Well, I have certainly reached a milestone, that 10 years ago, I absolutely did not think I would make. My 50th birthday. Not only that, at my yearly check up with my Specialist, I got the all clear again, but the best news is that he said, now that you have hit 10 years, I don't need to see you again.

My wonderful Pete, he still is just so lovely and caring and was so happy, when we left the doctors office, he did a hand stand in the middle of the street. I love you so much Pete. Thanks for everything.

My Mum and Dad. They are just so lovely and still worry about me so much. In their eyes, I am still their little girl. Thanks for everything. Love you lots.

Pete and I had a wonderful party with all of our friends and family together. We were celebrating my 50th and Pete's 60th. Our beautiful Jess is now almost 10.

All of our kids are wonderful. My son Brad is now 25 and has become engaged, welcome to the family Sarah. Katherine is 23 and is a most beautiful young lady with a great career and a lovely boyfriend.

Pete's kids are growing up as well. He has had a wedding, a 21st and an 18th in the last year. 

We have had another wonderful holiday. We went on a cruise from New Zealand, up through the Fijian Islands and back down through Tonga and back to New Zealand. One thing I have learnt is to do the things that you want to do (and pay it off later). Life can be unexpectedly very short, so don't leave it until it is too late.

I barely even think about having had Breast Cancer any more. Apart from some hormonal problems due to menopause, I am extremely well and check out 100% every year.

I still try and respond to everyone who sends me a message. If I have missed any, please accept my apologies.

I have spoken to some fantastic, wonderful ladies through my site, and I feel absolutely blessed that I have been given this opportunity to share my experiences with you, and I truly hope that it has helped in some way.

I will write again next year. Please keep strong and do all those things that you want to do.

Sue

Jess and I on our cruise

Pete and Jess

Jess and My big daughter Katherine

Yum, cruise food

Pete and his son Nathan

Hello again. Yes, I am still alive and might I say kicking. I am feeling fit an fantastic and have had a wonderful year. I once again got the all clear and I realise that I am so blessed to be as well as I am and enjoying life so much with my beautiful husband and family.

We travelled around the world again, and also had a trip to Hamilton Island, off the coast of Australia again where my big son Brad was working.

The whole family are really well and are still spread all over the world.

With all of the uncertainty in the world with Bali, SARS, Iraq war and other terrorism, we must consider ourselves to be very lucky indeed.

My two beautiful girls are great. Katherine now 21, who has just started a new job which she is really enjoying,  and Jessie, now a big 8 and becoming quite the young lady. My lovely big Son Brad is 24, and is now working at a resort in Airlie Beach which is on the east coast of Australia.

I hope you are all well and happy as well, and for those of you going through cancer, or if you have someone you love going through it, then I wish you all the best and truly hope that you all have the success and happiness that I have found.

Until next year.
My Warmest Regards
Sue

Fairy Jessie at her 8th Birthday Party

Please click on all of the images for a larger view.

Jessie and I in Disneyland Paris

Jessie and Pete in Disneyland

My daughter Katherine with Jess at her 21st Birthday Party

My son Brad with Jess on Hamilton Island

       
My two step children, Nathan - 16 and Krystle - 18, both had school formals this year.

I cannot believe that I am 48. It won't be long until the big 50.

I have again got the all clear and am now 7 and a half years cancer free. I have about as much chance now of getting it as most of the general population, so that is pretty good. Pete has just bought me a bike so we go for a ride whenever we can to try and get fit and get some weight off.

Here is an update of how may family is going, as I am so well and nothing to report, you will have to put up with some other news this year;

Once again, we have just returned from a beautiful holiday on Hamilton Island to visit my now 23 year old son Brad. His life is going very well and he wants to travel the world, working in lots of different countries. I wish I had have done the same when I was young. He is a lovely soft hearted young man and I am sure that whatever he does, he will do well and most importantly have a lot of fun doing it. His boss told me while we were there that he is a great worker and he wishes that he had another couple just like him. The weather was not very kind to us this year, but we still had a great time and it was so great to see Brad. I love you Brad.

