Re: Re: Pat from (long - sorry!)

[Guest guest]

Pat -

Great post. I thoroughly enjoyed it over my morning coffee. Happy New

Year! by the way!

Herceptin wasn't even talked about in 2004 when I completed my chemo. By

2005, the drug was all over the news (10/05) so I spoke w/my oncologist about

it, even though I didn't even know about my HER/neu2 status. Sure enough, I

was HER2+2, which is borderline psotive without FISH confirmation. Remember,

I was a year past my pathology at that point. Had finished AC/Taxol and

radiation by 12/05.

My oncologist gave me the option of trying the Herceptin (52 weekly

infusions) ONE year out of chemo, which wasn't even part of any formal trial

results

yet. He said, " You'd be the first here. " I chose to go through it, as I

told him, " for the good of all his BC patients. " One year out is unusual, as

it's usually given in line with A./C Taxol or Taxotere during or immediately

following. I have the ECHO's done every three months, and so far, my ejection

has been about 68. I would like a new " NOSE " from all the running it has

done, but otherwise, so far, uneventful for me. About 6 months after

AC/Taxol/Radiation, I had a very bad EEG/EKG, which was showing inverted " T "

waves

(possibility of a heart attack at 47!). After undergoing an angiogram, which

proved negative, although it was like giving birth backwards to me!!, I started

an exercise regiment, ate really well and although maintained my 113lb.

weight. It took me (6) months just to get to the bottom of that! My next

ECHO,

the ejection fraction went up to 60, which qualified me for the Herceptin

regiment. I truly believe my heart healed itself, but I never had any heart

issues before and as for genetics, I'm adopted so it's a toss-up.

I am at the end of my Herceptin regiment. I have (2) left and hope and pray

I made the right decision to participate in this new " trial, " so to speak.

Only time will tell. I recently had the " guts " to ask my oncologist for a

copy of my pathology report (yes girls, I know, from June 2004!) When one of

my nurses gave me the copy, she hesitated a minute, put her hand on mine and

said, " You know, these are just numbers. " I assured her that I know there are

two sides to any statistic, and I was finally ready to see the information

in black and white. I go into these " denial " type periods sometimes, and

although he explained everything to me in July of 2004, I'm sure the pain

medication after my mastectomy(s) helped deaden the words at the time. The

pathology report showed Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (Bloomberg scale of 7) 4.4

cm, I

also had extensive Ductal Carcinoma In Situ, solid type, w/high grade and

comedo necrosis. Comedo necrosis is the presence of dead cancer cells within

the

tumor, which you would think is something good. Unfortunately, it just means

they are dividing so quickly, that the blood supply can't keep up and they

die off. It was noted that because my angiolympatic space invasion was

extensive (I sound like a video game), it was of great concern to this

pathologist

that it suggested inflammatory carcinoma. (2) sentinel nodes were

positive, and of 24 taken, (4) axcillary were positive for metastic carcinoma.

Should I be here right now doing as well as I am? Not really and I think I

amaze

not only my oncologist, but my breast surgeon as well at every three month

visit. I'm actually glad that I didn't obtain a copy 2 1/2 years ago, as I

think it would have affected my recovery. It was unnerving reading it after

all

this time; I can't imagine while facing chemo.

I'm 2 1/2 years out, Pat, and what I'm trying to say is for me, I feel half

of this battle is mental, the other part physical. I've put a lot of time

working on maintained a great attitude, encouraging other BC survivors that this

is a battle you need to put your mind into winning along with your body.

Do I have days where the fear of the " other shoe dropping " overtakes my calm

exterior persona? Sure, but I quickly talk myself out of fear running my

life. I could sit in a dark corner some days, but I don't allow it. There's

too

much living for me to do. I hope to show this " cancer " who's in control

here!! I went back to full-time work after a (2) year hiatus, participated in

a

2-Day Walk for BC and people who meet me for the first time and hear my

story always marvel at the fact that " You'd never know you went through so

much

looking at you! " There is nothing better than hearing that, and it makes me

so proud.

Life for me is worth fighting for through positive living, and hopefully,

winning. I'm confident, for now, that I've done the right treatments for

myself. Ask me in (6) months and hopefully I'll have the same answer.

Here's to positive-living for us all in 2007!

