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05-09-2013, 10:08 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,477
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Eight years
Just posting to say hi and to let you know that I reached year eight today (all of 60 something minutes into the day). Other than insomnia this evening I am doing well and grateful to be able to see my daughter graduate from high school in a couple of weeks and know that the search for a college is over and successful (hooray......a deposit is in). It will be a bittersweet summer as I am a bit too focused on the fact that my only child will be living in another state by August. But there are planes and cars out there and I probably can (and probably should) really learn to Skype.
Thanks (always) for the incredible support on the site and the friendships that have formed. They mean a great deal to me.
Love,
Karen Z
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05-09-2013, 10:21 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 92
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Re: Eight years
Congratulatins, Karen! I think of you often and all the fun we had in San Antonio.  Wishing you many, many more healthy years. Love ya, Mel
__________________
Dx June 2010
ER- PR+ Her2+++, Stage 3C
A/C x 4
Mastectomy 8/18 nodes+
Taxol/Herceptin x 4
35 rads
Continue Herceptin for 1 year
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05-10-2013, 05:02 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Stockton, NJ
Posts: 4,179
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Re: Eight years
Congratulations on joining the "eight is great" club! Is it that long already? I remember meeting you when neither of us was that far out. Soon, I will be in the "nine is fine" group. What a long strange trip its been.
So happy for you!
__________________
Kind regards
Becky
Found lump via BSE
Diagnosed 8/04 at age 45
1.9cm tumor, ER+PR-, Her2 3+(rt side)
2 micromets to sentinel node
Stage 2A
left 3mm DCIS - low grade ER+PR+Her2 neg
lumpectomies 9/7/04
4DD AC followed by 4 DD taxol
Used Leukine instead of Neulasta
35 rads on right side only
4/05 started Tamoxifen
Started Herceptin 4 months after last Taxol due to
trial results and 2005 ASCO meeting & recommendations
Oophorectomy 8/05
Started Arimidex 9/05
Finished Herceptin (16 months) 9/06
Arimidex Only
Prolia every 6 months for osteopenia
NED 18 years!
Said Christopher Robin to Pooh: "You must remember this: You're braver than you believe and stronger than you seem and smarter than you think"
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05-10-2013, 08:19 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Sunny San Diego
Posts: 2,214
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Re: Eight years
Yeah! 8 years is great.
savor the summer and start making plans to visit. Hopefully your daughter will be better than I was at keeping in touch. mom who? Lol
__________________
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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05-10-2013, 10:06 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Thornhill Ontario
Canada
Posts: 266
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Re: Eight years
Great news Karen, 8 years out! Enjoy all life has to offer, isn't it wonderful to see our lives move forward and the children moving on in their directions.
I actually used Skype this winter when we were in Palm Beach and it was great to see the kids and talk to them with this technology. Our kids set up the skype on our computer before we left and we were all set. Best wishes to you and have a great summer. Lois
__________________
August 2008
Lumpectomy left breast
1 tumour 0.9 cm
Her2 negative
lymph nodes negative
venous/lymphatic invasion absent
ER+PR-
Stage I Grade 2
Radiation and Femara
November 2008
Lumpectomy right breast
2 tumours .03 cm and .05 cm and extensive DCIS
.05 tumour Her2+
lymph node negative
venous/lymphatic invasion "indeterminate"
ER+PR low postive
Stage 1 Grade 2
January 2009
bilateral mastectomy
chemotherapy taxotere
Herceptin one year
Femara
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05-10-2013, 05:34 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 3,154
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Re: Eight years
Karen,
A huge congratulations on your 8th year dear sister.
Bitter sweet on the college bound daughter. I remember when my son left out of state (my only also). It is so good that life goes on. Enjoy all the good things.
Happy Mother's Day.