Katherine is now almost 21 and growing into a beautiful young lady. She has just joined the Volunteer Fire Brigade which is a very worthy cause as we have some horrific bush fires in Sydney as I am sure you all know about. She has also started her own tennis coaching business and is going very well with that. All of her students love her. She plays A grade tennis as well and has had the same boyfriend for about three years now, so she has quite a busy and enjoyable life. Katherine and I have become very good friends now. We have grown away from that "teenage versus Mum" stage and can even now have conversations without raising our voices. I love you Katherine.

Jessica is now 7 and is in her third year at school. She is still just as cute as ever and still a very good child. She adores Brad and Katherine and they love her too and spoil her so much. Jessie does dancing and swimming and tennis (coached by Katherine). She is also doing very well at school. She must have got her brains from Pete. I love you Jessie.

I am so proud of my kids. They are the very reason that I want to live. I want to set good examples for them and try to lead them in the right direction in life. I want them to enjoy life, be kind and helpful to others and to know how important that "Family" is. When every one else forgets you, you always know that your family is there for you, and we are in the very fortunate position to have a very large, very loving, very caring family who would do absolutely anything for any of us.

My step kids, Rhett (Darwin), Lara (London), Shanie (Darwin), Rachael (Darwin), Lucas (London), Tarran (Darwin), Jennes (Darwin), Krystle (Sydney) and Nathan (Sydney) have all grown into wonderful young people. They are all going to do very well in life and their strength again is the family bond that they have. I appreciate so much how they have taken my other kids into their family and accepted them as their own. My big kids get on so well with them and they all love Jessie so much as well. Some of the big kids are just starting a tourism venture on their million acre property in the Gulf of Carpentaria, Northern Territory, Australia called Lorella Springs. I wish them all the luck in the world. I know they will make it a success. Have a look at their web site here.

Now, to my Pete. Pete is still the most wonderful man and fantastic husband. He and I work hard together in our web design company and he loves to have a scuba dive whenever he can. He has been diving for most of his life and is very good at it. Pete is always there for me and still whenever I am not feeling well, assures me that I will be OK. And he is always right. I love Pete with all of my heart and cannot imagine my life without him in it. Thanks for everything Pete.

My Mum and Dad are my heroes. I just cannot say how much I adore them. They are both such good, honest, reliable people that would do anything for anyone, without even being asked. There are no people on the planet that I admire more than them. I often wonder why when they pick the "Mother Of The Year" and the "Father Of The Year" that they pick celebrities. If they picked just everyday normal people, then my Mum and Dad would win hands down. Thank you for everything you do for us Mum and Dad. You are the best. I love you soooooo much. 

Also, the rest of my family. My beautiful, gorgeous sister Jan who is not only my sister but my best friend. She is just great. A great Mum to her 5 children and just a great person. My big brothers, Pete and Jeff. Although I don't see or talk to them that much, I know that they are there and will always protect and look after our family members whenever need. They both have lovely families of their own that they can truly be proud of. I love you three so much. A person could not have better siblings if they tried.

Wow, haven't I prattled on. Probably bored everyone out of their mind, but, sometimes, you just need to say how great your family are and tell them that you love them, as we just don't do it enough. So, maybe this year, my message is mainly aimed at my family, but hopefully some of you enjoyed it too.

Please, if you are going through cancer or you know someone who is, just remember to have love in your heart and you will get through it. If I can be of any help to anyone at all, just drop me a line. Although, as the years have gone by, I find that my cancer is slipping from my memory, I may be able to be of some support.

As of today, there have been almost 16,000 people in my site, so, please pass it on to people who you think it may help. I would love for it to be able to help someone every day.

I will be adding some more photos here soon, but just wanted to get my report up so that you all new I was OK.

