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Talking Frankly about Living with Advanced Cancer
Cancer | Last Active: Oct 11 9:50am | Replies (562)Comment receiving replies
I have MBC stage IV with Mets to bones initially. I was on Kisqali, Letrozole and Xgeva. Diagnosed April 2023.
I started having what I thought was sciatica in September of 2024. Turned out it was a tumor impinging on my sciatica nerve. I started on Chemo (Enhertu) in December.
I am thankful for the treatments available. The chemo has minor side effects and my scans show improvement.
I have tiptoed around the question....how much time do I have left?
I asked my surgeon when I was first diagnosed and she said typically 3 to 4 years... 3 years would be 2026.
On the outside I know everyone thinks I am doing so well. I even fool myself sometimes. It seems so unreal and sometimes I just cry uncontrollably when I'm alone.
I just don't feel like I'm dying. But I am scared.
Replies to "I have MBC stage IV with Mets to bones initially. I was on Kisqali, Letrozole and..."
@dlsmabrey, I'm so sorry that you've had to face a metastatic diagnosis. It's not easy on any of us. In 2024 I had an early-stage breast cancer, but I do have stage IV lung cancer. I'm treated with a targeted therapy. People don't know that I have cancer, and they don't know that I think about cancer every day, but that's the reality. Treatments have improved over the 5 years that I've had lung cancer, the same may true for your type of MBC. It's likely worth an updated conversation with your oncologist. They may have some suggestions for how to deal with the weight of the diagnosis too; palliative care, therapy, an in-person MBC group. I try to focus on today, and not what's ahead. The initial estimate that I received was 2 years. Right away I didn't believe it, and it wasn't correct, as I'm here 5+ years later. No one can predict what's to come. The fact that you feel good is a blessing, you don't feel like you're dying because you're not yet. There will be time for that later, but for now, try to live each day, one day at a time.
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@dlsmabrey I'm so sorry that you are going through this. I'm sure it's very scary for you, it would be for anyone. Hopefully you have support from family and close friends. I know it's easy for me to say just enjoy the little things but maybe that could distract you from your thoughts.