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Re: Brain Mets - new or old?
Well...
It's not good news or bad news...it's unclear news.
There is definitely increased swelling in the area around where the larger lesion was zapped. It's very unclear as to whether this shows swelling associated with necrosis and healing...or swelling due to disease progression.
My neurosurgeon is out of town so two others looked at my scans and definitely want to schedule surgery for next week. I, on the other hand, don't know these fine doctors from Adam, and am thus unimpressed by their advice.
My surgeon, whom I love, will return next week, and I will consult with him on Tuesday. He told me when this whole mess started last summer, that the location of that lesion was too close to my brain stem for his comfort. He didn't want to "cut" there if at all possible. I 'm thinking until I hear from his lips that it's time to change that...it's still Gospel.
So, in the mean time...I'm supposed to increase my steroid intake, and bide my time. And since the symptoms have been helped by steroids so far, I feel like the swellling may well be of the healing variety. You know I'll be spending a LOT of time praying...so please feel free to join me.
And I can't tell you how touched I am by all your support. How could God ever fail to hear the prayers you've been sending from all over the globe. You are a blessing, all of you!
I'll keep you posted...since the steroids won't let me sleep anyway...I'll be awake and around! 
Denise
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1/11-needle biopsy
2/11-Lumpectomy/axillary node dissection - Stage 3c, ER/PR-14/17 nodes
3/11 - Post-op staph infection,cellulitis, lymphedema,seroma,ARRRGH!
4/12/11-A/C x 4, then T/H x 4, H only,Q3 weeks
8/26/11 finished Taxol!!!
10/7/11 mastectomy/DIEP recon
11/11 radiation x28
1/12/12 1st CANCER-VERSARY!
1/12 Low EF/Herceptin "Holiday" :(
2/12 EF up - Back on Herceptin, heart meds
4/2/1212 surgery to repair separated incision from DIEP recon
6/8/12 Return to work :)
6/17/12 Fall, shatter wrist,surgery to repair/insert plate :(
7/10/12 last Herceptin
7/23/12 Brain Mets %$&#! 3cm and 1cm
8/10/12 Gamma knife surgery, LOTS of steroids;start H/Tykerb
8/23/12 Back to work
12/20/12 Injure back-3 weeks in wheel chair
1/12/13 2nd CANCER-VERSARY!
1/14/13 herniate disk in back - surgery to repair
1/27/13 Radiation necrosis - edema in brain - back on steroids - but not back to work - off balance, poor cordination in right arm
5/3/13 Start Avastin to shrink necrosis
5/10/13 begin weaning steroids
6/18/13 Brain MRI - Avastin seems to be working!
6/20/13 quarterly CT - chest, abdomen, pelvis - All Clear!
7/5/13 finally off steroids!!
7/7/13 joined the ranks of the CHEMO NINJAS I am now Tekuto Ki Ariku cancer assassin!
7/13/13 Symptoms return - back on steroids
7/26/13 Back on Avastin - try again!
8/26/13 Not ready to return to classroom yet :( But I CAN walk without holding onto things! :)
9/9/13 Brain MRI - fingers crossed
“ Life is a grindstone, and whether it grinds you down or polishes you up is for you, and you alone, to decide. ” – Cavett Robert
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