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Tonya, I know it was hard to tell the kids, but it's the most important part of living with cancer, that those we love are allowed to know the facts so they can come to their own understanding of their part in the journey. I made the mistake of trying to "gloss over" the facts of my first recurrence to my kids, and when they found out, I caught you-know-what; so even though it's hard and we fumble for the right words, the most important part is that we're giving them the power to form their own perceptions of our struggle, and that's well worth the temporary pain of our fear of hurting them. You did the right thing, and they will always love you no matter what.
<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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