Eleven years ago!

[weisssoccermom]

Wow, I just realized that today, June 22.....was the day that I heard the news ' YOU HAVE CANCER"
That was eleven years ago and happy to say that here I am, on June 22, 2017.....doing well (wish I could lose the weight though....only nice thing about Xeloda!) and hardly giving cancer a thought any more.
I'll be walking in my 11th Relay for Life this weekend....cheering on other survivors....some of whom are still struggling and some, like me, who appear to be doing well. I will honor one of my best friends who passed away last July from lung cancer and thinking about the two people I learned of today who are both battling breast cancer.

Eleven years ago today I was....to put it mildly a BASKET CASE. I spent the next two weeks obsessing about my diagnosis....ruining our family vacation.....and envisioning my youngest, at 15 without his mom. I was having a pity party...a mad at the world party...a you name it, I'm pissed at the world attitude....until I got MAD. MAD at cancer, MAD at the doctors who all told me I couldn't do the surgery, treatment plan, etc. that I wanted to. My whole attitude changed from a 'woe is me' attitude to a 'you wanna make a bet' attitude. When someone tells me that I can't do something.....it's in my nature to tell them 'Oh yeah, you just watch me". Everyone deals with their cancer diagnosis in a different way....for me...getting PISSED OFF worked the best.

To those just starting on their journey....be your own advocate....ask questions (but don't be second guessing the doc on everything).....gather information and, if you want to, be a MEMBER of your health care decision making team. This is YOUR life and it's worth fighting for.

Here's hoping that each and every one of us makes it to their 11th AND BEYOND anniversary of their cancer diagnosis. I plan on being around for a whole lot longer!
Jaynee

[Swirdfish]

Good to read your also a stage IIA hehe .

[Ron50]

Congratulations, may you continue to stay cancer free , Ron.

[Maia]

Jaynee, so happy that, today, the right time to say that phrase is the past time. You had cancer and you are today healthy and living life.
Happy for you!!

[Bob_Weiss]

Apparently patients with Stage I to Stage III cases will always survive-providing they do not progress to Stage IV. Makes me think of whether I would still be alive if I had waited awhile before going to the doctor. My Stage III tumor was large, and according to the doctor it had been around for a few years before it was discovered.
Haste doesn't always make waste.

[CRguy]

To those just starting on their journey....be your own advocate....ask questions (but don't be second guessing the doc on everything).....gather information and, if you want to, be a MEMBER of your health care decision making team. This is YOUR life and it's worth fighting for.

WORD !

many happy returns to the celebrating Jaynee
for many years to come

AND to keeping on, keeping ON ... being such a strong supporter of this forum

Mega Cheers fellow Mod
In Harmony
CRguy

[DarknessEmbraced]

Congratulations! I love that we can celebrate with one another!

[Lee]

CONGRATULATIONS Jaynee.

May you always reside in NEDville. And some celebrating .

Are you going to your timeshare over the 4th again this year? My DB and SIL have a vacation home in the Outter Banks, NC. The rent it out over the summer months, butt they always keep the 4th of July week for themselves.

Again congratulation.

Lee

[weisssoccermom]

Thanks Lee. Yep, going away for the week again but this year, we decided to can the fireworks. It used to be FUN when we blew them off in front of the timeshare but too many irresponsible people would shoot them in the direction of the dunes, a fire would start and a BIG MESS would ensue. The fire trucks couldn't easily get to that end of the beach and with more and more timeshares/houses going up down at the remote end of the town, it just became a nightmare for the fire department....their access from the road was basically cut off. So, they forced us all to go up at least one mile to the closest vehicle beach access to shoot of fireworks. We've done that now for 10 years and it is getting old. We have to transport the $600-$800 worth of fireworks (I mean, if you're going to shoot them off...you have to do it right....right??) up by car to Marine View Drive, then trek them all out to the beach, build a fire, etc. That, by itself, just took some of the fun away from it. Then you have all these nutso people who still build their fire close to the dunes and shoot off their fireworks towards the ocean... but the problem is that we, who are positioned the requisite amount of feet from the dunes....closer to the beach....get their fireworks aimed at us! Long story short.....it's not fun anymore. Besides, I can think of better things to do with that money.

