Hi there ..

So sorry your going through secondary... that's really crule .. someone I know of, has had three bouts of cancer .. and as far as I know now, is still living with it .. 

There is a wonderfull lass on here who's had a couple of bouts and helped me through .. I'll tag her in ... [@Jolamine]‍ and I know if she pops on and gets this, she's tell you her journey ... 

So fingers crossed you live with cancer for a long time yet ... you keep kicking it's butt , right down the road... big vertual hug... Chrissie x

Thanks Chrissie!

it was great to hear from you, and thank you so much for taking the time to contact me. I really do appreciate it.

I certainly intend to be around for a long time yet. It’s just sometimes that I get overwhelmed by it all.

Thanks again, sending you a virtual hug too..

Vic xx

Hi Vic,

Welcome to our forum. I am so sorry to hear about your diagnosis. Please bear in mind that your doctors can only give you an educated guestimate, but are ofen way off beam with their predictions. A lot depends on your own determination and positivity. This must have come as quite a shock from a routine mammogram. However, if you didn't have the mammogram, you would have been considerably worse off by the time that you discovered it.

Any cancer diagnosis is frightening, because there are so many unknowns about the disease.Try not to look at the bigger picture - there is just too much to take in. Take things day by day, or even hour by hour. Do you have family or friends supporting you? Try to make memories with them by visiting places and people that you want to see. If you are not well enough to travel, get them to come to you. I am hoping that you are still keeping fairly well, when you were unaware of the cancer until you had your routine mammogram.

As Chriss has said, I have had 2 bouts of breast cancer within the past 10 years. I had the second bout a year after the first. I am fortunate in that both of these were primary cancers. I nursed my mum with breast cancer. She had primary cancer for 12 years before she developed secondaries in her brain, bones, liver and lungs. Sadly, we lost her 10 years before I was diagnosed. Cancer diagnosis, treatment and aftercare have improved immensely in that time. There is just no comparison in the attention that she got and, that which I have experienced. People used to die with breast cancer, but many are now living with it.

Has your oncologist discussed what treatment you could have yet? It is no wonder that you feel overwhelmed by all this. You will have darker days as well as the good ones. We are always here for you whether you want information, advice or just want a good moan. There are a number of people on this site in the same position as you and, I hope that some of them will come along, so that you can support one another.

I am glad to hear that you intend to be around for a long time still and, I am hoping and praying that this will be the case.

Please keep in touch and let us know how you get on.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx