Metastatic Breast Cancer

"My practice has taught me to pause, breathe, and surround myself with healing light, while also reaching for things that lift my spirits."

"The scent of the lilacs and lilly of the valley, my bare toes in the grass, chatter of the birds, and breeze on my skin activate all of my senses and bring me into the moment."

"My path to Stage IV had a few curveballs and some twists and turns..."

"Don't be afraid to ask stupid questions. There are none. And don't be afraid to advocate for yourself."

"I also have multiple sclerosis (MS), so having only one breast seems like a minor thing to me."

"By the time I had the surgery, more lumps had appeared, including a fast-growing one on my neck."

"Trivial things don't matter, the bigger picture is clear. I don't want to waste what little time I have left on these trivial things and I don't intend to."

"Cancer may take my life someday but not my sense of humor."

"I started seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and changed my outlook on life. I felt like I got a new lease on life and started focusing on what's important to me."

"I sometimes feel as though I am a walking time bomb but I have been beating the odds nonetheless. "

"Had I not taken responsibility for my own care, I might not be here."

"I somehow manage to put cancer away in a pocket most days and I’m able to just enjoy living. Denial has become a really good thing. Denial is not something I have ever been good at — it’s a new skill that I’m learning. Denial is a good place to be for someone with a terminal illness."

"I tried to ignore what I call the 'Panic Parrot' on my shoulder squawking about fears of recurrence. I didn't talk about it because the response was always, 'Oh, think positive.' I was finally trying to move on."

"Once I'm up and moving, I have hours and hours where I feel okay, some moments where I feel terrific."

"I ignored it...even convinced myself it was not getting larger, but it was."

"I try and live every day like I would have before breast cancer invaded not just my body but my life."

"I plan on watching my three (so far) grandchildren grow up and celebrating my 50th anniversary in 6 years."

"I have learned that people with stage IV still enjoy living AND [are] not afraid to live."

"Men can and do get breast cancer, and in the absence of routine screenings, they need to pay attention to their bodies."

"My PCP confirmed that I had tumors in both my right and left breasts. I remember driving away from that appointment in complete shock. I couldn’t feel my body. I couldn’t even cry."

"MBC is always there — it doesn't overwhelm me or prevent me from enjoying life, but it has put its shadowy filter over everything."

"I am living my life with stage IV cancer; I laugh, work, raise my children, travel, have good days and challenging days."

"Only things that mattered the most are on my priority list right now. I no longer want to waste time and energy on things or people who don't bring my heart joy and hope."

"I was extremely angry that no one had mentioned that 15% of invasive lobular metastasis occurs in the abdomen - or that it might not show up in a PET scan."

"My advice for women new to a stage IV diagnosis is to learn to live in the moment."

"My quality of life has been great at times, especially when the side effects have been eliminated. I feel very fortunate that I have enjoyed my life most of the time."

"I try not to think of myself as a warrior as much as I am an accommodator. It’s kind of like living with a pesky resident that is as annoying as all get out."