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Andrea Barnett Budin · 01-17-2016, 06:08 PM

Seems I had a lot to say in 2013...

Sharing... We all need to share out thoughts. We carry messages for one another.

We need to share our experiences and ideas for the betterment of all.

You may think you have a silly little story no one would be interested in, but I bet you if you post it many will find it edifying.

This is such a complicated disease with so many twists and turns. Even someone who's been around for 20 yrs hasn't seen or heard it all.

Michka shared something with me recently that I had never heard of and I believe is has important information for each of us. Just in case -- good to know.

When something occurs it is usually all of a sudden, catches us off good, makes us sick and fogs our brain. We often don't have time to post and ask for advice. We need to make snap decisions. And they can have lifelong
lingering results we don't want to have to deal with as an ongoing ordeal.

So, now that I know what happened to Michka, I can be alert, if I find myself in a similar predicament. We ask questions, we know to do that, but we don't always get satisfactory answers and we only learn that after the fact, when it's too late to rectify.

So -- please share your little stories. Every one of them is important. Honest to goodness.

No one will laugh. And not one of us will think, how foolish to post such a thing. We might say, Oh, I knew that. It happened to a friend. Or me. More than likely, we'll say -- wow, I never would have even thought of that.

Forearmed is forewarned. Knowledge is power.

Sending love,
Andi

01-17-2016, 06:08 PM	#54
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: The power of your thoughts Seems I had a lot to say in 2013... Sharing... We all need to share out thoughts. We carry messages for one another. We need to share our experiences and ideas for the betterment of all. You may think you have a silly little story no one would be interested in, but I bet you if you post it many will find it edifying. This is such a complicated disease with so many twists and turns. Even someone who's been around for 20 yrs hasn't seen or heard it all. Michka shared something with me recently that I had never heard of and I believe is has important information for each of us. Just in case -- good to know. When something occurs it is usually all of a sudden, catches us off good, makes us sick and fogs our brain. We often don't have time to post and ask for advice. We need to make snap decisions. And they can have lifelong lingering results we don't want to have to deal with as an ongoing ordeal. So, now that I know what happened to Michka, I can be alert, if I find myself in a similar predicament. We ask questions, we know to do that, but we don't always get satisfactory answers and we only learn that after the fact, when it's too late to rectify. So -- please share your little stories. Every one of them is important. Honest to goodness. No one will laugh. And not one of us will think, how foolish to post such a thing. We might say, Oh, I knew that. It happened to a friend. Or me. More than likely, we'll say -- wow, I never would have even thought of that. Forearmed is forewarned. Knowledge is power. Sending love, 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...