Monday, August 26, 2013

Today, I Celebrate Life, 4 Years of Remaining Cancer Free...

Last February, my blog, "Triple Negative Breast Cancer, I Won't Back Down!" was selected as one of the top breast cancer blogs on the Internet. I have over 100,00 views to my blog. I take great pride in my blog in sharing worldwide, the latest in TNBC research and stories of inspiration while keeping awareness in the forefront as early detection is critical for TNBC survival.  This week I went live in becoming an Author on "Treatment of Cancer" website and able to post my blog stories there. I published this story as my very first time as being their guest blogger:
http://www.treatmentofcancer.com/triple-negative-breast-cancer-community-remembers-lori-redmer
I just want to make clear that I am not a writer and nor do I want to be. I write to express my feelings and my experiences through my blog postings, it's more therapeutic for me in dealing with this dark cloud overhead of this 15% threat of recurrence for me. I don't know if that figure is even accurate... since my diagnosis, there has been 6 more sub-types of TNBC discovered with different degrees of aggressiveness. I don't know which of these 6 sub-types was my tumor and I may never know. It has gotten easier as time pasts as I focus on my 85% survival rate. I'm pretty confident that I'm going to remain healthy for a very long time. I've been very fortunate with making it to my 4 yr. mark of survival... This is a big deal for us TNBC sisters for most TNBC recurrences happen within 1 to 3 years of original diagnosis. 
TNBC research has progressed very slowly and there is still no known targeted therapy in the near future.  The fear is still there, for all us... We know if TNBC shows it ugliness again, it will come back with a vengance and that is what all of us TNBC sisters fear the most.  We've seen this monster show back up way too much in our support group and have wrongfully taken many wonderful young women from their families. Us sisters have discussed many times on how we identify ourselves as survivors: Cured, cancer-free, remission or NED (no evidence of disease). Tho my oncologist has told me on more than one visit that I'm cured, I have learned to not use that term so loosely, because the uncertainty always remain. Today, I celebrate life, 4 years of remaining cancer free! It's the little things in life that make me smile and laugh. Thank you to my husband, my son, my family and my friends for always making me feel loved and for your understanding as I continue to fight for my TNBC sisters in hope for more tomorrows for all. I love you all!