Has anyone outlived their prognosis?

I have metastatic breast cancer with mets initially in the liver and peritoneum, subsequently progressed to lung, hip and spine.     I was given a 2 year prognosis but have surpassed that by 6 months already and hope to continue for many more.     I have oncologist appointments every 28 days and scans every 3 months, but have learnt to live day by day.   It is not easy, but somehow we muddle through the good and bad times x

Hello DB61. Firstly good luck for the 23rd, waiting for calls and results really does get you twitching.

I doubt your consultant will give you that number, he will not know and neither will anyone else apart from the Man or Woman upstairs if you are religious.

It sounds to me that you have done well up to now and why should that not continue?

I asked for the number as soon as I was diagnosed, he has been 3 years wrong so far, I am not complaining but it is not an exact science.

I wanted to plan in the same way as you probably do but I think you will just have to enjoy life while things are ticketiboo and I hope that continues for you. Xx

Hi Norberry thank you very much for your reply and for your best wishes.

I meant to state in my comment that my name is Dawn. Yes I do believe in God and am fully aware that only He really knows the number.

You will laugh at this! I started making a note of all my passwords, PINs etc for my husband - I know them all in my head (now anyway whilst the brain is working - sort of LOL!) So far that's the only planning I have done! Yes, we will enjoy our lives. Covid safe of course!!

I will let you all know what the oncologist says on Wednesday.

Sorry Dawn, I should have looked at your profile before I casually alluded to religion. I have to say though I do ask of a little help now and again especially when matters medical are not going to plan!

You will equally laugh at me when I say to my wife I would like her to learn the dishwasher basics and the importance of cleaning the hoover filter for when these duties fall to her. She does not seem as interested as I would like!

I also planned ahead by buying her a new car. I said this is a sensible thing to do as she would not have to worry about servicing and an MOT for three years.

That came back to bite me whilst having a service and MOT this year!

We are pretty well all the same on here, laughing and crying in equal measures for ourselves but generally for friends on this forum. 

Whatever your results you will be OK.

No need to apologise!! 

How I laughed at your story of the car! Just shows us doesn't it? I do enjoy a laugh, even at my own silliness!

Have a good evening and thank you for your encouraging words

Hi Dawn and a warm welcome to this Group!

Well, as far as a prognosis is concerned, no one knows, not the oncologists, consultants or anyone (exceptm God, if you are a believer) so it's their best quess they give you! My oncologist would never give results over the phone, until Covid. I used to read here about patients having phonecalls telling them good news, so at first I thought it was always going to be bad news because I then thought only bad news came in person but good news could come over the phone......wrong! It depends on the oncologist, so dont worry too much about 23rd. It's easy to say but not so easy to do!                Norberry when I was diagnosed I decided it was time to educate my husband in all things domestic! He had rarely even boiled an egg, so i was hopeful I'd last long enough to at least know he could make himself a meal! We started with the microwave then the cooker. Everything was going so well, I decided to move onto the TV and how to program it. He is still in training for that one! I also went through MY toolbox, yes my toolbox, as when our children were young, they bought him a metal one that went rusty, waiting to be used, it is a standard joke in our house!! Now he can work an electric screwdriver but I wont let him loose with my drill yet! Lol!

Then during the last Lockdown, disaster struck!! Our cooker broke down and I had to order a new one! He has now started to get to grips with our new ovens (2) and ceramic hob. Our last cooker had an eye level grill and was ancient, so nothing digital on it! We are getting there slowly but surely! Next is how to work the central heating. I bought one of the cordless hoovers and he loves it, I wish he liked the iron as much but now he makes sure he buys non iron shirts too! Every day is a training day! We are aiming for him to know most things by our 50th Wedding Anniversary in         Oct 21! Wish us luck!

Dawn,  let us know how you get on this Wednesday please, i will keep you in my thoughts and prayers!                      Don't think terminal, Think incureable but treatable!

good for u all best to stay positive i find it really helps plan stuff look forward live your life best u can x

Hi Annette

Oh gosh, you see, we just get on with things without even thinking about if either one of us weren't around! You did make me laugh with your story and YOUR toolbox

I do like your statement "Don't think terminal. Think incurable, but treatable!"

My husband has chronic pancreatitis along with other things (I won't go into details) as well as wheelchair bound. He doesn't like to talk about my diagnosis. Hence the reason I decided to investigate Macmillan and so far I am really pleased I did so! I am not a "oh poor me" type of person. As I have always said to my consultant, since diagnosis - "well, what are you going to do to help me?" or "right, where do we go from here?"

It's actually taken me a while to do something like this (almost two years since my diagnosis)

Have a great day!

Dawn x

Hi Lynne, I was given a poor prognosis  of up to 5 years in June when I had secondaries on my ovary from small bowel cancer I had a few years ago. Following a hysterectomy I am still having chemo but have  just had a clear CT scan and will have another at the end of my treatment. My Consultant is pleased though stressed that my cancer is still ‘high risk’. It has been somewhat reassuring to read stories of people exceeding their stated life expectancies. I also get terrified by every scan! Take care x 

reading this gives everyone hope thank u all for sharing x