r/cancer • u/Iced_Jade • Jun 05 '25
Patient I rang the bell
I rang the bell today!! Final cancer treatment finished. From Stage 4 to NED in 2 years is shocking. We're incredibly happy, but it's all so surreal still. You guys got this.
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u/COFFEECOMS Jun 05 '25
This is encouraging. Did you do anything other than conventional chemo/immunotherapy?
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u/Iced_Jade Jun 05 '25
No, we did 2 very aggressive chemotherapies and one immunotherapy. I continued on the immunotherapy after scans first showed NED, which is when we stopped the chemo. I was taking home a pump for 5 days when doing the chemo. It was awful.
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u/COFFEECOMS Jun 05 '25
Way to work it hard. Glad you have found the light through the dark. Enjoy it.
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u/FuzzyFeelings25 Jun 05 '25
What chemotherapies did you do? My dad is currently fighting SCC but it is in his armpit and lymph nodes, now in his parathyroid. His armpit tumor is 16cm x 14 cm.
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u/Iced_Jade Jun 06 '25
I had to look it up in my chart, but these were the medicines...
carboplatin, 5 FU, and pembrolizumab
I really don't know much about them, though. I put my full trust in the staff at our hospital. My doctor is the head of their cancer research department, so we listened to what he suggested.
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u/Freedom817 Jun 05 '25
That’s wonderful news!! So happy for you! I’m NED for 9 years now from breast cancer. The year of treatment was by far the most difficult year of my 63 years. Thank God for our health 😁🩷🙏🏻
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u/Successful-Pie-7686 Jun 05 '25
Congratulations! Can I ask what type of cancer?
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u/Iced_Jade Jun 05 '25
Squamous Cell Carcinoma in my throat and tongue. It then hopped to my femur, which is why I was Stage 4.
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u/Winter52323 Jun 05 '25
I have this cancer. But it was just in my tongue. Did it just hop to your femur or did it hit yoyr lymph nodes first? Only asking because my first PET showed mild uptake in my hip socket and femur but it didnt correlate to my CT scan. My lymph nodes were also clear.
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u/Iced_Jade Jun 05 '25
Nope. It went directly to my femur. I have an autoimmune disorder that presents very similarly on scans, so we thought it was that until the biopsy.
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u/iwillpetallthedogs Jun 07 '25
Update does not equal cancer on a PET, but an area of inflammation or activity - which could be cancer but could also be an injury, a blemish (pimple), arthritis, etc. Your doctor will rule out the most common causes first.
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u/Winter52323 Jun 07 '25
I have a MRI on Tuesday to look. Just to make sure it isn't cancer. That hip of mine gets sore whenever I work out so might be arthritis. But arthritis at 29 I never heard of.
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u/iwillpetallthedogs Jun 07 '25
Best of luck on the MRI.
Surprisingly, arthritis can happen at any age. I’m hoping that the MRI shows just something that you improve with strengthening exercises!
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u/ImColdandImTired Jun 05 '25
Such great news! Blessings and prayers for an uneventful return to full health and energy ❤️
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u/Bandanaramma Jun 05 '25
Congratulations!! Is there a set date for the port removal?
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u/Iced_Jade Jun 05 '25
Not yet. It'll likely be awhile before they're comfortable with that. I can't wait. I hate the freaking thing. Lol
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u/Bandanaramma Jun 05 '25
Well I am very happy for you. Your news really gives more motivation and hope. Stay blessed 🙏.
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u/Kimmus2008 NSCLC adenocarcinoma stage 3b NED as of 3-7-2025 Jun 05 '25
Congratulations!!!! Great news 👏 👍
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u/Additional_Winter616 Jun 07 '25
You fought like hell, and you made it. Ringing that bell isn’t just a sound — it’s a symbol of your strength, resilience, and everything you’ve overcome. Congratulations on this incredible victory. I hope this inspires those who are still fighting… keep fighting the good fight! 🎗️💜💚🩶🤎🧡❤️💛
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u/Esqwared Jun 05 '25
Awesome congratulations!!! 18 months NED stage 4 squamous cell of esophagus here as well. Glad to see you hit your milestone, keep goin!
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u/unique-unicorns Jun 05 '25
Awww!
My team gathered around me and sang a little song. It was cute! Congrats!!
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u/OkCall6104 Jun 06 '25
I've been praying for you and following your journey!! So happy for you!! 🙏🙏🙏😊
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u/FlounderSensitive217 Jun 07 '25
Must be something in my eye... congratulations. It always makes me happy to hear someone has rung that bell. I rang it too, a long time ago and I know how that feels. Do all your followup and be well! So happy for you.
