HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post

StephN · 03-16-2007, 10:41 AM

- that is the way I have found to deal with brain mets. Those devilish spots can keep needling us knowing they are there, but we just have to try to keep our lives going and then see what the next scan says. You have been good at that so far.

My brain MRI last week was NEGATIVE for any new spots, and the old ones - one is stable (very small and was Gamma Knifed 2 years agao) and the other place where the surgeon removed the necrosis is shrinking nicely. I am SO thankful for that news as I have my hands FULL with my parents right now.

Also glad that you mentioned that the whole surgery was not as bad as you imagined. Barbara H, Jojo and I all felt the same way. Hope this news will encourage others facing brain surgery for mets to charge ahead with confidence after having found a really good specialist.

03-16-2007, 10:41 AM	#13
StephN Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Misty woods of WA State Posts: 4,128	Keep looking forward - - that is the way I have found to deal with brain mets. Those devilish spots can keep needling us knowing they are there, but we just have to try to keep our lives going and then see what the next scan says. You have been good at that so far. My brain MRI last week was NEGATIVE for any new spots, and the old ones - one is stable (very small and was Gamma Knifed 2 years agao) and the other place where the surgeon removed the necrosis is shrinking nicely. I am SO thankful for that news as I have my hands FULL with my parents right now. Also glad that you mentioned that the whole surgery was not as bad as you imagined. Barbara H, Jojo and I all felt the same way. Hope this news will encourage others facing brain surgery for mets to charge ahead with confidence after having found a really good specialist. __________________ "When I hear music, I fear no danger. I am invulnerable. I see no foe. I am related to the earliest times, and to the latest." H.D. Thoreau Live in the moment. MY STORY SO FAR ~~~~ Found suspicious lump 9/2000 Lumpectomy, then node dissection and port placement Stage IIB, 8 pos nodes of 18, Grade 3, ER & PR - Adriamycin 12 weekly, taxotere 4 rounds 36 rads - very little burning 3 mos after rads liver full of tumors, Stage IV Jan 2002, one spot on sternum Weekly Taxol, Navelbine, Herceptin for 27 rounds to NED! 2003 & 2004 no active disease - 3 weekly Herceptin + Zometa Jan 2005 two mets to brain - Gamma Knife on Jan 18 All clear until treated cerebellum spot showing activity on Jan 2006 brain MRI & brain PET Brain surgery on Feb 9, 2006 - no cancer, 100% radiation necrosis - tumor was still dying Continue as NED while on Herceptin & quarterly Zometa Fall-2006 - off Zometa - watching one small brain spot (scar?) 2007 - spot/scar in brain stable - finished anticoagulation therapy for clot along my port-a-catheter - 3 angioplasties to unblock vena cava 2008 - Brain and body still NED! Port removed and scans in Dec. Dec 2008 - stop Herceptin - Vaccine Trial at U of W begun in Oct. of 2011 STILL NED everywhere in Feb 2014 - on wing & prayer 7/14 - Started twice yearly Zometa for my bones Jan. 2015 checkup still shows NED 2015 Neuropathy in feet - otherwise all OK - still NED. Same news for 2016 and all of 2017. Nov of 2017 - had small skin cancer removed from my face. Will have Zometa end of Jan. 2018.