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StephN · 05-08-2015, 09:25 PM

Irvinefriend, I know you work as hard as you can to bring forth a new treatment that shows so much promise. I appreciate your mighty effort and letting us know the pipeline is far from empty.

My reading of the posts is not that "the industry" is so horrible - there is a difference between phraseology and the diligent work of an entire industry.

I, too, had to swallow hard when I began treatment for stage IV mets and it was called "salvage." I thought I had a better chance than that! But that term used by my onc to someone on the phone brought me up short. I had to try hard to put the term out of my mind, and find ways to stay positive about my chances. I was pigeonholed in a place I did not want to be!

Terminology hits us differently depending on our perspective.

05-08-2015, 09:25 PM	#21
StephN Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Misty woods of WA State Posts: 4,128	Re: When work really hits home Irvinefriend, I know you work as hard as you can to bring forth a new treatment that shows so much promise. I appreciate your mighty effort and letting us know the pipeline is far from empty. My reading of the posts is not that "the industry" is so horrible - there is a difference between phraseology and the diligent work of an entire industry. I, too, had to swallow hard when I began treatment for stage IV mets and it was called "salvage." I thought I had a better chance than that! But that term used by my onc to someone on the phone brought me up short. I had to try hard to put the term out of my mind, and find ways to stay positive about my chances. I was pigeonholed in a place I did not want to be! Terminology hits us differently depending on our perspective. __________________ "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.