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07-27-2009, 12:23 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 38
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Chemo delayed....Chemo done!!
Hi everyone,
Last week was quite the week. I went into the hospital on Tuesday to get my last TC treatment and ended up with only premeds and in the ER! How did that happen? Therein lies the tale... That morning I was tired, had some heart palpitations, and was a little heavy on my chest. I wasn't really too worried about it, I had had a tiring weekend. Anyway, I mentioned the heaviness to the nurse who was prepping me and she had to call the doctor. Had I known that, I would maybe have kept my mouth shut. I guess you learn when to talk and when to stay quite. So they had to wait to hear back from the doc before proceeding. Finally, after an EKG and a talk with the doctor they proceeded with my premeds. I was just going to get some rest when I started feeling strange, maybe a little chilled and then my heart started racing. It was up at 120 beats a min. for a bit and then slowed down. They decided to ship me down to ER to get checked out. They did some more tests, my heart did one more racing stunt and then they sent me home with a heart moniter. The tests all checked out with little worry so my onc. decided to go ahead with the chemo on Friday.
About the same time into the premeds I had a similar reaction again. My heart sped up and this time I shook uncontrollably for about 5 min. We think now that this was a reaction to the Decadron. Either that or the Zofran. Anyway, they allowed me to proceed with the chemo then and everything was fine. And now I am happy to be done! I'm still in the hole, nauseated and such, but hopefully will soon be feeling good again. 
I am thankful to God for His protecting care and getting me through this scary week.
Trusting in Him,
Darlene
__________________
2-17-09 biopsy
2-20-09 BC diagnosis @ age 28- 1.1cm by ultrasound, grade II, Her2+++, ER+5%, PR-
3-18-09 lumpectomy, sentinel node biopsy
Actual tumor 4-5 cm, positive margins. Nodes negative.
4-7-09 Re-excision, more positive margins
4-21-09 Right Mastectomy
5-18-09 TCH every 3 weeks
7-24-09 Chemo finished, continue Herceptin
12-8-09 PET Scan - NED!!
Jan.2010 8 months Herceptin done
No rads
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07-27-2009, 12:43 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Marengo, IL
Posts: 518
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Hi Darlene,
Wanted to send congrats your way for finishing chemo! Yippee. We all remember that glorious day and rejoice with you.
Sorry you had a time with a rapid heart beat, but it sounds like they have it all figured out.
Where are you in PA? I grew up around Pittsburgh. Have been gone 30 years now but all my family is still there. I miss the hills here in IL.
Hugs to you,
Donna
__________________
Donna
Crystal Lake, IL
Diagnosed 8/4/06 at age 54
Lumpectomy 8/30/06
Stage llA, grade 3, ER/PR-, Her2++
1.7 cm tumor, 1+ lymph node out of 9
Completed 4 A/C, & 4 Taxol with Herceptin
36 rads completed 5/16/07
Mammograms, 7/07 clear
fractured ribs in radiated area 10/07
Finished Herceptin 12/27/07
Mammogram,CT,tumor markers 1/08 - small lung nodules in radiated area, repeated tests 3/08 stable
Mammogram,CT ,tumor markers 6/08 stable
NED 2 years!!
3 years !!!
4years!!!!
4 years, 10 months and 8 day NED, calling it 5 years!!!
Official 5 years 8/30/2011
8/31/ 2012 - 6 years!!!!!!
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07-27-2009, 01:35 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 126
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Whooo for being done Sorry about the scare and the delay((bighugs))
__________________
Diag. 12/24/08-
IDC 1.3 er-/pr- HER2+
Grade 3 0/2 lymph nodes
no angiolympathic invasion
Bi-Lat. Mast. 1/8/09
Exchange scheduled for 6/17/09
Lost implants due to unknown reason :(
Hip Flap 1/26/2010 in NOLA :) LOVE EM'
TCH x6 (6 done and I am hoping to never do it again )
Well so much for never...
Local recurrence May 25,2014 is left over breast tissue.
April 2 , 2014 lumpectomy
April 28, 2014- June 9, 2014 start AC x 4
Taxol x12
Perjeta x 6
Herceptin x 18
And 33 rads just for fun. NOT!!!
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07-27-2009, 02:02 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 508
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Hi Darlene. I'm also sending my best wishes and congratulations on finishing chemo after a scary week.
I'm also from Pennsylvania, north of Williamsport and am curious about where you are. My sis is the HER2 patient, and she is from near State College.
Hope you begin to perk up quickly and feel A-ok soon.
Barb A.
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07-27-2009, 02:21 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,210
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Wow. You finished none too soon! So glad you were able to get through. Good for you. Sigh of relief.......