Hugs,
Jean
__________________
Stage 1, Grade 1, 3/30/05
Lumpectomy 4/15/05 - 6MM IDC
Node Neg. (Sentinel node)
ER+ 90% / PR-, Her2+++ by FISH
Ki-67 40%
Arimidex 5/05
Radiation 32 trt, 5/30/05
Oncotype DX test 4/17/06, 31% high risk
TOPO 11 neg. 4/06
Stopped Arimidex 5/06
TCH 5/06, 6 treatments
Herceptin 5/06 - for 1 yr.
9/06 Completed chemo
Started Femara Sept. 2006
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05-10-2013, 05:35 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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Re: Eight years
8 years...congrats!!! I'll be there next month. We have so much to be grateful for!!!
__________________
 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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05-11-2013, 02:25 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: "Love never fails."
Posts: 5,808
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Re: Eight years
Congratulations! Karen. What an achievement!
__________________
Jackie07
http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2011/06/doctors-letter-patient-newly-diagnosed-cancer.html
http://www.asco.org/ASCOv2/MultiMedi...=114&trackID=2
NICU 4.4 LB
Erythema Nodosum 85
Life-long Central Neurocytoma 4x5x6.5 cm 23 hrs 62090 semi-coma 10 d PT OT ST 30 d
3 Infertility tmts 99 > 3 u. fibroids > Pills
CN 3 GKRS 52301
IDC 1.2 cm Her2 +++ ER 5% R. Lmptmy SLNB+1 71703 6 FEC 33 R Tamoxifen
Recc IIB 2.5 cm Bi-L Mast 61407 2/9 nds PET
6 TCH Cellulitis - Lymphedema - compression sleeve & glove
H w x 4 MUGA 51 D, J 49 M
Diastasis recti
Tamoxifen B. scan
Irrtbl bowel 1'09
Colonoscopy 313
BRCA1 V1247I
hptc hemangioma
Vertigo
GI - > yogurt
hysterectomy/oophorectomy 011410
Exemestane 25 mg tab 102912 ~ 101016 stopped due to r. hip/l.thigh pain after long walk
DEXA 1/13
1-2016 lesions in liver largest 9mm & 1.3 cm onco. says not cancer.
3-11 Appendectomy - visually O.K., a lot of puss. Final path result - not cancer.
Start Vitamin D3 and Calcium supplement （600mg x2)
10-10 Stopped Exemestane due to r. hip/l.thigh pain OKed by Onco 11-08-2016
7-23-2018 9 mm groundglass nodule within the right lower lobe with indolent behavior. Due to possible adenocarcinoma, Recommend annual surveilence.
7-10-2019 CT to check lung nodule.
1-10-2020 8mm stable nodule on R Lung, two 6mm new ones on L Lung, a possible lymph node involvement in inter fissule.
"I WANT TO BE AN OUTRAGEOUS OLD WOMAN WHO NEVER GETS CALLED AN OLD LADY. I WANT TO GET SHARP EDGED & EARTH COLORED, TILL I FADE AWAY FROM PURE JOY." Irene from Tampa
Advocacy is a passion .. not a pastime - Joe
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05-11-2013, 12:33 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Misty woods of WA State
Posts: 4,128
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Re: Eight years
Wow - I am with Becky. How the time flies since we first met!
So, glad all is working out on the healthy front as well as the college front. Gives you less to worry about.
Keep up the walking and exercises. This is what will help now in the long run.
__________________
"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.
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05-11-2013, 01:33 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Ireland
Posts: 3,463
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Re: Eight years
Congratulations Karen, I'll be joining the eight is great club in a few weeks too and can't believe how the time has flown!
__________________
Tricia
Dx July '05 IDC 1.9cm Triple positive 3/9 nodes positive
A/C X 4 ..Taxol/Herceptin x 12 wks then herceptin 1 yr
Rads x 36 ..oophorectomy August '06
Currently taking Arimidex..
June 2011 osteopenia/ zometa x1 yearly- stopped Zometa 2015 as Dexa show normal bone density.
Stopped Arimidex July 2014- Restarted Arimidex 2015 for a further two years on the advice of my Onc.