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u/Big_Man_Trotsky Jun 08 '25
Good shit bro I hope you continue to live in good health after winning the battle against cancer
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u/reddituser-10000000 Jun 06 '25
Congrats! My dad has the same cancer type in his nose, it came back after a year hopefully it’s not spread anywhere else, we are doing a PET scan tomorrow. This just gave me more hope about my dad’s situation. Can I ask how strong were you mentally, or what you did to stay strong? My dad is already thinking negative things after hearing this news. What did your friends and family do to make you feel better? Once again, congrats and thanks for sharing this!
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u/Iced_Jade Jun 06 '25
I'm honestly not the best person to ask for how I stayed mentally or emotionally strong. I am VERY bad about just not dealing with things. I used to be in a caregiver role, and any type of emotions could set off the person I cared for, so I got really good at putting everything on the back burner and then leaving it there. I did have a lot of support from friends and some from family. I kept myself as busy as possible. I worked on crafts and caught up on TV and movies and books when I didn't have the energy for other things or people. I'm in therapy now trying to deal with all the emotions and everything.
Mentally, I knew I was privileged to be seeing the head of research at one of the top 3 hospitals in a major US city. I put my full trust in the doctors and staff. I did research things and have a few friends who also knew about healthcare, and they helped explain things I didn't understand. At the time, we were under the impression that I would be on chemotherapy for the rest of my life, however long that was. Right about the time I came to terms with the fact that I was essentially dying, the scans came back clear.
My treatment was basically a three week cycle. I'd go in for labs, my appointment with the doc, and to get the first 2 medications and they'd set me up with my third, which I brought home with me for 4-5 days in a pump. I was fine for those days, but it was almost instantly after they disconnected the pump, and I got home that I would be very sick for a few days to a week. During that week, I didn't do anything strenuous. No cooking, no cleaning, etc. I survived. Then, the following week, I'd start feeling a bit better and would see other doctors I still had to see or would spend time with friends, do laundry, etc. Then, in the final week in my cycle, I would clean, finish any laundry I didn't get done previously, and cook/prep for the coming week when I'd be super sick again.
I don't know if any of this helps at all. I hope your dad will be ok. I think a positive (or at least neutral, but not negative) outlook is a huge chunk of the battle. Don't try to push him if he's not comfortable. You can help by making things easier. Help with cleaning or cooking. My treatment wrecked my mouth for a while, so soft foods were key. Chemo produces so much laundry because everything, including sheets and blankets and towels, needs to be washed more often. If there's a hobby that doesn't take a lot of energy, you could get him stuff for that. I did a lot of adult coloring and cross stitch. Sometimes, just being there is enough.
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u/buddhakamau Jun 08 '25
Congratulations on ringing the bell—what a powerful milestone. In this surreal aftermath, many find that Transcendental Meditation offers a gentle yet profound way to restore balance. By effortlessly settling into stillness beyond thought, the mind experiences deep rest and renewal. This subtle inner silence brings clarity, emotional healing, and a sense of unity beyond the trauma. Practiced regularly, it not only supports long-term wellbeing but also refines consciousness, helping one carry forward the momentum toward peace, wholeness, and an auspicious rebirth rooted in calm awareness.
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u/saijanai Jun 09 '25
Honestly, and this is coming from one of the most notorious TM advocates/fanatics on the internet, that sounds like an AI wrote that as a form of advertising.
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u/237twenty6 Jun 05 '25
Amazing! God is so good
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u/Aware-Locksmith-7313 Jun 05 '25
Oh, yeah, that’s why so many folks get cancer only to not survive the treatment. Get real.
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u/Dramatic_Invite_5772 Jun 12 '25
I just completed 16 chemo treatments today! If I can do it, anyone can do do it! I am not saying it is easy but I am saying YOU CAN DO IT! Everybody reacts diffently to treatment but everything I feared never came to fruition. Put your trust in God! Never take your eyes off of Jesus! Miracles happen!
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u/Dramatic_Invite_5772 Jun 12 '25
Finished 16 rounds of chemo today! 12 Taxol and 4 red devil. If I can do this anyone can this. Not easy but not as bad as I feared. YOU GOT THIS! Give it to God. Stage 4 breast cancer. Now a cure candidate. Never give up and believe in miracles!
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u/Dense_Collar4112 Jun 05 '25
Congrats