Brenda, what made me cry in M.M.'s documentary are the REAL stories told by REAL people. Some of the tears were happy, and yes, some were sad, but the operative word is that it is a documentary and not filled with "half-truths and posed re-enactments"(IMO).
Our health care system functions well for MOST people fortunate enough to have health insurance, but even for some who have coverage (and I'm not speaking of Medicare; I'm on Medicare and have pretty good coverage and guess what, it's a government-run program)
our system is broken, and for way too many who have no insurance, it's just a very sad situation.
<3 Lolly
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Sept.'99 - Dx.Stage IIIB, IDC ER/PR-, HER2+++ by IHC, confirmed '04 by FISH. Left MRM, AC x's 4, Taxol x's 4, 33 Rads, finishing Tx May 2000. Jan.'01 - local/regional recurrence, Stage IV. Herceptin/Navelbine weekly till NED August 2001, then maintenance Herceptin. Right Mast. April 2002. Local/Regional recurrence April '04, Herceptin plus/minus chemo until May '07. Gemzar added from Feb.'07-April '07; Tykerb/Abraxane until August '07, back on Herceptin plus Taxotere and Xeloda Sept. '07. Stopped T/X Nov. '07, stopped Herceptin Dec. '07, started Avastin/Taxol/Carboplatin Dec. '07. Progression in chest skin, stopped TAC March '03, started radiation.
Herceptin has served as the "Backbone" of my treatment strategy for over 6 years, giving me great quality of life. In 2005, I was privileged to participate in the University of Washington/Seattle HER2 Vaccine Trial.
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