Until next year. Take care. Warm regards.

Sue

1st May, 2001 (My 47th birthday)

Hi everyone. Another year has flown past. I have had a really exciting year. We have just come back from a holiday on beautiful Hamilton Island which is in the Great Barrier Reef, off the coast of Queensland, Australia and we had the best time. My 22 year old son Brad is working there so it was a chance to see him and also to have a break.

My health has been great. I have had a virus lately, but everything else is great. Even my Rheumatoid Arthritis is now under control. 

My kids, Jessie (6), Katherine (19) and Brad (22) are all fantastic and gorgeous and my Pete is absolutely wonderful. Our website design company is going very well. We work from home and are very busy. It is funny. I had never dreamed I would become a web site designer, but it all started from this web site which I did about 5 years ago. This web site is in definite need of upgrading as it was our very first one. One day, if I get time, I will give it a facelift as we are much better at it now. (note: I have now upgraded the site - hope you like it). Our company is ULTRA WEB DESIGN if anyone would like to have a look.

Well, I have now had over 11,000 people through my site. I still cannot believe the wonderful response that I get. I get so many beautiful messages and I have become very close to so many people all over the world and I am following their progress. I know that it is very hard for some of you going through your treatment and you feel like your world is going to end. Well, I am living proof that you can get through it. I was thanking God for just how lucky I am while I was on my holiday. I was surely in one of the most beautiful places on planet earth and having the best time.

With the help of your friends and family, (plus you will find many other people out there to help if you go looking), you will get through it. I know it will be the hardest thing you have done in your life, but after it is all over, your life will be wonderful. Even better than before. You do not take anything for granted.

I will be back next year and many more after that so until then, please keep sending me messages or leaving messages in my guest book.

Please forgive me if I do not write back to you. I do try and answer every message that I get, but sometimes, I just run out of time. If I don't answer you, please write again and let me know that I have missed you. I love writing to you all, but at times, because of the huge quantity of letters I get, it does take me a while sometimes to get back to you.

My best wishes to you all. Have a great year.
Sue

Me and Jessie

Pete and Jessie

Left to right - Our daughter Jessie, my daughter Katherine, Pete's kids, Nathan and Krystle.

Brad and Jessie

1st May, 2000   (My 46th birthday)

The year 2000. Who would have ever thought that we would be seeing in a new century. And what a big year it has been for me.

My son Brad turned 21, my daughter Katherine turned 18, my bubby Jessica turned five and started at school, we moved house and yes, probably the most important news is that I have had the all clear again. Five and a half years cancer free. That is a real milestone to me. Of course I had my usual reactions. Actually, this time was probably even a bit worse. I have read so many times that if you get through 5 years that you are home free, but I had also read that a lot of people go back for their 5 year check up to find that it has returned. 

I have been extremely fortunate in having the same lady do my mammogram for the last five years and she knows me well now and is just so lovely and assures me that everything is going to be all right, even though I know she doesn't have a crystal ball, but somehow, I just believe her. She hasn't been wrong yet. This year I gave her a huge cuddle when she told me and started to cry.

I have moved house this year to a most beautiful place, Kurnell in NSW. For people overseas, that is the place where modern Australia was discovered by Captain Cook. We look out our front window across Botany Bay to the most beautiful city in the world, Sydney. Pete and I have become web site designers and have made our own web site all about Kurnell as we love it just so much. If you would like to have a look go to http://www.kurnell.com  

Hope you like it. It also has a heap of information about Sydney and Australia.

I feel extremely fortunate to have reached a couple of other milestones this year. Actually getting my son through his teenage years and turning 21 and my daughter to 18. They are the most wonderful children in the world and I love them just so much and I think at last they are finally understanding that Mum was not just nagging, but caring - advising. I hope you guys look back on this web site long after I am gone and remember just how much I love you.