2014 Normal Dexa scan
2018 Mammo all clear, still NED!
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05-11-2013, 02:09 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Southern Indiana
Posts: 455
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Re: Eight years
Hey 8 years! What a long way we have come!
__________________
Alice
04/08 age 50 III IBC Her2+++ ER/PR-8cm 14/14 Double M, Body and Brain CT/PET clear, ? on spine,Muga 53
06/08, 4 A/C, Neulasta
08/08, Herceptin/tax 12 every week
10/08, CT/PET clear, ? on pelvis, hips, MUGA 43, started Enalaprial for heart, Herceptin every 3 weeks
11/08 33Rads; 12/08 MUGA 48
2/09 MRI spine and bone scan, old mets to spine, Chest x-ray, blood work, IV NED,regular CPAP use,Zometa x6, first -flue like symptoms 2 days;Herceptin x3; stage 2 lymphoedema..sleeve and glove
4/09 Brain MRI - CLEAR; MUGA 54
7/09 chest ultrasound,
10/09 PET, brain and spin MRI NED Herceptin only. MUGA 59!!!
1/11 Hip replacement 7/11 Hip 2 replacement
4/12 4 years!! Herceptin
6/12 start reconstruction finish in 12/12
2/14 Herception - 6 years!!!
1 Corinthians 10:13 "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you
can stand up under it."
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05-11-2013, 03:13 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 869
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Re: Eight years
Karen, Eight is Great!!! Happy for you! Hugs, Ceesun
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05-11-2013, 09:10 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Mountains of Virginia
Posts: 2,267
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Re: Eight years
Hey Roomie!
Eight is great and here's to many, many more.
Just remember that Bella being ready to leave for the next step in her life means you have done your job getting her to that point. Yet, bittersweet.
My youngest leaves this fall also,so we will be empty nesters.
Deep breaths.
__________________
Rhonda (Sassy)
dx age 45
DX 2/15/05 Stage IIb (at surgery)restaged IIIa
Left mast .9cm tumor 5 of 14 nodes
Triple Positive
4 DD A/C
12 Taxol/Herceptin
33Rads
Strange infect mast site one year aft surg, hosp 1 wk
Herceptin for total of 18 months
Lupron Monthly 4 yrs
Neurontin for aches, pains and hot flashes(It works!)
Ovaries removed 11/09 stop Lupron and Neurontin
Arimidex 6 yrs (tried Femara, no SE improvement)
Tried Exemestane-hips got so bad could hardly walk
Back to Arimidex for year seven
Zometa 2X Annual for 7years, Lasix
Stop Arimidex 5/13
Stop Zometa 7/13-Bi-lateral Stress Fractures in Femurs from Zometa
5/14 Start Tamoxifen
3/15 Stem cell transplant to stimulate femur bone growth/healing
5/15 Complete fracture of right femur/Titanium rods both femurs
9/16 Start Evista stopTamoxifen
3/17 Stop Evista--unwelcome side effects!
NED and no meds.......
14 YEARS NED!
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05-11-2013, 09:47 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Thornhill, Ontario
Canada
Posts: 2,320
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Re: Eight years
Congrats on Eight Great Years!
all the best
caya
__________________
ER90%+/PR 50%+/HER 2+
1.7 cm and 1.0 cm.
Stage 1, grade 2, Node Negative (16 nodes tested)
MRM Dec.18/06
3 x FEC, 3 x Taxotere
Herceptin - every 3 weeks for a year, finished May 8/08
Tamoxifen - 2 1/2 years
Femara - Jan. 1, 2010 - July 18, 2012
BRCA1/BRCA2 Negative
Dignosed 10/16/06, age 48 , premenopausal
Mild lymphedema diagnosed June 2009 - breast surgeon and lymph. therapist think it's completely reversible - hope so.
Reclast infusion January 2012
Oopherectomy October 2013
15 Years NED!!
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05-12-2013, 10:21 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,477
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Re: Eight years
Mel: Many thanks- I, too, think about how much fun we had and how much laughter there was.........as well as our faces on that boat trip! Great times.
