|
|
06-14-2009, 07:37 PM
|
#21
|
Guest
|
The above post was from me,Marcia
|
|
|
06-15-2009, 10:29 PM
|
#22
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Central Coast, CA
Posts: 3,207
|
Marie,
I was going to post this offline to you, but I decided that the rest of the "family" could hear it too because this belongs to all of us, not just to you (even tho you ARE the most special , although don't tell because I've told others THEY are the most special and I meant it then too).
Whatever you decide to do, do it for yourself and for Ed and do not feel that you need to hold back or protect us from your fears, sadness, anger or whatever it is you are feeling.
If you can't share it here, where else? We all know this is not Disneyland even though at times it is the happiest place on earth as we are able to share hopes, joys, victories and even a full forum where we can "keep our minds off cancer".
This is a place to share encouragement, both in the form of emotional support and in the remarkable research discoveries that unfold daily. This is a forum that does push people to continue the fight, and provide information and weapons to do that. I believe it gives people the courage to keep going, further than they thought possible. And that is a good thing (although even that drives some people away!)
We are a family by choice - none of us chose to live with breast cancer, but we do choose to be HERE. We call it a forum but it is really a haven.
To be a true haven, it must be safe to come no matter what you have to say, or feel. Even, and especially, when you are on the brink of despair or worse. It's like the old saying, "home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in". Well, HERE is the place that, when you have to stand against your fears, we have to stand with you.
We do self-censor because we are lucky enough to "live" in a family that includes those who are likely to be cured as well as those who just hope to outlast the devil while stretching for that cure that's just around the corner. I am so grateful to this family, because I couldn't bear to be in a "stage IV quarantine". But I think we do a disservice to ourselves, (and to those courageous "early-stagers" who stay and love us and look us in the eye EVEN THO we represent their worst nightmare) if we don't show it all.
Marie, we are here to honor and help you and MO in whatever you are facing, whatever choices you are making. We of course care deeply what you are feeling and can't help praying and hoping and crying with and for you. And I, for one, would feel deeply cheated if you held back because you were afraid of depressing ME.
All my love,
Chris
__________________
Chris in Scotts Valley
June 2002 extensive hi grade DCIS (pre-cancer-stage 0, clean sentinal node) Mastectomy/implant - no chemo, rads. "cured?"
9/2004 Diag: Stage IV extensive liver mets (!) ER/PR- Her2+++
10/04-3/05 Weekly Taxol/Carboplatin/Herceptin , complete response!
04/05 - 4/07 Herception every 3 wks, Continue NED
04/07 - recurrence to liver - 2 spots, starting tykerb/avastin trial
06/07 8/07 10/07 Scans show stable, continue on Tykerb/Avastin
01/08 Progression in liver
02/08 Begin (TDM1) trial
08/08 NED! It's Working! Continue on TDM1
02/09 Continue NED
02/10 Continue NED. 5/10 9/10 Scans NED 10/10 Scans NED
12/10 Scans not clear....4/11 Scans suggest progression 6/11 progression confirmed in liver
07/11 - 11/11 Herceptin/Xeloda -not working:(
12/11 Begin MM302 Phase I trial - bust:(
03/12 3rd times the charm? AKT trial
5/12 Scan shows reduction! 7/12 More reduction!!!!
8/12 Whoops...progression...trying for Perjeta/Herceptin (plus some more nasty chemo!)
9/12 Start Perjeta/Herceptin, chemo on hold due to infection/wound in leg, added on cycle 2 &3
11/12 Poops! progression in liver, Stop Perjeta/Taxo/Herc
11/12 Navelbine/Herce[ptin - try for a 3 cycles, no go.
2/13 Gemzar/Carbo/Herceptin - no go.
3/13 TACE procedure
|
|
|
06-16-2009, 07:26 AM
|
#23
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 3,154
|
Chrisy,
Thank you for your previous post....it speaks volumes to all of us. You deeply touched my heart and I appreciate your wise words to Marie and all of us. You touched on all the parts of our beautiful puzzle that makes this community and family special and "whole"!
Proud to be here!
