HER2 Support Group Forums - 11 years and counting!

Hello lovely ladies,
I have not traveled to this site in many years now, but I was reminded today how much I needed to hear from ladies like me and thought I might swing back around.

June 5th marked my 11th year split from that nasty little bastard growing inside my breast. Seems like a distant bad dream and yet I still think about it every day. More with gratitude and counting my blessings than with fear, but I won't lie... fear creeps up occasionally to. I realized a long time ago I was either 100% dying or 100% living, there was no in between. I remember back then I just prayed I would see my then 3 and 6 year old graduate from high school. This year, I watched my oldest walk across that stage.

To those of you who are just starting this journey, try not to get caught in statistics. There are lots and lots of us out there, we just moved on in our lives. I promise there are some bitter sweat blessing along the way. In most ways, I am a better person for the experience.

Some of you ladies I remember from back then. It's good to hear your triumphant voices across the inter webz!! Thank you for all the support and love you sent my way when you were traversing the same dark space I was. Many of you ladies helped me in the dead of night, talking me back from the edge of that cliff. And many of you sent me pictures of your reconstructions (DIEP was a rare thing back then, then again so was Herceptin.)Thank you for giving me those pieces of yourself. I couldn't have done it with out you all!

Wishing each and every one many, many more years of all those bitter sweat blessings.
---
June 2005 34 yrs old DCIS High grade, 7mm ER/PR- Her2 +
Double Mast, silicone reconstruction
Aug 2005 infection in recon, had to remove
Sept 2005 AC 4 cycles
Herceptin 17 cycles
Jan 2006 DIEP recon