Becky: It has indeed been a long strange trip (that has passed more quickly than I could have imagined). Nine is fine sounds good for the next group up!
'Lizbeth: I am starting to seriously think already about visits (and how often and long I can go for). I seriously hope my daughter is good at staying in touch (I was very good with my mom but I know my daughter is her own person).
Lois: Yes, I had better learn to Skype. It is good to know that Bella is ready for such a very exciting point in her life. Although it doesn't seem thrilling to be at this point myself.........I am trying to deal and will work on the summer.
Jean: Thanks for reminding me that life goes on. It hasn't been feeling like that with an only child going off to campus but I know it will be fine. Happy Mom's Day.
To Susan and Jackie: Many thanks. Yes, we do have much to be grateful for and I need to focus on that.
Steph: Time has certainly flown by.......at an increasingly fast rate ! I hope I can step up my work on walking, etc. with fewer responsibilities and more time in my future.
Tricia and Alice: I have no idea how eight years have gone by. In so many ways my diagnosis seems like a lifetime ago........In other ways like yesterday. Having cancer and going through it is pretty surreal.
Hi Ceesun and Caya: Thank you so much for your good wishes. I appreciate them.
Hey Rhonda: Deep breaths sound like a real good idea about right now. And thanks for the reminder of what I might have done right. Sometimes I forget or focus on what I could have done better. But I think my kid is ready for this and I am very proud of her. Boy, we are both empty nesters at the same time. I think I had better find some good ways to be more creative as well as distracted. I would appreciate suggestions !
Thank you everyone for your good wishes. To my SABCS buds.......wish we could sit on the Riverwalk with our Starbucks coffee and catch up (especially now that it must be warmer there). Also, wish we could cruise through Macy's, see the Alamo movie yet again, and find cool jewelry and more at all the little "shops" around the river. In other words.......I wish we could have Scotty from Startreck "beam us" there right now ! I need that !!! Miss everyone.
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05-13-2013, 05:01 AM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Philly Suburbs
Posts: 1,709
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Re: Eight years
Karen (and all you 8 is great gals)
CONGRATULATIONS! You are all such an inspiration to those of us traveling behind you!
Karen - congratulations to you and your daughter! And, yes...Skype is EASY, and fun...definitely go for it!
All you gals coming up on cancer-versaries/milestones...
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, take a moment when the day arrives and start a thread so we can all celebrate with you. As one who is still in active treatment...hoping someday to join your ranks...I NEED to read those posts and celebrate with you!
And, it doesn't matter what else is going on here...your encouraging news is at least as important as the struggles some of us are facing... Keep in mind, friends, I say that as one who is currently a struggler!
Love to all of you! So glad you're here!
Denise
__________________
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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05-13-2013, 09:28 AM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 585
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Re: Eight years
Congratulations on eight years! Big hugs to you! A victory for one of us is a victory for all of us, and reason for all of us to celebrate. I hope to follow in your footsteps and be able to post about my eight year milestone!
__________________
Diagnosed in October 2011 Stage IV with metastasis to liver.
January 2012 after double mastectomy, started taxotere, carboplatin and herceptin.
Clear.
December 2012 was diagnosed with five brain mets, and had whole brain radiation.
Around July 2014 two mets in brain, one a residual spot and one new one growing in size. Received Cyberknife on both areas
Clear/NED
April 2015 remain NED
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05-13-2013, 05:00 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,477
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Re: Eight years
Denise,
Thank you very much. And you are so right that it is incredibly helpful for all of us to post how we are doing in treatment and where we "are" in treatment, along with the rest of our lives. Thanks so much for reminding us all of that.
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05-13-2013, 05:02 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,477
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Re: Eight years
KsGal,
Thank you so much for your post. You are right. We are totally in this together. I look forward to all your future posts (and everyone else's) and your many milestones passed. Best to you.
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05-13-2013, 05:39 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Hershey, PA. Live The Sweet Life!
Posts: 2,005
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Re: Eight years
Cool Beans on 8 year mile marker!
__________________
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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