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

I'm sorry you lost your Wonderful Man, but you are one of the lucky ones! So many women don't have a husband like him. I also have a terrific and very loving husband helping me with my cancer diagnosis and I'm now cancer free. Just have to make my mind up whether or not to have the radiation to 'mop up' any stray cancer cells? Did not need Chemo and decided against the hormone blocker pill. I hope, for his sake, I'm making the right decision, especially as we're both bringing up our 11-year-old grandson. We're married 54 years now and I know that the 'price' of such a wonderful marriage, like yours, is that one day we will have to say goodbye. I think, like you, the price is worth every penny! Keep getting out of bed and get on with your life for his sake - you are a wonderful woman - blessing and hugs to you!

Thank you for your kind words. Like you we were married for 53 years, and had the good luck to be involved with our Granddaughters who are now 30 and 33. For me, it was especially hard for me to say Goodbye, because my husband died of Lung Cancer, wh;ich he acquired from his stay in our Military. He was a medic and contracted Tuberculosis which eventually broke down into Cancer. Life does have some very hard twists and turns. How is it I survived and he did not???? Answers for the future. Advice concerning Chemo and Radiation, I have none, because I did not receive any of these treatments. Listen to your body, and it will lead you. May God bless and Keep you in his tender care.
Gina5009

Sorry, I must have given the wrong impression. I did have breast cancer (36 years old) and had a Radical Mastectory. The lymph nodes were removed at this time. I also had a simple mastectory two years later. Prophylactic surgery, not cancer, but no radiation or chemo, or follow-up medication. The major difference was there were no out of hospital biopsies, or mamograms, or MRI"s. These had not been discovered or in use for breast cancer. If a lump were discovered of unknown origin, you were hospitalized taken to surgery, the lump removed and sent immediately to the lab, and if it were positive for cancer, breast was removed right then and there. If the lump were found to be negative, the incision was sewn-up and the patient was sent home that day. There was no typing, staging, etc. In some ways it was easier, but definitely not better for the patient. Y ou did not know if it were stage 3 or 4, you just assumed it was gone and you were cured. But, unfortunately, there was no treatment for a tumor after surgery. Thank goodness, today there are so many options for women, and the life expectancy is getting close to 100% without all the disfigurement of the past.
Gina5009

I have had breast cancer twice. Once DCIS (lumpectomy) & 2nd a small tumor (mastectomy). Both times the cancers were very early stage and both times I had excellent surgeons. I am grateful for that and the research and progress that is being made for breast cancer. I’m extremely grateful for Mayo Clinic forums like this one for us yo come and share stories , gain strength and obtain knowledge of all the many cancers we all have to fight. I’m grateful for life. God Bless each snd every one of you. ❤️

Thank you for taking the time to explain this. I was puzzled when you said, 'your chest was opened'? I did wonder why that was. Sorry that you had cancer but very glad you survived it at such a young age. You are quite right that there are many more options for a cancer diagnosis these days and more to come in the future to be sure. At the moment I am still going back and forth as to whether I should have the Radiation, as my tumor was very small, or teeny-tiny as they described it? With clear margins and no cancer in the lymph nodes. My one concern is I read that 49 percent have extreme fatigue 1 - 5 years afterwards. Then another thing I read was that radiation had some very good health benefits. I think I may be reading too many books!

I have attended radiation with family members, my husband had it as did I. I have not witnessed a year of fatigue. It took a couple months to get back up to speed. My aunt who was the oldest at 81, and she took a little while longer to bounce back. I will say there was some significant fatigue for me, but it went away fairly quickly. I think I had six weeks of mon through Friday, whole breast, then five focused treatments. It has come a long way since the bad old days of 2004. Lol

I heard about all the side effects from chemo and radiation (15 treatments) and I kept waiting for them to occur and they never did. Oh except I did lose my hair - I looked at that as a do over . I was a little tired; but nothing an earlier bedtime didn't solve. I've heard of the 5 - 6 weeks of Mon - Fri radiation treatments and am so glad that can now be shortened. There was also the possibility I could have had only 1 week; but they decided 15 since there was a miniscule spot detected in lymph pathology from bilateral. Still 3 weeks instead of 5 or 6 weeks - we've come a long way.

I second everything you said- reoccurrence and all.
This time around I have learned a lot about myself, relationships, and life. Guess it’s a lesson I needed to learn and didn’t catch it the first time around. 🤷‍♀️
I am wonderfully grateful and blessed.

Thanks for that update, very reassuring to know that fatigue is not necessarily something to fear, with radiation. I'm 79 and I did read that some doctor refused to allow his patient who was 76 to do the radiation as she was 'too old'? That made me think that perhaps at my age I should just not bother with it. Still going back and forth about whether to do it or not, as my tumor was only 4mm and 2mm at surgery, (after biopsy I assume) with no lymph node involvement, plus a clear margin.

What a great story - surrounded by nature, your cats, your parrot and of course your family who took great care of you - you are blessed! And sprinting after your grocery cart proves one thing - 80 is just a number and you my dear are Number One and on the recovery list right now. I'm grateful there are people like you who knows the beauty in life and shows gratitude for every moment. You are blessed!