With no history of breast cancer in my family, it was the farthest thing from my mind when I was diagnosed at age 34, when my daughter was 15 months old. I had a lumpectomy, 5 courses of CAF and one course of CMF (they thought my heart had been injured and switched at the last one), followed by 7 weeks of radiation. In 1998, I was diagnosed with a recurrence, with mets to the bone. I had a mastectomy, 9 courses of Taxol delivered over a 24 hour period every three weeks, followed with radiation to the pelvis. I had my ovaries removed to try to stem the tide as it was progesterone positive; and a complete hysterectomy as well. I was put on arimidex a couple of years later when they felt that I might be having a recurrence.  I've also had Faslodex. I have also had IV infusions of aredia; and am presently on Aromasin and Zometa.

In 2009, I fractured my pelvis and in early 2010, discovered that I had a recurrence to multiple bone sites.  I completed 9 courses of Abraxane (Paclitaxil protein bound with human albumen).  I finished, July 1, 2011.

I've started a blog about surviving stage IV for the long run. I'm presently cancer free (as far as we know) and trying to figure out what is happening to me due to aging and what is happening to me because of cancer and it's treatment. Middleage is ....different. http://michigoose-longtermbcsurvivor.blogspot.com/