__________________
Bonnie
Post menopause
May 2007 Core biopsy, Rt breast
ER+, Pr-, HER2 +++, Grade 3
Ki-67: 90%
"suspicious area" left breast
Bilateral mastectomy, (NED on left) May 2007
Sentinel Node Neg
Stage 1, DCIS with microinvasion, 3 mm, mostly removed during the biopsy....
Femara (discontinued 7/07) Resumed 10/07
OncoType score 36 (July 07)
Began THC 7/26/07 (d/c taxol and carboplatin 10/07)
Began Herceptin alone 10/07
Finished Herceptin July /08
D/C Femara 4/10 (joint pain/trigger thumb!)
5/10 mistakenly dx with lung cancer. Middle rt lobe removed!
Aromasin started 5/10
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07-27-2009, 03:03 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 3,142
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Chemo delayed....Chemo done!!
Congratulations on being done with chemo---------- and pre meds !!
I am sorry to hear about your experience. What a way to end your treatment !!
All I can say is "dumb premeds".
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07-27-2009, 03:42 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Naples FL
Posts: 1,744
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Hi Darlene...wow that must have been SCARY!!!!!!! Good for you for getting through it!!! I had a terrible time with decadron too...made me sooooooo hyper.....if I had felt OK it would have been major housecleaning or something! Are those your kids??? You and your husband??? You ALL look like kids!!!
__________________
 Suzan W.
age 54 at diagnosis
5/05 suspicious mammogram-left breast
5/05 biopsy-invasive lobular carcinoma with LCIS,8mm tumor,stage 1 grade 2, ER+ PR+ Her2+++
6/14/05 bilateral mastectomy, node neg. all scans neg.
Oncotype DX-high risk
8/05-10/05 4 rounds A/C
10/05 -10/06 1 yr. herceptin
arimidex-5 years
2/14/08 started daily self administered injections..FORTEO for severe osteoporosis
7/28/09 BRCA 1 negative BRCA2 POSITIVE
8/17/09 prophylactic salpingo-oophorectomy
10/15/10 last FORTEOinjection
RECLAST infusion(ostoeporosis)
6/14/10 5 year cancerversary!
8/2010-18%increase in bone density!
no further treatments
Oncologist says, "Go do the Happy Dance"
I say,"What a long strange trip its been"
'One day at a time'
6-14-2015. 10 YEAR CANCERVERSARY!
7-16 to 9-16. Extensive (and expensive) dental work done to save teeth. Damage from osteoporosis and chemo and long term bisphosphonate use
6-14-16. 11 YEAR CANCERVERSARY!!
7-20-16 Prolia injection for severe osteoporosis
2 days later, massive hive outbreak. This led to an eventual dx of Chronic Ideopathic Urticaria, an auto-immune disease from HELL.
6-14-17 12 YEAR CANCERVERSARY!!
still suffering from CIU. 4 hospitilizations in the past year
as of today, 10-31-17 in remission from CIU and still, CANCER FREE!!!
6-14-18 13 YEAR CANCERVERSARY!! NED!!
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07-27-2009, 04:01 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Sheboygan, WI
Posts: 2,582
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Hi Darlene,
I, too, am thankful for God's protection of you and also that your chemo is over. May you be feeling better soon.
Also, trusting in Him.
Mary Jo
__________________
"Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10
Dx. 6/24/05 age 45 Right Breast IDC ER/PR. Neg., - Her2+++ RB Mast. - 7/28/05 - 4 cm. tumor Margins clear - 1 microscopic cell 1 sent. node No Vasucular Invasion 4 DD A/C - 4 DD Taxol & Herceptin 1 full year of Herceptin received every 3 weeks 28 rads prophylactic Mast. 3/2/06
17 Years NED
<>< Romans 8:28
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07-27-2009, 04:37 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 823
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Darlene what a scary thing to have happen. I'm glad that you are OK. YEAH for being done with Chemo. Hope you are feeling better soon.
__________________
Vicki
Texas
Biopsy Dx'd 3-23-05 Age 48
MRM 4-5-05 w/ 2 tumor's 5cm, and 6 cm (right side)
IDC (poorly differentiated infiltrating ductual carcinoma)
5+/16 nodes
Stage III A
Grade 3
ER/PR-, Her2/neu ++
Ki67 78%
Begin Chemo 5-2-05 4XAC Dose Dense , 4X Abraxane Dose Dense (ended August 05)
28 Rad's ended October 13 2005
Started Herceptin Weekly August 2005 for one year
Had a Simple mastectomy left side after Mamo showed incresed micro-calcifications. Jan. 17 2006.