What another beautiful Autumn day it is here in Sydney. There is not a cloud in the sky and I feel so lucky to be alive and living in this beautiful country.

I have now had over 7000 people through my site. I am so proud of that and I hope that it has been of some help to some people. I know it has helped me, as I come in here and read it myself sometimes and remember what I have been through and just how lucky I am. We all have stress in our life. There is no way of escaping it and I can tell you, I have certainly had my share, but I am still so thankful for my life.

Lots of people have told me that I should write a book or have a movie made about my experience, and maybe one day I will, but I am not really too sure how to go about it.

Anyway, I have rambled on enough. Please, keep leaving me messages. I really do look forward to hearing from people. 

Until next year, I hope everyone is well and happy, and for those of you going through Breast Cancer or if it is a family or friend, please, have hope and good luck. You can beat it!

My warmest regards to you all.

Sue

Our Little Poser on our beach

My Girls

How's that for a head of hair?
(and only 5 years old too!)

At her 5th birthday party at McDonalds

Pete and Jessie on our beach with city of Sydney in the background

Our beautiful Kurnell where we live

My big kids, Brad and Katherine

As I look out my window on this beautiful Autumn day here in Sydney, and realise that another year has passed so quickly, I realise just how lucky I am to be here. I was feeling a bit depressed about turning 45, but then I thought just how lucky I am that I actually made it to my birthday again.

I am extremely fortunate to have had another clear report this year and am now four and a half years cancer free. I have heard a lot of people talking about being in "Remission". I don't consider myself in remission. I consider myself "CURED" and this is what we all have to think. I know how easy that is to say, and I am one of the worst people for thinking that every little ache or pain is the cancer returned, but, I also give myself a good talking to every now and then and tell myself to get on with life. We are all going to die one day. Some younger than others, some faster than others, but each day that we wake up is a bonus, especially if we have had a life threatening disease.

Of course I had my yearly nervous attack when it came time for my mammogram, but, I don't think I was quite as bad as last year. Just waiting for those words to say you are clear are the worst moments that anyone can go through. You are trying to work out in your mind how you will react and cope if they come back with a bad result.

My beautiful bubby is still so lovely and is coming up to five years old now and off to school next year. I cannot believe how quickly the time has gone and I am so grateful that I have made it through these very important years of her life. I actually don't want to miss one bit of her growing up, so I intend to be here for a long time to come.

My big kids are 20 and 17 now and both adults and trying to find their way through some very hard years, and I am certain that they will both come through to be wonderful people. There seem to be so many things in our lives that cause stress and each day is a challenge to get through. I think that just to make it through daily is a battle with things happening every day to test our strength.

Thank you to all those people who have left messages in my guestbook. When I first put this story up to help others, I never dreamed that it would have such a huge response. Now, over 4000 people have been in here and I have had so much wonderful feedback from you all. Thanks again.

Well, I guess that is about it for another year. I look forward to hearing from you via the guestbook and I will definitely be back next year to post my yearly report.

Please everyone take care and make your life, however long it may be, happy and let those people close to you know just how much you love them. We never know what tomorrow brings, so don't let it be too late to tell them.

Regards and Best Wishes.

Sue

Pete and Jessie

My three bubbies.
Brad, Jessie and Katherine

Three Generations
Mum, Jessie and Me.

Here I am again. Yet another year gone by. I guess I am living proof that this terrible disease CAN be beaten. Yes, once again, I was extremely nervous at mammogram time. I had a bit of a scare this time. There was a spot on my right breast (not my cancer breast) that they found, which wasn't there at my last mammogram and they had to re-do my mammogram. They showed me the spot and I thought, oh no, here we go again. I couldn't believe it. Could I go through all of this again? They told me, that, as I had lost about 30lb (14kg) in the last 12 months, that it was probably only fatty tissue, so they squashed me very hard and in a different direction, and sure enough, it was all OK. Definitely got the old heart rate beating though. Poor Pete, sitting in the waiting room, had a feeling there was something wrong, as they were taking so long. Anyway, there was no need to panic, all was clear and it was just, as they said, a big lump of tissue, where the fat had been.

