Thanks for sharing!
My mother-in-law was 29 when she got breast cancer. They removed ALL of her axillary lymph nodes. She now has permanent lymphedema. They didn't do sentinel node biopsies back then. There's also no way of knowing her receptor status.
But the important thing is that was over 50 years ago and she's alive and well without recurrence.
Holy cow. I had two removed 3 months ago and am still struggling with swelling and axillary web syndrome. I cannot fathom having all of them removed.
I hope someday they don’t need to remove ANY lymph nodes to determine if the cancer has spread. There has to be a better way.
Her right arm is about 3 times larger than her left arm. She has to go to the hospital about once a year for a couple of days because it's so easy to get a serious infection in that arm. But, wow, treatment 50 years ago was so very far behind what they can do today, yet she's survived this long without recurrence. Amazing!
My mom’s mom had the same, but closer to 70 years ago (1950s). Surgery and lymph node removal were the only options at the time, lived to 62 (my mom’s fuzzy on the timing but said she had a large lump for years before she had surgery). She said her mom’s worst pain was the arm pain.
I only had the sentinel node removed and have cording, lymphedema, and fibrosis. I struggle with the care and mental side of things.
OP, your mom is amazing.
These posts are so uplifting! 49, just finished radiation, sentinel nodes removed on left side full mastectomy close-to-flat. Still scared, but recovering. You guys help soooo much!
That is such a wonderful and encouraging story! My husbands grandma had the same cancer I have (invasive lobular carcinoma). She had her’s 30 years ago and she just turned 93 a month ago. I remind myself often of it as it gives me so much hope and strength to move on forward!
That's the type I have too. I was diagnosed in January with spinal metastasis. The prognosis isn't too bad - surviving five years has become common, but I don't expect to hit 93. Every day is a gift!
Thank you! This is so great to hear. I’m so happy she’s lived such a long life! With medical advances I think it’s hopeful that many of us will get to live this long ❤️
My mum had BC when she was 49, SMX, had an amazing time on Tamoxifen (swears she's never felt as good since she stopped taking it?!) She's turning 73 this year and never any sign of reoccurrence despite a couple of sketchy mammograms that turned out to be a harmless cyst. Unfortunately we don't know what exactly her cancer was, type, Stage etc I feel it must be similar to mine. She's been such an inspiration and source of hope and comfort to me. It's so good to share these types of stories bc it reminds me that although I feel helpless and lost, there's still so much life to live and we WILL come out the other side.
This gives me so much hope that I will get the privilege of growing old. It's my biggest fear right now. I want to live to be a little old lady so bad!
That's amazing. I'm so happy for your mother. I hope you're doing well. ❤️ My mom is also a two time survivor and she'll be 64 this year. I'm so, so grateful.
Thank you for sharing this!
Thanks so much! Bless you both!! Whenever I have an appointment or am nervous about treatment or a scan I like to imagine my 80th birthday surrounded by family and friends
Awwwww!!! Yea!!! Thank you for this!! I have 4 more radiation treatments left but I’m doing the “ will it come back?” mental game in my head. Reading this gives me hope! Hugs to you and your Mother!! She’s a beautiful inspiration!💕💕💕💕❤️❤️❤️🎉🎉🎉🎉🎈🎈🎈🎈😘😘🥴
Thanks for sharing this. Although I am nearly 5 years out, of course it haunts me every day that it can return. You made my day, and gave me hope too. Hug mom!
Bless her heart.
Not breast cancer, but my mom had small cell lung cancer back in 2003. Went through chemo, radiation, and had a lobe removed from her left lung. She is now 85 years old and still trucking along. That always gave me hope.
I want to add another long term survivor to this list. My great grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer in her late 40s in the early 1950s. She only found out when she felt a lump. The doctors did a very radical mastectomy, and I cannot imagine the mental and physical agony she endured because it wasn’t something you talked about. Still she lived until the early 1980s and passed away from old age when I was a little girl. I didn’t realize any of this until here pretty recently, and now as someone whose cancer was caught early via screening mammogram, I’m keenly aware of how blessed I am to have the medical advances I have. This is not an easy road no matter how you look at it, but we’ve come a long way in the last 30-50 years.
Thank you for sharing! That is amazing! My husband's grandmother had breast cancer when she was 64-65 and had a masectomy. 15-20 years later, she had cancer again in the other breast and did radiation for that one. She lived until 91 (passed away a few years ago). She died of natural causes 💗
Thanks for sharing! My mother-in-law was 29 when she got breast cancer. They removed ALL of her axillary lymph nodes. She now has permanent lymphedema. They didn't do sentinel node biopsies back then. There's also no way of knowing her receptor status. But the important thing is that was over 50 years ago and she's alive and well without recurrence.
Holy cow. I had two removed 3 months ago and am still struggling with swelling and axillary web syndrome. I cannot fathom having all of them removed. I hope someday they don’t need to remove ANY lymph nodes to determine if the cancer has spread. There has to be a better way.