Brain MRI Feb.2006--All Clear
August 28, 2006 Last Weekly Herceptin.
October 2006--Colonoscopy, 6 Polyp's removed--all B9
PET Scan July 2007
Abdominal MRI Oct. 2007---2 Right Kidney Cysts
Core Biopsy-- Lump on Scar Line 1-10-08---B9
Brain MRI 6-2008--All Clear
PET/CT Scan 6-2008
Sept. 8 2008, 4CM area removed from mastectomy scar line. Proved to be B9.
PET/CT Scan-- July 2009 --All clear
August 17,2009 ---Had Port Removed
6 Years NED -- April 5,2011
DX'd with Melanoma left arm 10-10-2011
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07-27-2009, 04:44 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 2,357
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Just so glad that you are ok! ma
__________________
MA in TX.
Grateful for each and every day....
Diag. 12/05 at age 60
Stage II, Grade 3, 4.5 cm primary tumor
ER/PR- Her2 +3 strongly positive
Her2 by FISH 7.7 amplified
vascular invasion
Ki67 20% borderline
Jan - March '06 Taxotere/Adriamycin X 3 to try to shrink tumor - it grew
April '06 Rt Modified Radical Mas, 7 of 9 nodes positive
April - Aug. '06 Herceptin/Taxol/Carboplatin X 8 (dose dense)
Sept - Dec. '06 Navelbine/Herceptin x 8 (dose dense)
Radiation & Herceptin Jan. 22 - March 1, 2007
Finished Herceptin Dec. 10 '08! One extra year.
Port removed August, 2012.
8 1/2 years since diagnosis! 5 1/2 Years NED!
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07-27-2009, 05:35 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Sunny San Diego
Posts: 2,214
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Darlene,
Congrats on finishing your chemo. What a tough time you have had.
The next part - Herceptin - will be a walk in the park compared to your previous treatment. Now you can look forward to having hair and energy!
__________________
Diagnosed 2007
Stage IIb Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, Pagets, 3 of 15 positive nodes
Traditional Treatment: Mastectomy and Axillary Node Dissection followed by Taxotere, 6 treatments and 1 year of Herceptin, no radiation
Former Chemo Ninja "Takizi Zukuchiri"
Additional treatments:
GP2 vaccine, San Antonio Med Ctr
Prescriptive Exercise for Cancer Patients
ENERGY Study, UCSD La Jolla
Reconstruction: TRAM flap, partial loss, Revision
The content of my posts are meant for informational purposes only. The medical information is intended for general information only and should not be used in any way to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease
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07-27-2009, 06:48 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Hershey, PA. Live The Sweet Life!
Posts: 2,005
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Oh Darlene, I am so thankful your chemo odyssey has ended! I just finished my final Herceptin this past Friday. Your last H will come before you know it! Blessings from a fellow Pennsylvanian!
__________________
Smile On!
Laurel
Dx'd w/multifocal DCIS/IDS 3/08
7mm invasive component
Partial mast. 5/08
Stage 1b, ER 80%, PR 90%, HER-2 6.9 on FISH
0/5 nodes
4 AC, 4 TH finished 9/08
Herceptin every 3 weeks. Finished 7/09
Tamoxifen 10/08. Switched to Femara 8/09
Bilat SPM w/reconstruction 10/08
Clinical Trial w/Clondronate 12/08
Stopped Clondronate--too hard on my gizzard!
Switched back to Tamoxifen due to tendon pain from Femara
15 Years NED
I think I just might hang around awhile....
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07-28-2009, 09:50 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Georgia
Posts: 1,486
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Darlene,
I am glad you are through with the chemo. Way to go.
Amelia
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07-28-2009, 10:09 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Posts: 430
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Darlene,
What a scary week for you, but I am so glad that you were able to finish your chemo. It has now been 2 months since the end of my "18 weeks" of chemo and recovery. I can tell you that for me, I have been feeling almost 100% for about 2 weeks now. Even though there was a time that I thought I would never forget how bad I felt, it is quickly becoming a distant memory. Kind of like childbirth!
Anyway, you are the stronger woman now for having lived through all of this. There have been a couple of times where I have been out for a bike ride or a run and I felt like stopping and then a little voice in my head took over and said "What are you thinking? You've gone through war with cancer and won! You can keep running for 5 more minutes!" And guess what - - - I DID!! You too will find your moments of strength and courage.
Love, Alice
__________________
9/15/08 (age 52) - Mammo: calcifications
9/22/08 - Biopsy: DCIS, grade 3. ER,PR status: Pos. in 75-90% of tumor cells.