The last year, I have been very well. As I said, I have lost quite a bit of weight, thanks to Weight Watchers, and I am feeling terrific. Most days, better than I have felt for many years, as I am much thinner and fitter. My only problems have been the effects of the menopause. I have been having a great deal of hot flushes, don't get any periods any more, and sometimes a few headaches, but apart from that, I feel GREAT.

I still take lots of vitamins every day. I take Bio-Ace Excel which is an ACE capsule, a women's multi-vite and I also take an extra vitamin A tablet, and I have just started taking a capsule called Phytolife which is a soy based mixed with other things, to help ease the menopause symptoms. I must say, the hot flushes have definitely eased since I have been taking them, which is only about a month now. I still try to walk every day, although, through our very hot summer here, I must admit I didn't do it as often as I should, but it has cooled down now, and I must get back into it. I play tennis every week and run a house with a very large family in it, so I do keep rather busy.

Also, when I discovered I had cancer, I was just finishing off a travel course, so I could become a travel agent which was my dream. Well, now that my little girl is three and a half, I have just started doing work experience in my local travel agent to brush up on my knowledge, so that by the time she starts school, I may be able to pick up a part-time job in that field.

I have had such a response to my page, as at the time of writing this, there have been well over 2000 people in here to read this story, and Pete and I are so glad that we have been able to help, even if it is only in a small way. I check my guestbook about once a week and respond to everyone who leaves a message and I also keep in contact with a lot of people and have been going through their different stages of treatment with them. If we can help YOU in any way, please, leave a message and we will definitely get back to you. It may not be the same day, but I promise to respond to everyone.

No matter whether you have cancer yourself, or are reading this story for a friend or family, I wish you well and don't ever forget, not one of us knows what is around the corner. We could all be dead tomorrow so my advice is surround yourself with love and happiness and don't worry too much about the future, just live each and every day to the fullest. I know this is hard to say and at times I have to keep reminding myself to take my own advice, but it is true. Life is just so short, so take advantage of the glory and the beauty of each and every day and hold all of those people in your life and tell them just how much you love them.

Until next year. God bless.

Jessie just LOVES flowers!!!!

and the BEACH!!

Back Row: My Mum Joan, My Dad Stan, Pete's son Tarran, my son Brad
Middle: Pete's son Nathan
 Front Row: Pete's daughter Krystle, Pete, Jessie, Me and my daughter Katherine

Well, another year has passed and once again, when it was time for my, yearly mammogram in February, the same old feelings came back and I actually put it off until March because I was afraid that it would be back by now. I was just about shaking in my boots as I was having my mammogram and waiting for the results, but, once again, all of my worries ran out of the window, when I heard those beautiful words, "ALL CLEAR, YOU ARE EXTREMELY HEALTHY". Phew. I can't believe it. I wonder how long I am going to feel this nervous at mammogram time.

I have been very well over the last twelve months. I guess my only long lasting effects of my ordeal are that my breast is still quite tender, apparently after-effects of the radiotherapy which I have been told can last a few years yet, and the other thing is my irregular periods. On average I have only been getting two periods a year, but when I do get them they are really good ones, and I even have thoughts of womb cancer and things like that. Poor Pete. He has to put up with all of this. We were warned at the time I had my chemotherapy that I would probably begin an early menopause.

I am still taking, every day, doses of vitamins A, C and E and trying to have a healthy diet. I believe that the alternative treatments were as much part of my cure as the conventional treatments, and could be beneficial to anyone with cancer. If you would like further details, you can email us.

Good Luck.
Sue

From left to right ; My sister Jan and her two daughters, Alex (front) and Caitlin, my Mum Joan, and my two beautiful girls Jessie and Katherine.

Jessie's 2nd birthday