We’ve come a long way baby! How grateful are you?

I meant to include that I'm grateful that breast cancer, as perturbing as it is, is not the assumed death sentence it was in the not too distant past. A friend asked what Olivia Newton-John's death meant to me, having recently had a lumpectomy for breast cancer. I said that aside from the dismay and compassion for the pain and discomfort she suffered, my take-away is that someone can live 30 years after an initial, aggressive cancer and have a life of continuing value! That is not the breast cancer experience I heard about growing up and is already a game-changer. I watched a Netflix feature and the actress Toni Collete revealed a partial mastectomy while changing clothes. It wasn't alluded to, or part of the plot or significant in any way. Just a woman, who'd had to have surgery for something, and otherwise living her life. That is,, cancer was a responsibility to address in a life; but not the life. As with the moderators here dealing with various conditions, some very difficult or limiting, and nonetheless living lives with focus and joy. That example means a great deal to me.

Grateful for early detection and Mayo Clinic. I remember breast cancer as a death sentence, and lost several relatives to this disease. Grateful today for an excellent prognosis and hopeful to live out the rest of my life cancer-free. Blessings to all. ❤️

Having been a teacher, I witnessed the pain of students who lost a parent. My prayer was always to live long enough to raise my boys. Having done that, I was grateful, and thought that life didn’t owe me anything else, come what may. 5 1/2 years ago, my diagnosis was bilateral, early stage, double mastectomy, no chemo. Both boys had weddings and grandchild #2 is due in the next two weeks. I am grateful to be where I am and for all the people whose efforts have gone into the new treatments and for those who treated me. And…after all that, I am grateful that Covid isn’t what did me in! I managed to dodge it till July and I am grateful that it was so mild and again, for everyone who worked on the preventative and mitigating measures. Grateful for each part of every day.

I am so happy for you. I do know EXACTLY how you feel! It is wonderful to be alive and have the time left to enjoy the life we thought we might lose.

Yes, you're quite correct. We have come a long way and over the past few years made further advancements. For instance, the Sentinel Node Biopsy. My cousin had all her lymph nodes removed some years ago, even though she was very young, in an abundance of caution. They can now detect cancer if it's there by putting blue dye into the 'first' or Sentinel Node at the same time as the cancer surgery. They send it to the Lab to be tested while the Breast surgery goes ahead. If there is no cancer in the Node, they know there is no cancer in the lymphatic system, and they don't remove anything there. It now seems such a simple solution. I had this particular biopsy done recently and thank God for all those medical personnel who made this happen.

I'm grateful that all the medical advancements they afford me the ability to look at this as a condition that needs to be treated and monitored and not the fast approaching end. I can comfortably anticipate I probably will live to see my grandchildren graduate high school - they are all under five. When my time approaches - I most likely will pass from something else and not the "Big C". The advancements also made it possible to detect the mutated gene I didn't know that I carry and determine which of my children I've passed that gene to - so they can be aware and start early monitoring for potential issues. Those all great things to be greatful.

I'm so grateful - my 5 years on AI will be up in November. The advances in treatments & the trials and studies they do has helped thousands of women. When I got me OncoDX type back it was 22 - and based on that AND a study that had just been released 1 month (June 2018) before my surgery - they decided I did not need Chemo. It was based on like 10,000 women and the onco score to see if chemo really helped those in the "mid-range". It determined that chemo for those women did not increase their survival time. So after my surgery in July 2018, they decided I did not need chemo and I was SO grateful for all the women who participated in that trial. I'm grateful to be alive & kicking and hope to be so for another 20 years. I'm 68 this year. I'm also grateful for finding this blog, as it answered a lot of my questions and doubt I had during treatment. Also the local groups in Omaha that I found are so supportive and gracious. I say CONGRATULATIONS to all the women who went thru treatment & are still around to enjoy life.

I was 36 when I found a lump. As you say, surgery and treatment were quite different. The doctor observed the lymph node which appeared to be swollen. Therefore, it was undetermined the cause at that moment, and the lymph node was sent to the lab to be tested. Unfortunately, the chest was opened, and it was therefore determined that as many lymph nodes as possible be removed (14). The follow-up showed no cancer, just possible previous infection caused the swelling of the lymph node. Fortunately, the removal of these lymph nodes has not caused me any problems. I am now 92. It is hard to believe, with out modern knowledge, that I survived. No chemo, radiation, or follow-up medication.
Gina5009

I am most grateful for the Wonderful Man who stood with me through all the years he had to give. He died 15 years ago, and life will never be the same, but he left me with wonderful memories and happiness, not sadness and gloom. As we all know, living with a diagnosis of cancer is never quite the same, but it taught me to be greatful for every year I have been given. Not just to hope for another day, but to make today the very best exciting day of my life. Of course, at 92 I have had to slow a little, but life is still sweet, and I embrace it each morning I awake. ANY DAY YOU CAN GET OUT OF BED, IS A GREAT DAY.

Oh Gosh! What an experience. Luckily you didn't have cancer and terrific that you didn't have those lymph problems that many women have. I would say you are a very, very healthy woman and going strong at 92! Yaay! Well done.....!