HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - 2 year gamma-versary today

StephN · 02-08-2010, 01:15 PM

Dear Flori -
Fabulous news from fabulous Flori! Five years is right around the corner ...

Glad you posted both that it has now been 2 years since your Gamma Knife, and that you are still in awe at how EASY this is as a treatment to go through.

Keep talking about this as a comfortable and quick as well as effective treatment. When I have been approached or reached out to women newly diagnosed with brain mets, it is difficult to penetrate the initial fear and shock for a person who just got that news.

You and I did have good information from others who had been through this treatment ahead of us. We know that once the idea gets through the emotions that we can and WILL survive this, the Decadron becomes the worst of the whole experience!

02-08-2010, 01:15 PM	#8
StephN Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Misty woods of WA State Posts: 4,128	Re: 2 year gamma-versary today Dear Flori - Fabulous news from fabulous Flori! Five years is right around the corner ... Glad you posted both that it has now been 2 years since your Gamma Knife, and that you are still in awe at how EASY this is as a treatment to go through. Keep talking about this as a comfortable and quick as well as effective treatment. When I have been approached or reached out to women newly diagnosed with brain mets, it is difficult to penetrate the initial fear and shock for a person who just got that news. You and I did have good information from others who had been through this treatment ahead of us. We know that once the idea gets through the emotions that we can and WILL survive this, the Decadron becomes the worst of the whole experience! __________________ "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.