HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Cancer secret to success?! Finding your match!

Andrea Barnett Budin · 05-15-2013, 07:45 PM

Pat, your post makes my day. That you are feeling better, more energized, addressed your inflammation and taking charge of your body is why I take the time to share what I've discovered w/a lot of help from my nut onc and the extensive reading I am dedicated to, to enlarge my understanding.

And you're visualizing yourself far into the future is such a key ingredient (I read over and over and over) so you are empowering yourself and helping to determine your destiny. How fantastic is that?!!!!!

In OUtliving Cancer I read the details of what I have always Known deep down and seen with the story of Herceptin making it through the clinical trials and tribulations of fighting all the way for funding. When the drug company felt it would no longer be profitable to continue the research, Dr. Slamon forged on, tirelessly, early in the day and well into the night. And his fortuitous meeting with Lilly Tartikoff (in trying to save her dear husband life) brought to him a passion to donate and raise money annually to bring Herceptin into our world. The # of lives saved from all this, fighting bureaucracy (the age old villain of progress) and managing funding while juggling with two hands researching and implementing is altered the course of HER2 bc. I am a poster child for Herceptin which was fast-tracked September 28, 1998, 1 mnth after my 2nd dx, and serving to save my own life. The FDA heard the cries for help from given mnths to live w/ metastastic bc and begging for a chance w/Herceptin.

The book, Outliving Cancer, explains the politics of cancer research which is in my humble opinion the reason we haven't made more progress sooner. And Dr. Nagourney gets all this and is on top of all this, fighting all the way to get acceptance of what seems not at all controversial but soundly and amazingly reasonable.

While the powers that be fight among themselves, we still have access to the next big step forward in the war against cancer. They can write a book, and make a movie about this stage in advancement when they get around to it. In the meantime, we can become a part of this great story and save ourselves!

Andi

05-15-2013, 07:45 PM	#3
Andrea Barnett Budin Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: LAND OF YES! w/home in Boca Raton, Florida Orig from L.I., N.Y. Ever hovering IN THE NOW... Posts: 1,904	Re: Cancer secret to success?! Finding your match! Pat, your post makes my day. That you are feeling better, more energized, addressed your inflammation and taking charge of your body is why I take the time to share what I've discovered w/a lot of help from my nut onc and the extensive reading I am dedicated to, to enlarge my understanding. And you're visualizing yourself far into the future is such a key ingredient (I read over and over and over) so you are empowering yourself and helping to determine your destiny. How fantastic is that?!!!!! In OUtliving Cancer I read the details of what I have always Known deep down and seen with the story of Herceptin making it through the clinical trials and tribulations of fighting all the way for funding. When the drug company felt it would no longer be profitable to continue the research, Dr. Slamon forged on, tirelessly, early in the day and well into the night. And his fortuitous meeting with Lilly Tartikoff (in trying to save her dear husband life) brought to him a passion to donate and raise money annually to bring Herceptin into our world. The # of lives saved from all this, fighting bureaucracy (the age old villain of progress) and managing funding while juggling with two hands researching and implementing is altered the course of HER2 bc. I am a poster child for Herceptin which was fast-tracked September 28, 1998, 1 mnth after my 2nd dx, and serving to save my own life. The FDA heard the cries for help from given mnths to live w/ metastastic bc and begging for a chance w/Herceptin. The book, Outliving Cancer, explains the politics of cancer research which is in my humble opinion the reason we haven't made more progress sooner. And Dr. Nagourney gets all this and is on top of all this, fighting all the way to get acceptance of what seems not at all controversial but soundly and amazingly reasonable. While the powers that be fight among themselves, we still have access to the next big step forward in the war against cancer. They can write a book, and make a movie about this stage in advancement when they get around to it. In the meantime, we can become a part of this great story and save ourselves! Andi __________________ Andi BB '95 post-meno dx Invasive LOBULAR w/9cm tumor! YIKES + 2/21 nodes. Clear mammo 10 mnths earlier. Mastec/tram flap reconst/PORT/8 mnths chemo (4Adria/8CMF). Borderline ER/PR. Tamoxifen 2 yrs. Felt BLESSED. I could walk and talk, feed and bathe myself! I KNEW I would survive... '98 -- multiple mets to liver. HER2+ 80%. ER/PR- Raging, highly aggressive tumors spreading fast. New PORT. 9 mnths Taxotere Fought fire w/fire! Pronounced in cautious remission 5/99. Taxotere weekly for 6 wks, 2 wks off -- for 9 mnths. TALK ABOUT GRUELING! (I believe they've altered that protocol since those days -- sure hope so!!) + good old Vit H wkly for 1st 3 yrs, then triple dosage ev 3 wks for 7 yrs more... The "easy" chemo, right?! Not a walk in the park, but not a freight train coming at 'ya either... Added Herceptin Nov '98 (6 wks after FDA fast-tracked it for met bc). Stayed w/Vit H till July '08! Now I AM FREE! Humbly and eternally grateful for this life-saving drug! NED since '99 and planning on keeping it that way. To hell w/poor prognosis and nasty stats! STOPPED VIT H JULY '08...! REMAIN STABLE... Eternally grateful...Yes is a world & in this world of yes live (skillfully curled) all worlds ... (e e cummings) EVERY DAY I BEAT MY PREVIOUS RECORD FOR # OF CONSECUTIVE DAYS I'VE STAYED ALIVE. Smile KNOWING you too can be a miracle. Up to me and God now...