Love,

[Guest guest]

Here, here, !!!!

Barb

Re: Re: Pat from (long - sorry!)

Pat -

Great post. I thoroughly enjoyed it over my morning coffee. Happy New

Year! by the way!

Herceptin wasn't even talked about in 2004 when I completed my chemo. By

2005, the drug was all over the news (10/05) so I spoke w/my oncologist about

it, even though I didn't even know about my HER/neu2 status. Sure enough, I

was HER2+2, which is borderline psotive without FISH confirmation. Remember,

I was a year past my pathology at that point. Had finished AC/Taxol and

radiation by 12/05.

My oncologist gave me the option of trying the Herceptin (52 weekly

infusions) ONE year out of chemo, which wasn't even part of any formal trial

results

yet. He said, " You'd be the first here. " I chose to go through it, as I

told him, " for the good of all his BC patients. " One year out is unusual, as

it's usually given in line with A./C Taxol or Taxotere during or immediately

following. I have the ECHO's done every three months, and so far, my ejection

has been about 68. I would like a new " NOSE " from all the running it has

done, but otherwise, so far, uneventful for me. About 6 months after

AC/Taxol/Radiation, I had a very bad EEG/EKG, which was showing inverted " T "

waves

(possibility of a heart attack at 47!). After undergoing an angiogram, which

proved negative, although it was like giving birth backwards to me!!, I

started

an exercise regiment, ate really well and although maintained my 113lb.

weight. It took me (6) months just to get to the bottom of that! My next ECHO,

the ejection fraction went up to 60, which qualified me for the Herceptin

regiment. I truly believe my heart healed itself, but I never had any heart

issues before and as for genetics, I'm adopted so it's a toss-up.

I am at the end of my Herceptin regiment. I have (2) left and hope and pray

I made the right decision to participate in this new " trial, " so to speak.

Only time will tell. I recently had the " guts " to ask my oncologist for a

copy of my pathology report (yes girls, I know, from June 2004!) When one of

my nurses gave me the copy, she hesitated a minute, put her hand on mine and

said, " You know, these are just numbers. " I assured her that I know there are

two sides to any statistic, and I was finally ready to see the information

in black and white. I go into these " denial " type periods sometimes, and

although he explained everything to me in July of 2004, I'm sure the pain

medication after my mastectomy(s) helped deaden the words at the time. The

pathology report showed Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (Bloomberg scale of 7) 4.4

cm, I

also had extensive Ductal Carcinoma In Situ, solid type, w/high grade and

comedo necrosis. Comedo necrosis is the presence of dead cancer cells within

the

tumor, which you would think is something good. Unfortunately, it just means

they are dividing so quickly, that the blood supply can't keep up and they

die off. It was noted that because my angiolympatic space invasion was

extensive (I sound like a video game), it was of great concern to this

pathologist

that it suggested inflammatory carcinoma. (2) sentinel nodes were

positive, and of 24 taken, (4) axcillary were positive for metastic carcinoma.

Should I be here right now doing as well as I am? Not really and I think I

amaze

not only my oncologist, but my breast surgeon as well at every three month

visit. I'm actually glad that I didn't obtain a copy 2 1/2 years ago, as I

think it would have affected my recovery. It was unnerving reading it after

all

this time; I can't imagine while facing chemo.

I'm 2 1/2 years out, Pat, and what I'm trying to say is for me, I feel half

of this battle is mental, the other part physical. I've put a lot of time

working on maintained a great attitude, encouraging other BC survivors that

this

is a battle you need to put your mind into winning along with your body.

Do I have days where the fear of the " other shoe dropping " overtakes my calm

exterior persona? Sure, but I quickly talk myself out of fear running my

life. I could sit in a dark corner some days, but I don't allow it. There's

too

much living for me to do. I hope to show this " cancer " who's in control

here!! I went back to full-time work after a (2) year hiatus, participated in

a

2-Day Walk for BC and people who meet me for the first time and hear my

story always marvel at the fact that " You'd never know you went through so

much

looking at you! " There is nothing better than hearing that, and it makes me

so proud.

Life for me is worth fighting for through positive living, and hopefully,

winning. I'm confident, for now, that I've done the right treatments for

myself. Ask me in (6) months and hopefully I'll have the same answer.

Here's to positive-living for us all in 2007!

Love,