It took me from March 1999 until November 1999 to get a good diagnosis. During this time, in addition to going to various hospitals, I learned all I could about cancer that then gave me the knowledge and strength to be my own case manager. After 10 years with 4 operations I am cancer free. Someone told me that they had never seen a cancer paient with an expiration date stamped on the bottom of their feet. They were just trying to lift my spirits at the time and it worked.