This is as good a place as you will find.  We are all survivors of some form of cancer, and many of us have survived breast cancer...even when we weren't expected to.  Personally, I am surviving stage three breast cancer.  I had a bilateral mastectomy, a four-treatment adriamyocin/cytoxin chemotherapy that took all my hair and just exhausted me, also gave me mouth sores.  Oncologist told me a couple of years ago that he was surprised I was still around...IF the chemotherapy was effective, he thought that within two years I would recur and die.  Oh, did I say that this was about this time.....FIFTEEN years ago????  Following the chemotherapy, I took tamoxifin for six years.  At that point, I told the oncologist that, based on current studies, it seemed the tamoxifen was no longer effective after five years and I wanted to stop taking it.  (I had terrible side effects from it.)  He argued and I stopped taking it. 
 
The hardest t hing about surviving breast cancer is the check-up exams.  It's awfully difficult to go see a doctor to find out eveything is right.  I no longer have to do that, and I don't miss it. 
 
Good luck to you and your survival.  You've joined a group of people who truly appreciate life after cancer, and most of us say we do it all over again if the choice were ours.
 
Hugs,
 
Marla

Marla B. Pence
 
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming --- Wow! What a ride!!!!!
 

May you soar with eagles

Run with the wolves

Walk with the buffalo

And always be my friend

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To: cancer_survivors_gathering_place@yahoogroups.com
From: uuinpok@...
Date: Sun, 7 Sep 2008 14:17:23 +0000
Subject: [cancer_survivors_gathering_place] breast cancer survivor-new