I was diagnosed with er/hr positive, Her2neg mbc de novo with mets to lungs and bones in June 2011. I was a full time government program director with a large staff. In my spare time I ran pretty fast marathons, redecorated our big old historic home and followed my daughters college athletic events. When all that went away I struggled with who I was and spent two years waiting to die. The surgeon that did my biopsy gave me that time line along with diagnosis. I thankfully found an aggressive oncologist who enrolled me in a clinical trial and I continued to outlive that diagnosis and hope grew. Now, 10 years from diagnosis I play with 5 grandchildren, redecorate our tiny down sizer home, entertain at nursing homes with a Kitchen Band, volunteer with special needs adults, write children's books, act as an ocassional consultant in my former career field, travel having visited 47 of our 50 US states so far, one of my recent favorites New York and Niagara Falls. I enjoy camping in the vintage camper I restored. I feel the need to give back when I wonder, why me, about long term survival. I enroll in clinical trials, enroll in every research study I see or am contacted about, and try to encourage and instill hope in others with similar diagnosis.