10/01/08 - Ob/Gyn appt.: found complex, mostly cystic mass on right ovary - 11cmx12cmx 8cm
10/15/08 - Hysterectomy & Oophorectomy, Lumpectomy: Cyst on uterus, not ovary - all was benign. Breast - 5 of 6 bad margins. 2 Sentinel Lymph nodes removed, both negative. Stage 0, Tis, N0
12/11/08 - Mastectomy & DIEP reconstruction: Surprise! 2 cm Invasive DC, grade 2 found. One benign internal mammary lymph node. Stage 1, T1c, N0, all clean margins. ER+ (Proportion Score = 2/5, Intensity Score = 2/3) and PR+(Proportion Score = 3/5, Intensity Score = 2/3)
HER2 score = 3+
1/09/09 - Oncotype DX: Recurrence S/core of 60 !?!?! ER status is NEG!! PR staus is NEG! HER2 score = 12.2 (still positive, greater than 11.5 is positive).
1/20/09 - Started chemo: TCH
5/26/09 - FINISHED CHEMO!
1/05/10 - FINISHED HERCEPTIN!
1/22/10 - Port-a-catheter removed!
3/07/18 - Still NED
9/10/23 - Still NED
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07-28-2009, 09:51 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: indianapolis, indiana
Posts: 1,544
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Re: Chemo delayed....Chemo done!!
sorry bout the scare but congratulations on finishing your chemo.
__________________
dxd 9-04, lumpectomy,
st 1, gr 3, er,pr-, her2 +,
2 tac,33 rads,6 cmf
1 yr herceptin,
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07-30-2009, 01:35 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,851
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Re: Chemo delayed....Chemo done!!
Darlene,
Congratulatins on finishing your chemo.
Thank goodness it's over especially since you had a reaction during your last two treatments.
Perhaps you should follow up with your GP, especially since you had the palpitations before the treatment, just to ensure that all is well.
Joan
__________________
Diagnosed stage 2b in July 2003 (2.3 cm, HER2+, ER-/PR-, 7+ nodes). Treated with mastectomy (with immediate DIEP flap reconstruction), AC + T/Herceptin (off label). Cancer advanced to lung in Jan. 2007 (1 cm nodule). Started Herceptin every 3 weeks. Lung wedge resection April 2007. Cancer recurred in lung April 2008. RFA of lung in August 2008. 2nd annual brain MRI in Oct. 2008 discovered 2.6 cm cystic tumor in left frontal lobe. Craniotomy Oct. 2008 (ER-/PR-/HER2-) followed by targeted radiation (IMRT). Coughing up blood Feb. 2009. Thoractomy July 2009 to cut out fungal ball of common soil fungus (aspergillus) that grew in the RFA cavity (most likely inhaled while gardening). No cancer, only fungus. Removal of tiny melanoma from upper left arm, plus sentinel lymph node biopsy in Feb. 2016. Guardant Health liquid biopsy in Feb. 2016 showed mutations in 4 subtypes of TP53. Repeat of Guardant Health biopsy in Jana. 2021 showed 3 TP53 mutations, BRCA1 mutation and CHEK2 mutation. Invitae genetic testing showed negative for all of these. Living with MBC since 2007. Stopped Herceptin Hylecta (injection) treatment in March 2020. Recent 2021 annual CT of chest, abdomen and pelvis and annual brain MRI showed NED. Praying for NED forever!!
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07-30-2009, 08:06 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: WA State
Posts: 199
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Re: Chemo delayed....Chemo done!!
Darlene,
So glad to hear you were able to finish chemo and that you are finished with it all now. Take care and may God bless you as you heal and recover from the treatments.
__________________
Cindy
L/IDC, 1.2 cm, Stage 1, Her2+, ER+/PR+ at age 48
4/15/2008 Lumpectomy + sentinel node biopsy
Margins neg and Nodes neg (2 tested)
MUGA score 55 on 5/6/2008
Treatment starting 05/08/2008:
Chemo 4 cycles, 3 weeks apart with Taxotere & Cytoxan - Chemo - Done 7/24/2008!
Herceptin for 1 year
Radiation starting in 9/2008
MUGA score 61.9 on 9/04/2008
33 Rads with boost - Done 10/13/2008
MUGA score 58 on 12/01/2008
MUGA score 59 on 3/16/2009
Herceptin for 1 year - Done 4/27/2009
MUGA score 64 on 6/22/2009
All scans - NED 6/24/2009
MRI - NED 11/10/2009
All scans - Still NED 8/25/2011
Still NED 2017!
I am calling this my pink journey
Follow my journey into the pink at my blog here
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