8 years

I was diagnosed with denovo on Feb 13, 2012. This year is my 8th year living with stage 4 MBC. I am a nurse and was repositioning a patient with another nurse when I fractured my back. My L2 collapsed. I went through testing to find extensive bone mets and a breast lump so small that my first oncologist said that wasn't the cause of the cancer, but when my break was biopsied, it showed breast cancer.

Get your affairs in order

I was told to get my affairs in order...that I wouldn't live past 2 or 3 years. I'm now on my 6th line of treatment and doing well with it. I've had to intermittently take time off of work during a few of my treatments. I now think of working in terms of hours away from my husband and children instead of dollar signs. I try to spend as much time with friends and family. I know that each day is a gift. Instead of working my life away, I've found a better balance.

MBC teaches you how to live

No matter how many treatments I go through, God is so good. I place my life in His hands and know that no matter what happens to me, my family will be fine. MBC hasn't taught me how to die, but how to really live. I still make plans and do things I would normally do (for the most part- I don't do things that may cause me to break bones).

Praying for my MBC family and hoping that you all truly learn to live. ❤

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