My recurrence was re-diagnosed 12 years after my left breast mastectomy and eight rounds of chemotherapy. I took 18 months of exemestane, but couldn’t handle it because it was very debilitating. I’ve been feeling unwell for a long time so I probably have had the recurrence for a long time I just didn’t think it was cancer I thought I was just getting older. But it’s stage four metastatic breast cancer to my liver, lymph nodes and bones. My journey started July 2022. And started on my meds in October 2022. That’s how long it took to get through all my test and figure out what was wrong. They put me on anastrozole, Ibrance, and an infusion of Zometa every 90 days, I just finished my second infusion took my second PET scan and my meds are shrinking all across-the-board a few other areas have popped up but apparently they aren’t concerned about it. It has been a long three months and I have to say it was difficult to say the least, but if the meds are shrinking , I guess I can put up with the side effects if it’s going to help me live longer. But along with this good news comes the unreality of your family thinking you’re cured. I know they want me to be cured. I know it’s wishful thinking, but with this diagnosis it’s not curable it’s just treatable. It’s very difficult for them to understand the side effects from all of the of these drugs, somehow I wish there was education for families so they could understand the reality of what we go through. All of us have to live our lives pretending, so everyone else feels better. That’s very difficult to do. my new favorite phrase that I learned from a friend of mine who is turning 104 this year , she always says I’m not complaining I’m just explaining. Bless her heart, I get it, 12 years ago when I had this I had nobody to talk to, I tried to find somebody to talk to, and there was no one so I am very grateful for this site it helps so many of us who just need to talk. Hugs from my grateful heart, Maria

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