It will be a quiet week......just spending some time with hubs and son....doing nothing.
It's hard to believe that the 4th is almost here, isn't it???

You know, I used to think...hey, you get to 10+ years and you're in the clear, right? Well, just read the article about Olivia Newton-John....TWENTY-FIVE years after her last breast cancer scare and the cancer is back.....WHAT??? I'm just never going to assume anything about cancer....it's one sneaky little bugger, isn't it!

[Lee]

You know, I used to think...hey, you get to 10+ years and you're in the clear, right? Well, just read the article about Olivia Newton-John....TWENTY-FIVE years after her last breast cancer scare and the cancer is back.....WHAT??? I'm just never going to assume anything about cancer....it's one sneaky little bugger, isn't it!

That is interesting about Olivia Newton John. Have not read up on her yet. Good friend of mine. Her MIL was diagnosed with breast cancer decades ago. Like Olivia Newton John 25 yrs later she is also diagnosed with breast cancer again. Butt with her they were able to determine it was a new cancer. Because it was diagnosed so early, I believe they removed it and that was all. Over all pretty luck. I hope it's that way for Olivia.

Yes, I'm 13 yrs out. Onc released me a couple of years back. Used the word "cured", something I though I would never hear. I was willing to be seeing for the rest of my life, butt she assured me it was not necessary. Butt yes, it is sneaky, While I don't have the same fears, it's still in my head.

Have fun at your timeshare, sorry about the fireworks. We are not doing anything special for the 4th, just too HOT here . This past week, in the 120. Usually around the 4th it's 115+, just too hot to be outside. This is our winter season. Butt in August we are heading to the mountains for about 10 days. Our escape from the heat.

Have a super time over the 4th.

Lee

[WriterGirl1969]

Preach it, sister!
I feel the same way. Tell me I can't, see what happens. LOL

Here's to the next 11 years, and all the ones after that. Cheers.

Hugs and Prayers,
Tracy

[helen098]

Congrats on 11 years

[weisssoccermom]

Unfortunately for Olivia, her cancer (according to news reports) has spread to her sacrum. She originally thought the low back pain she was having was related to a back issue and went to see the doctor for that. Turns out the cancer is now in her bones and, I assume from a biopsy, they determined it was actually breast cancer that had spread from her original diagnosis. Technically, I believe she is now a stage (whatever she was) with distant mets. Here's the really scary part and I wonder IF this is applicable as well to other cancers????

"That five-year number was a myth we used to tell people and that's not true," she said. (SHE is a Dr. Attai - a breast cancer surgeon and asst clinical professor of surgery at UCLA)
Slower growing, low-grade cancers, such as estrogen receptor-positive tumors – a more common type of breast cancer – if they come back, are more likely to come back later down the line, 10 to 15 years or more, Attai explained."

Dang, that is a scary statement......particularly for breast cancer patients. However, it also has me wondering if other 'slow growing, low grade cancers' (i.e. colorectal cancer) could also fit in this category??

On to the temps.....yeah we keep hearing about the temps in Arizona. They sound TERRIBLE! One guy on either ABC or NBC National Evening News was showing how hot things like bleachers at Little League ball parks get....even the turf, etc. was too hot to be on. The story went on to talk about our furry friends and how they need booties to even walk on the grass....all because the temps are SO high! It hit 90 here today and we HATE it. Most people in the Seattle area, particularly in older homes (even 30 year old homes) don't have A/C and you're miserable. Fortunately, we do have A/C but still....its yucky here at 90.....I wouldn't even want to imagine temps around 115!
Try to stay cool. Thanks for the good wishes. Congrats to YOU on your continued NED status!!!

[justin case]

To those just starting on their journey....be your own advocate....ask questions (but don't be second guessing the doc on everything).....gather information and, if you want to, be a MEMBER of your health care decision making team. This is YOUR life and it's worth fighting for.

WORD !

many happy returns to the celebrating Jaynee
for many years to come

AND to keeping on, keeping ON ... being such a strong supporter of this forum

Mega Cheers fellow Mod
In Harmony
CRguy

I agree, and congratulations Jaynee, 6 years this month for Me .

[CatHair]

Woo hoo! Congratulations, jaynee. You are an inspiration for bad-assery, too!