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rentrac · 08-15-2007, 05:43 PM

Dear Julie,
I sure do remember the first time I learned I had a recurrence. My heart goes to you. Don't hesitate to get a second opinion. I know that one of my second opinions ended up saving me from brain surgery! I found that just hearing from a different group of experts helps me understand and feel more comfortable that I've made an informed decision. Meanwhile, I've tried to keep the family laughing about the cancer stuff as much as possible. My 11 year old has been living with this since 2nd grade, so she had a blast last year when I lost my hair, again, and she got to draw all over my head!
Warm hugs,
Rentrac

08-15-2007, 05:43 PM	#14
rentrac Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Eastern NC Posts: 65	Dear Julie, I sure do remember the first time I learned I had a recurrence. My heart goes to you. Don't hesitate to get a second opinion. I know that one of my second opinions ended up saving me from brain surgery! I found that just hearing from a different group of experts helps me understand and feel more comfortable that I've made an informed decision. Meanwhile, I've tried to keep the family laughing about the cancer stuff as much as possible. My 11 year old has been living with this since 2nd grade, so she had a blast last year when I lost my hair, again, and she got to draw all over my head! Warm hugs, Rentrac __________________ Oct. 2003: Dx age 48, Stage IIIA Ductal Ca. dense dose neoadjuvent AC. BrCa 1&2 -, ER+, PR-, Her2+. 2004: R mastectomy, 3+ nodes, dense doseTaxotere ( allergic), total hysterectomy, radiationx36 . Tamoxifen x6 mo., Arimidex x9 mo. Jan. '06: Multi left metastatic nodes left neck. Stage IV. Taxol, Carboplatin (allergic to both), Herceptin, radiationx27. Herceptin cont'd. 1 mediastinal met in old rad field. April: 2 brain mets - Rcerebellar, Ltemporal lobe. Gammaknife. Stop Herceptin, Start Tykerb. May: CyberKnife-mediastinal node, Zometa restart. July: New RLung mets. Xeloda add. Jan. 2008: CT: Lung mets shrinking. Fatty liver w/increased liver function panel. Feb '08: MRI: brain mets back, 2nd GammaKnife. June: Migraine headaches from cerebellar tumor. Team for WBR - Choose Craniotomy on Cerebellum only. Aug: Crainiotomy successful. Sept: PET -right lung apex clean; left internal mammary artery appears malignant. Herceptin in future. Left mastectomy?