Need to hear some positive stories

Hey what a difficult place to be inhabiting. I am on treatment for TNBC at the moment - one of the ones that has a high recurrence rate. Im taking things a day at a time and making sure I can find something in every day to be grateful for - not always easy but it helps ‘settle’ my sometimes anxious and alert nervous system.

A friend came around this evening and told me of a friend of hers who is very much kicking around 12 years after being diagnosed with stage 4 triple negative breast cancer. That certainly gave me hope and belief that cancer can be given marching orders.

Maybe stop reading those scary stories ? They seem to be fuelling an inflamed fire when in fact what needs to happen is for the fire to be dampened down. Understandably you have been triggered by this recent episode - as most people would be. The trick is to find things that soothe you and concentrate your efforts in that direction as opposed to the direction that keeps you triggered.

You had great success wit moving on with your life previously which shows you can do it. You have done it and you can do it again.

There are lots of positive stories out there of survival and thriving - of which you are one of them.

You can do this,

Jan x

Hi Jan,

Thank you for writing such a compassionate and helpful response. It’s like reading the kind words of a wise friend! 

I was so proud of myself for finding a way to live beyond cancer, I  somehow managed to parcel it all up and move forwards. But, I have really lost my way these last few months while waiting for tests/results. You are right though, I had done it before, so I will/must find a way again.

It’s great to hear your friends positive story - thank you for sharing.

x

Hello

It is now nearly eight years since my TNBC diagnosis and treatment. On the Awake thread you will find a number of contributors who were diagnosed at least that long ago and several have dealt with another cancer 12, 20, 23 on.....The important thing is that the second cancer has also been successfully treated. Yes, it's disruptive again but after their treatment, they are well again.

I haven't written this to depress you. I want to share with you the last conversation I had with my surgeon. I live in an area where I saw my surgeon for five years and will have an annual mammogram for the rest of my life but my surgeon explained. Treatment for BC is very successful these days. Although the sad stories make the news, thousands of women are recovering. The cancer they had has been removed and in effect has gone. As a result people who in the past would have died,  live for many years. This means the circumstances in their bodies which caused the first cancer could produce another. It won't be a secondary. It will be a new primary and will therefore be treated as successfully as the first. The key is vigilance. As with all cancer..  ...find it early. Don't ignore anything because one is scared of recurrence.  My surgeon said it's unlikely to be the original recurring. And these stats are only emerging because people are living after BC treatment for many years.

His advice....Don't worry, live life, but take care to know your body. Change things if you can....keep fit, healthy diet....but don't panic about the future. ......It was good advice. I'm  doing that. I enjoy living....I have a few chemo related problems but live around them... and I consider the 2015 cancer has gone but I do check regularly and am aware that in the future I may develop another BC and I'll be ready to deal with it as soon as it appears.

I wish you well. If your scans and subsequent tests have been clear, I suspect you have reason to be positive . Summer is coming, lighter days cheer us up. You can move on now from the blip you have just experienced and continue to enjoy the successful outcome of your treatment. Just take a little care of yourself and the future is all you want it to be.

Love Karen