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
Last edited by Jean; 06-16-2009 at 07:28 AM..
|
|
|
06-16-2009, 07:54 AM
|
#24
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Oregon City
Posts: 856
|
Marie:
I helped Colleen with her mother's hospice care and it was an extremely hard time for Colleen. Colleen and her sister, Kim, took care of their mother in home while working full time. I admire their strength and dedication, but I also know that they tried to keep their mother out of hospice care for far too long. When Kim had a car wreck driving home after taking care of their mother due to exhaustion, it became obvious to everyone that their mother should have been in hospice much earlier. So when is the best time to go to hospice? Only you will know.
Each state and each insurance company has different rules which are sometimes strange and Byzantine under the best of circumstances. MaryJo gave you some very wise advice, go to the hospice today and get your ducks in a row while your coping skills are able to deal with things you will not want to hear, talk about, or think about.
Marie, I find it very sad that you even need to think about hospice but I will pray for you and Ed. I pray that Ed has a turn-around and that you and Ed will share many more years together. I also pray that if that is not in God's will that you and Ed have an abundance of strength.
Marie, please take excellent care of yourself.
Lee
__________________
This happened to Colleen:
Diagnosed in September 2007
ER-/PR-/HER2 Neu+++ 2.1 cm x .9 cm spicluted tumor with three fingers, Stage 2B
Sentinal node biopsy and lymph node removal with 3/18 positive in October 2007
4 TAC infusions
lumpectomy March 2008, bad margins
Re-excision on June 3rd, 2008 with clean margins
Fitted for compression sleeve July 16, 2008
Started the first of two TCH infusions August 14, 2008
Done with chemo and now a member of the blue dot club 9/17/08
Starting radiation October 1, 2008
life is still on hold
|
|
|
06-16-2009, 08:43 AM
|
#25
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Posts: 430
|
Chrisy,
Thank you for what you wrote. It couldn't have been said any better and it is exactly what I am feeling, so again, thank you!
Marie,
I also echo what Colleen's Husband said - - - TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF!
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
|
|
|
06-19-2009, 10:55 PM
|
#26
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: RHODE ISLAND
(Ed getting me a latte on 2nd Cancerversary Cruise 2008)
'BELIEVE': To accept as true or real, To have faith in, To presume
ALWAYS BELIEVE
Posts: 2,999
|
rl2.....posted this here taking the chance that you received e-mails on your subscribed threads.
If you are ever in Rhode Island for a visit I want you to contact me. I would love to meet up with you even if it is around holidays. Keep us in mind, I'd love that.>>Believe51
__________________
9/7/06Husband 50yrs=StageIV IBC/HER2+,BoneMets10/06TaxotereX10,'H'1X wk,Zometa,Tamoxifen4/12/07Last Tax5/18/07Pet=Rapid Cell Activity,No Organ Mets,Lytic Lesions,Degeneration,Some Bone Repair5/07ChemoFail6/01/07Pleural Thoracentisis=Effusions,NoMalignantCells6/19/07+7/2/07DFCI
6/25/07BrainMRI=BrainMets,Many<9mm7/10/07WBR/PelvisRad37.5Gx15&Nutritionist8/19/07T/X9/20/07BrainMRI=2<2mm10/6/07Pet=BoneProgression
10/24/07ChemoFail11/9/07A/Cx10,EndTam12/7/07Faslodex12/10/07Muga7512/13/07BlasticLesions1/7/08BrainMRI=Clear4/1/08Pet=BoneImprovement,
NoProgression,Stable4/7/08BrainPerfect5/16/08Last A/C8/26/08BrainMets=10(<9mm)9/10/08Gamma10/30/08Met=5mm12/19/08Gamma5mets5
12/22/08SpinalMets1/14/09SpinalRads2/17/09BrainMRI=NoNewMets4/20/09BoneScan5/14/09Ixempra6/1/09BrainMRI=NumerousMets6/24/09DFCIw/DrBurstein6/26/09Continue
Ixempra/Faslodex/Zometa~TM now lower7/17/09Stop Ixempra By Choice9/21/09HOSPICE10/16/09Earned His Deserved Wings And Halo=37 Month Fight w/Stage 4 IBC, Her2+++,My Hero!!
|
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
All times are GMT -7. The time now is 04:30 PM.
|