[TiffanyS]

I will stay on chemo for as long as I have to. I just hope that I don’t get drop foot (never heard of this before), as I still work full time, and I need to work in order to pay the bills. I worked part time during my first round of chemo and radiation, and when I came back full time after treatment, my short term disability hadn’t run out. When I had my cancer recurrence and wanted to go onto long term disability on a part time basis, I didn’t qualify because I had come back to work before my short term expired. I don’t qualify for short term again though, as it’s considered the same condition. So, that means I have to work for a living or go on government assistance, which I don’t want to do, unless my work extends my short term disability. I actually like working full time, and, right now, I’m making it work, however, if I ever get to the point where I can’t walk anymore, I won’t be able to get to work, which will be a big problem for me. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that!

I have been taking magnesium supplements for years for muscle cramps. They help a little bit, but, with each treatment I get, the less they work. I had a four week chemo break over Christmas, and, if I have to continue getting chemo after the end of March, I’ll get another break at the end of April, as I’m going to Europe. I was originally told I’d be done with chemo by the end of January, so I went ahead and booked two trips to Europe for this year (with my doctor’s approval). As I had to cancel my last trip to Europe because of my cancer recurrence, I told my doctor I would not be cancelling this one unless it’s life or death. She told me that I don’t need to cancel, and that I’ll just get another four week Taxol break while I’m gone.

Did your doctor ever lower your dosage of Taxol during the two and a half years you were on it, or did he/she ever give you a break? When my neuropathy got really bad, my doctor reduced my dosage to 75%, which helped, and I’m wondering if she’ll reduce it more if I have to continue with Taxol after March. Also, why did your doctor wait two and a half years before taking you off Taxol? Is that how long it took for you to become NED? My last scans were in December, and they showed improvement to my lungs and chest, but, the cancer is still there. I’m wondering if my doctor is going to wait for me to be NED before she decides to take me off the Taxol. I have to admit, as much as I want to be done with chemo, I am a little scared to go off of it. I’m worried that the Perjeta/Herceptin won’t work without it. I’m glad that it’s been working for you for the last two years.


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12/15 – First mammogram
01/16 – Second mammogram and ultrasound.
01/16 – Meet surgeon and go for third mammogram, second ultrasound and biopsy. Surgeon confirms cancer in left breast and lymph nodes and sets surgery date.
01/16 – Chest scan and bone scan done– all looks good.
02/16 – Surgery - left breast mastectomy and 16 lymph nodes removed (8 had cancer).
02/16 – CT scan done – small nodules on lung but Doctor advises it’s post surgical. They will continue to monitor just in case.
03/16 – Meet radiation oncologist and find out results of Pathology Report. I’m told that I have locally advanced breast cancer, based on the size of my tumour (7 cm!) and the fact that they found cancer cells in eight lymph nodes. I’m also told that I’m HER 2 positive, with high levels of estrogen and progesterone and that my cancer is stage 3, grade 2.
03/16 – Meet oncologist and am told that my cancer is actually grade 3, and that I should have done chemo before surgery. Too late now!
03/16 – Start first of six doses of chemo (Carboplatin and Docetaxal) and Herceptin (for 18 months).
04/16 – Have port put in.
04/16 – Get second dose of chemo, but Docetaxal is left out due to liver enzymes being high. I was unable to get a full dose of Docetaxal after my first treatment.
06/16 – Finished chemo! One month off and then I start radiation.
06/16 – Start Tamoxifen.
07/16 – First radiation treatment – 24 more to go!
08/16 – Went for Genetic Testing to see if I have the BRCA gene. Tested negative for BRCA I and II
08/16 – Radiation oncologist biopsies “scar tissue” on my chest wall. I am told that I have a local recurrence and need to have rush surgery.
09/16 – Meet surgeon who advises that I need to meet with a plastic surgeon, as they will need to do a skin graft to close me up after surgery. Meet plastic surgeon and all looks good. A surgery date is set for October 4.
09/16 – Go for rush ultrasound, bone scan, breast MRI and CT scan.
09/16 – Meet oncologist who advises that the ultrasound and bone scan results look good, and that MRI shows three small masses at surgery site, but lymph nodes are clear. Still awaiting the results of the CT scan, but we are positive it will look good.
09/16 – Get a call from my oncologist, who advises that CT scan shows small spots on my lungs, and a large lymph node in the middle of my chest. This means the cancer has spread! She looks into getting me funded for TDM-1 and cancels my surgery.
10/16 – Meet oncologist, who advises that I have to take Perjeta before I can take TDM1. I start Perjeta/Herceptin every three weeks for an indefinite amount of time, and Taxol, which I will take two weeks in a row with one week off and then two weeks in a row for 8-16 treatments. Stop Tamoxifen.
10/16 – Meet surgeon, who reviews my CT scan and advises that the spots on my lungs may not be cancer, and that he doesn’t see a lymph node in my chest. He thinks it’s a spot on my lung. I’m feeling very confused! He advises that my oncologist doesn’t want me to have surgery to remove the three small masses on my scar line, as she wants to use them as a way to determine if the treatment is working. He advises that if they have not shrunk in 6 months, he will revisit surgery.
10/16 – CEA blood test to determine Tumour markers. Results were normal (2.7). My doctor advises that this could mean two things: (1) that the treatment is working, and the tumours are shrinking, or (2), that I'm one of those people who never get elevated CEA levels. Given that some people never get an elevated CEA level, this test doesn’t seem very accurate to me! Asked for PET scan, but am told I don’t qualify.
10/16 – Brain MRI – NED!
11/16 - CA-15-30 blood test – Tumour markers are normal at 19.
11/16 – Second CEA blood test – Tumours markers are still normal at 1.6
11/16 – Second CA-15-30 bloot test – Tumour markers are still normal at 19
11/16 – Develop lymphedema and have to wear a sleeve
12/16 – CT Scan shows that the tumors on my lungs and the lymph node in the middle of my chest are shrinking, and that some have resolved. Also, the small masses along my scar line are no longer visible. This means the medication is working!
12/16 – Small “pimple” shows up where old tumour on chest wall was located. Doctor is going to monitor it for now.
03/17 – CT Chest scan scheduled to see if there’s improvement to chest and lungs. If results the are good, I get to stop taking Taxol!
05/17 – Second brain MRI scheduled