[Audrey]

Hey Chelee, it was so great to see you mention your gratitude toward long-time survivors posting...I was seriously thinking just today that I would try to close this chapter of my life and stop hanging around this website. After all, it has been six years since my diagnosis already...but then I remember what a lifeline this place was for me and how I've come to care about everyone, and I need to check in and see how everyone is doing. It's a hard habit to break!
Anyway, just to give you all a quick update, I went to see my onc. last week for a six-month check-up and everything looked okay. She told me "you know I think you're all done with this cancer..." Which is so significant coming from her, since she never had a positive word for me at the beginning (before Herceptin was proven to be such a good drug). Now I will only go every year (unless I have symptoms, of course). The thought that I might be c-u-r-e-d (I feel like I will jinx myself if I even say the word) is so unbelievable to me since I had a 15-cm tumor (!) 11 positive nodes (!) and every other possible indicator for a poor prognosis. I'm proof that these treatments can really work (I even had a bad attitude most of the time and was certain that a recurrence was inevitable). Never give up hope! I know it seems like we read often here about those who lose the battle with this disease, so I will continue to check in here and send out my prayers and support for all my bc sisters.