heart and mind I decided that was not going to happen to me !!!!!!!!
I didn't know how I was going to accomplish that task that day, but I figured it out as I went along. I learned as much as I could, was not afraid to challenge doctors when it was appropriate to do so and found ways to get the things I needed. This journey has not always been easy, but I kept going even though I changed the route a couple of times.
I changed doctors when I needed to do that. On the other side of the coin I am still working with one or two doctors I first saw in 1999. Thankfully they are willing to travel with me through this journey.
I am still learning and putting one foot in front of the other. I promised my doctors I will be showing up for check ups when I am 90. That is my goal.
Never give up !!!!!!! Determination, believing in the possibility of success, learning as much as we can, refusing to give up, and being proactive and aggressive are the keys to long term survival.
All the best to each and everyone of you !!!!!!!!!! Never give up !!!!!!!!!!!

Re: 12 years and still counting
 

Jackie,

Happy New Year! And many more years of NED! You encourage me!

Joan

Re: 12 years and still counting
 

Me to !

Ellie

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Big congrats to you ElaineM!! Thanks for sharing, gives hope to all of us..

Happy New Year!!

all the best
caya

Re: 12 years and still counting
 

Elaine,
Happy New Year! such an encouraging mesaage. Would love to know your history of fighting the disease (I am relatively new to the site and sorry for not knowing).
Grace

Re: 12 years and still counting
 

Wow Elaine, what an encouraging post to read as I logged in this evening and many congrats to you on reaching this milestone!!!

Like Grace I also would love to know your past treatment and diagnosis, did you have herceptin at any point???

Thank you so much for posting and sharing this and a very Happy New Year to you!!! xx

Re: 12 years and still counting
 

Elaine = what a beautiful message of your determination and success! Congratulations on 12 years. Keep counting........all the way to that 90 year old check up date and beyond.

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All the best Elaine

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Congratulations Elaine...12 years...what a milestone....you give such inspiration to those of us behind you.....can't wait for you to celebrate 25!!!!

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Congratulations Elaine and many more!!!! Mary L

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Elaine, congratulations, wow, I envy you. Were you er - or er+? what treatment did you have?

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Congratulations...stories like yours keep me going and give all of us so much hope! Happy 2011.

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Elaine-

What an amazing post and story! I LOVE it!!! I am printing it out and saving it to re-read when I need to (which might be often). Thank you so much for sharing your success. It is great to read!

Maureen

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Elaine,
Happy New Year to you! I was feeling pretty down today. I just read the cure magazine and they have a new ad for Herceptin. For the treatment I had (TCH), it says it reduces the rate of recurrence by 33%. It really bumed me out. You have really inspired me tonight. THANK YOU!!
Kris....

Re: 12 years and still counting
 

Happy New Year!

Re: 12 years and still counting
 

Aloha,
Thank you for your kind words everyone.
Some of you have asked about my stats and/or treatments. Discussing my stats and treatments was not my purpose in writing this essay.
My purpose was to share something else with you.
It takes alot more than medical science to be a long time survivor of a major health problem. Medical science is important, but medical science is only one part of the plan.
I sincerely hope that each and everyone of you can find the things inside of you that will help you be a long time survivor.
All the best to you in 2011 and beyond.

Re: 12 years and still counting
 

Elaine,
thank you for sharing your post. Along with perhaps many others, I particularly needed that today. Then as I was scrolling down to reply, I saw your SECOND post on the thread. I think I needed that one even more.

Thanks, happy new year, and God bless.
Chris

Re: 12 years and still counting
 

Elaine,
Congratulations!!!!
You are a beautiful role model for all of us.
Your strength and love of life is beautiful.
Thank you for sharing your journey with us.
May the New Year continue to bring you joy.

hugs,
Jean

Re: 12 years and still counting
 

Hi Elaine. What a wonderful inspiring message. I want to wish you a very happy healthy new year as well. You are always a bright spot on the site, have helpful kind messages. Must say you live in a beautiful part of the world. I went to Hawaii about 25 years ago and fell in love with your home. still trying to get my husband to go there keep telling him about the amazing golf etc. I told him if we stay a few nights in L.A. it would break up the flight. I think he is just not crazy about the direct flight from Toronto. Anyway thanks again Elaine wonderful news Love Lois

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Greetings from freezing PA. Today was my onc appointment and my bloodwork was perfect and the node under my chin was just a node under my chin..... and that is not where you usually find recurrence. It is hard to find it now as it has gone down. He feels it was my body fighting against the bronchitis my husband had. I do not need my ct scans done untill spring He said, you do not have cancer so stop worrying! The place where my cancer has recurred has always been skin mets on my mastectomy site and my Dr. says if it should return that is where it most likely would be. I feel so much better. I had myself really stressed out over this. Thank you for sending me prayers & good wishes. Mary L

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Pam, How are you doing? I was thinking about you while I was sitting in the waiting room. I hope you are starting to feel better. I am praying for you and send you a big hug. Mary L

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Kind of curious. I know 5 years is a big milestone. I'm wondering when do they start counting and why is 5 years significant?