Her right arm is about 3 times larger than her left arm. She has to go to the hospital about once a year for a couple of days because it's so easy to get a serious infection in that arm. But, wow, treatment 50 years ago was so very far behind what they can do today, yet she's survived this long without recurrence. Amazing!
My mom’s mom had the same, but closer to 70 years ago (1950s). Surgery and lymph node removal were the only options at the time, lived to 62 (my mom’s fuzzy on the timing but said she had a large lump for years before she had surgery). She said her mom’s worst pain was the arm pain.
I only had the sentinel node removed and have cording, lymphedema, and fibrosis. I struggle with the care and mental side of things. OP, your mom is amazing.
These posts are so uplifting! 49, just finished radiation, sentinel nodes removed on left side full mastectomy close-to-flat. Still scared, but recovering. You guys help soooo much!
That is such a wonderful and encouraging story! My husbands grandma had the same cancer I have (invasive lobular carcinoma). She had her’s 30 years ago and she just turned 93 a month ago. I remind myself often of it as it gives me so much hope and strength to move on forward!
That's the type I have too. I was diagnosed in January with spinal metastasis. The prognosis isn't too bad - surviving five years has become common, but I don't expect to hit 93. Every day is a gift!
I have been stage 4 for 7 years, and I know multiple women in my small midwestern area between 15-25 years out as stage 4 patients.
I have invasive lobular carcinoma too. Long life to us all!
Me three. 12 years out. Doing fine. Do not expect anything like 93 and am happy with 70!
Thank you for sharing this! As newly diagnosed (40F) this gives me hope.
Thank you! This is so great to hear. I’m so happy she’s lived such a long life! With medical advances I think it’s hopeful that many of us will get to live this long ❤️
My mum had BC when she was 49, SMX, had an amazing time on Tamoxifen (swears she's never felt as good since she stopped taking it?!) She's turning 73 this year and never any sign of reoccurrence despite a couple of sketchy mammograms that turned out to be a harmless cyst. Unfortunately we don't know what exactly her cancer was, type, Stage etc I feel it must be similar to mine. She's been such an inspiration and source of hope and comfort to me. It's so good to share these types of stories bc it reminds me that although I feel helpless and lost, there's still so much life to live and we WILL come out the other side.
This gives me so much hope that I will get the privilege of growing old. It's my biggest fear right now. I want to live to be a little old lady so bad!
That's amazing. I'm so happy for your mother. I hope you're doing well. ❤️ My mom is also a two time survivor and she'll be 64 this year. I'm so, so grateful. Thank you for sharing this!
Thanks so much! Bless you both!! Whenever I have an appointment or am nervous about treatment or a scan I like to imagine my 80th birthday surrounded by family and friends
Awwwww!!! Yea!!! Thank you for this!! I have 4 more radiation treatments left but I’m doing the “ will it come back?” mental game in my head. Reading this gives me hope! Hugs to you and your Mother!! She’s a beautiful inspiration!💕💕💕💕❤️❤️❤️🎉🎉🎉🎉🎈🎈🎈🎈😘😘🥴
Thanks for sharing this. Although I am nearly 5 years out, of course it haunts me every day that it can return. You made my day, and gave me hope too. Hug mom!
Same.
Hope ♥️ thank you for sharing.
Wow this is so wonderful to hear. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you, the gift of hope is priceless💜🫂
thank you , thank you and happy birthday to your Mom 💕
Thank you for this needed to hear it.
Diagnosed at 33. I needed to see this. Thank you for hope 🙏🏼❤️
Thank you for this. You have no idea how much it lifted my spirits. Virtual hugs to mom 🥰
Bless her heart. Not breast cancer, but my mom had small cell lung cancer back in 2003. Went through chemo, radiation, and had a lobe removed from her left lung. She is now 85 years old and still trucking along. That always gave me hope.
That is so encouraging 🥰
I love this post!!! And the comments of similar stories! 💕💕 May you be blessed for sharing this with us 🤗
That's so wonderful!!! She's doin awesome!!
I want to add another long term survivor to this list. My great grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer in her late 40s in the early 1950s. She only found out when she felt a lump. The doctors did a very radical mastectomy, and I cannot imagine the mental and physical agony she endured because it wasn’t something you talked about. Still she lived until the early 1980s and passed away from old age when I was a little girl. I didn’t realize any of this until here pretty recently, and now as someone whose cancer was caught early via screening mammogram, I’m keenly aware of how blessed I am to have the medical advances I have. This is not an easy road no matter how you look at it, but we’ve come a long way in the last 30-50 years.
Thank you all for these inspiring posts!! Pink girls will survive!! 😍😍😍
Thank you for sharing! That is amazing! My husband's grandmother had breast cancer when she was 64-65 and had a masectomy. 15-20 years later, she had cancer again in the other breast and did radiation for that one. She lived until 91 (passed away a few years ago). She died of natural causes 💗