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Kim in CA · 08-12-2007, 09:50 AM

I tend to feel the same as Mary Jo. None of us on this earth know when our number is up. Just think of the poor folks on the bridge that collapsed with absolutely no warning. You just can't let this disease keep you from living.

Strange as it seems, I feel like my disease has been a blessing in disguise. Many of the things that I was saving to do "later on" when the kids were grown and we had our retirement funded, I am doing now.

I do admit to having feelings (big feelings) of doubt sometimes, but after having my little pitty party, I have to kick myself in the butt and remember that I'm just burnin daylight by engaging in such thoughts.

I'm over 10 years since diagnosis, and six years stage IV, and life is just too interesting to not keep pursuing it.

There is one thing however that I haven't had the nerve to do yet. My husband and I spent a week in North Carolina last August looking at horse properties and thinking of making a major lifestyle change. We actually almost made an offer on a place. Then we decided we had better not do anything to hasty.

Now that we've been back home and thought through the logistics of such a move, we've cooled off. I do still find myself dreaming of the little horsefarm in Carthage, but then I can't imagine leaving my doctor and the great care I receive here.

So for now, I just keep dreaming about it..... But who knows!

Kim

08-12-2007, 09:50 AM	#18
Kim in CA Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: California's Gold Country Posts: 404	I tend to feel the same as Mary Jo. None of us on this earth know when our number is up. Just think of the poor folks on the bridge that collapsed with absolutely no warning. You just can't let this disease keep you from living. Strange as it seems, I feel like my disease has been a blessing in disguise. Many of the things that I was saving to do "later on" when the kids were grown and we had our retirement funded, I am doing now. I do admit to having feelings (big feelings) of doubt sometimes, but after having my little pitty party, I have to kick myself in the butt and remember that I'm just burnin daylight by engaging in such thoughts. I'm over 10 years since diagnosis, and six years stage IV, and life is just too interesting to not keep pursuing it. There is one thing however that I haven't had the nerve to do yet. My husband and I spent a week in North Carolina last August looking at horse properties and thinking of making a major lifestyle change. We actually almost made an offer on a place. Then we decided we had better not do anything to hasty. Now that we've been back home and thought through the logistics of such a move, we've cooled off. I do still find myself dreaming of the little horsefarm in Carthage, but then I can't imagine leaving my doctor and the great care I receive here. So for now, I just keep dreaming about it..... But who knows! Kim __________________ Diag. Feb 1997 4.5cm IDC <10%ER+, PR-. 5 out of 36 nodes +. Mastectomy followed by 3 rounds Adriamycin/Cytoxin. 5/1997 Hi Dose Chemo w/ Stem cell rescue. Spent 4 weeks in isolation ward. Then 6 weeks radiation. 9/2001 widespread mets to liver. 8 mos Taxotere/Herceptin brought me almost to NED. Stop Taxotere & add Femara . 11/2002 liver resection to remove spot that turned out to be necrosis. Officially NED! 7/2003 Tumor markers rising add Xeloda Disastrous reaction, 8 days hospital, but tumor markers came back to normal! June -Dec 2004 UW Vaccine Trial. 7/2005 MRI single 11mm brain met 8/2005 Gamma Knife. Brain MRI @3 months NED! 2006-2011 brain/body still NED 8/04/11 Taking Herceptin break, will monitor with tumor markers. 6/20/12 Tumor markers begin to rise. CA15-3 is 31.3 and Her2 Serum is at 17.1 Decide to repeat in one month. 7/23/12 CA15-3 now 49.3 Her2 Serum 26.8 8/6/12 Back on Herceptin CA15-3 now 76 Her2 Serum now 49 11/7/12 Add weekly Taxotere for 4 cycles 2/2013 Stopped Taxotere added Perjeta. MRI shows approx. 50% reduction liver mets. CA15-3 still elevated @ 55. Will continue on just Herceptin & Perjeta. November 2014 Continuing on Herceptin, Perjeta, and Femara indefinitely. Guess I'm NED again, but watching those tumor markers carefully! Dec. 2015 PET scan reveals mass in perirectal area of abdomen.biopsy confirms. Still Her2+, but no longer ER+. Bye bye Femara Jan 2016 Begin Kadcyla March 2016 PET scan shows tumor now barely visible, still NED everywhere else. 2016/2017 continue Kadcyla November 2017 brain MRI reveals small focus of T2 hyperintensity with possible 4mm enhancing nodule. Short term follow up MRI suggested. Stay tuned...