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Lien · 11-11-2008, 12:53 AM

Hi Dianne,

It's quite normal to feel this way soon after diagnosis. Especially when you've had to deal with a prior heath disaster (or near disatster). I know; I'd been in a car crash a few years prior to my diagnosis. But believe me, it gets easier with every year that passes. Now you have to get through treatment first. Your path report sounds very encouraging to me. The chemo will quite likely take care of any stray cancer cells.

In the Netherlands, where I live, 80% of breastcancer patients survive at least 5 years. That's including those with advanced disease. I think you have every chance to live a long, healthy life after this. If you would like to know the odds of surviving this, you can ask your doctor to run your path report data through Adjuvant! an online prognostic tool. Or if s/he doesn't want to do that, give me a shout and I'll do it for you. My doc gave me his password a few years ago.

About Luck: I have no idea what that is. People who hear my life story are amazed that I am still here. There's been a lot of bad luck in my family. I've learnt the hard way to be happy regardless. It's not easy. But as far as we know we have only one life, and it's up to us to make the best of it. I've been depressed and scared and angry and frustrated. But I'm at a better place now, that I'm almost 5 years out from diagnosis. Believe me, those feelings you are dealing with right now will pass.

If you feel your doctor isn't supportive or if you feel s/he isn't giving you the right info, go for a second opinion. Or a third, if you have to. Find the doctor who will work with you in this batte against cancer. Would you hire a plumber who doesn't seem to be right for the job? I bet you wouldn't. So why not shop around for a good doctor?

As for not finding any women with Her2+ disease who survived 10 years: they don't need the online resources. They have moved on. They probably think about breastcancer every now and then, but less with every year that passes. They have other things to occupy their minds. I personally know quite a few. I even know a few women who have survived Stage IV disease and have been NED (no evidence of disease) for over ten years.

It's a crap shoot, but your odds are quite good! Hang onto that, get through the chemo and come to this site everytime you need to vent, chat, cry for help, or just plain cry.

You can do it!

Hugs

Jacqueline

PS. My cancer info is in my signature below:

11-11-2008, 12:53 AM	#25
Lien Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Haarlem, the Netherlands Posts: 835	Hi Dianne, It's quite normal to feel this way soon after diagnosis. Especially when you've had to deal with a prior heath disaster (or near disatster). I know; I'd been in a car crash a few years prior to my diagnosis. But believe me, it gets easier with every year that passes. Now you have to get through treatment first. Your path report sounds very encouraging to me. The chemo will quite likely take care of any stray cancer cells. In the Netherlands, where I live, 80% of breastcancer patients survive at least 5 years. That's including those with advanced disease. I think you have every chance to live a long, healthy life after this. If you would like to know the odds of surviving this, you can ask your doctor to run your path report data through Adjuvant! an online prognostic tool. Or if s/he doesn't want to do that, give me a shout and I'll do it for you. My doc gave me his password a few years ago. About Luck: I have no idea what that is. People who hear my life story are amazed that I am still here. There's been a lot of bad luck in my family. I've learnt the hard way to be happy regardless. It's not easy. But as far as we know we have only one life, and it's up to us to make the best of it. I've been depressed and scared and angry and frustrated. But I'm at a better place now, that I'm almost 5 years out from diagnosis. Believe me, those feelings you are dealing with right now will pass. If you feel your doctor isn't supportive or if you feel s/he isn't giving you the right info, go for a second opinion. Or a third, if you have to. Find the doctor who will work with you in this batte against cancer. Would you hire a plumber who doesn't seem to be right for the job? I bet you wouldn't. So why not shop around for a good doctor? As for not finding any women with Her2+ disease who survived 10 years: they don't need the online resources. They have moved on. They probably think about breastcancer every now and then, but less with every year that passes. They have other things to occupy their minds. I personally know quite a few. I even know a few women who have survived Stage IV disease and have been NED (no evidence of disease) for over ten years. It's a crap shoot, but your odds are quite good! Hang onto that, get through the chemo and come to this site everytime you need to vent, chat, cry for help, or just plain cry. You can do it! Hugs Jacqueline PS. My cancer info is in my signature below: __________________ Diagnosed age 44, January 2004, 0.7 cm IDC & DCIS. Stage 1, grade 3, ER/PR pos. HER2 pos. clear margins, no nodes. SNB. 35 rads. On Zoladex and Armidex since Dec. 2004. Stopped Zoladex/Arimidex sept 2009 Still taking mistletoe shots (CAM therapy) Doing fine.