Congrats on 12 years!

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Elaine,

Many congratulations and a very Happy New Year to you.

Best Wishes
Janie

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That is amazing, hopeful and wonderful! Congrats!! xo Suzan

Re: 12 years and still counting
 

Elaine, didnt mean to cause any upset by asking you your stats. Anytime I read a post by a longterm survivor, I automatically look to see if they are er-/pr- like myself. I know hormone negative is harder to treat as we cant have the hormonals like femara and tamoxifen, and also some chemos dont work on us, so I am always on the lookout for an uplifting story on the hormone negatives, more so since I reached Stage iv. Thankfully there are a few er-pr- here, StephN and Courtney come to mind and they are doing well.
Anyway, its just thrilling that you are 12 years out! What a milestone, and long may it continue. I LOVE modern drugs.

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please please live much much longer than 12 years or even cross 90 please..people like you give hope to live and inspire them to live...we must all pray for each other..

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Thanks for all the support.I am still here more than 12 1/2 years later !!!!!!! My goal is to live more than 90 years !!!!!!!!

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Elaine, Way to go....you are an inspiration indeed....keep the good health going! Ceesun

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Elaine,
Your signature didn't give me much info... were you stage IV? I'd like to join others in this thread with a congrats remark, but you have chosen to not share your story and I feel very left out.
I don't understand your reasons for not filling out your signature, but in the name of her2support, I feel that you need to do your part and share some of your story. What was your original diagnosis? Did you get Herceptin?
Please respond with your answers and help others to get the support they need.

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Thank you so much Elaine!!! You are indeed an inspiration. I really appreciate your honesty when you say that your stats etc. do not matter as much as your inner journey to health. I sometimes feel so let down by my body because it was so sick!!! But then I remember that 'peace comes from within' and I feel that inner strength. Thank you for sharing your good news!

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Happy Holidays to you as well...You are truly an inspiration to all of us on here....Remarkable Story

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Thanks everyone. It will be 13 years and still counting in January 2012. I am planning to keep putting one foot in front of the other and keep going for many years.
To tell you the truth I don't look at other people's stats very often. I prefer to focus on today as much as possible.
Happy Holidays. Blessings of peace and good health to everyone in the future.

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Congrats Elaine,
you are definitely an inspiration and give hope to many.
continued Health and Happiness
Sarah

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Wow, 13 years! Truly awesome and so glad you shared the update Elaine! I did not look at the beginning date of the thread to see how old this thread was- but its so timely that I read through it today. This is exactly the encouragement and hope I need. After a run at stable I've had new concerns crop up for the first time. I am not as seasoned to the ups and downs and am trying to navigate back to the balanced perspective I typically have. So thank you for a big breath of inspiration and helping me feel like I can face it again!

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Thanks for all your positive comments. I am starting my 13th year after diagnosis. I am still learning, still proactive and aggressive, still questioning, still challenging and still doing everything I was doing a year ago.
Blessings of peace and health to everyone !!
Hang in there and keep putting one foot in front of the other always !!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Elaine
It is wonderful that you and nearly 13 years in the fight. May I ask what your stage and/or mets are, if any?
You live in one of the most beautiful places on Earth, as does my best friend. Surely, you can believe that the beauty of your surroundings plays a good role for your soul.
Best
Karen

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13 years Elaine! Nice post to read on Christmas eve. Michka

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Thanks everyone. Let's all keep going together !!

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Elaine -
I wrote to you privately, but I wanted to write here as well. You are living proof that it is more than just medical science, and no accident, that something from deep inside us, a higher power, that we have faith in, can add quality and time to our lives... Thank you for your expression of faith. In times of fear, pulling myself up and believing, living in the moment, so far, has helped me as well. I was diagnosed with Stage 3B in 2008, then a reoccurence in sept 2011, after all the treatments and surgeries (port in, port out, port back in..). I am keepinhg very busy day by day, when I'm not receiving treatment (on herceptin forever, thank you! and tykerb since last Nov... and i am off it right now, waiting for horrible mouth sores to heal)... I feel blessed... Inflammatory BC with a 10cm tumor and many positive lymph nodes removed 4 yrs ago.... and am still here.... with many friends and angels... I pray that Gods plan for me is to be helpful and an inspiration for others, AS YOU ARE!!!! Thank you Elaine!

Re: 12 years and still counting
 

Thank you so much for your comments LadyRosli.
You are right. There is something God given deep within me mostly unknown to medical science that keeps me going. I don't know exactly what it is, except to say that it is showing me the way.
Everyone has what I have regardless of religious preference. It is a matter of finding a way to discover it.
Take good care of yourself. All the best to you too.