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02-16-2008, 04:27 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Mountains of Virginia
Posts: 2,267
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3 years and counting......
Today is my three year cancerversary. In some ways its seems much longer, but in others it seems like I was bald just yesterday!
Althought not a path I would have chosen, I can say I have had some wonderful experiences and met some fantastic people along the way (present company included)!
For those of you in the early part of your journey, it does get easier and less stressful. The big "C" will always reside in your mind, but you will be able to confine it to a small window whose curtain blows aside now and then.
My priorities have changed somewhat, but mostly I worry less about work issues and enjoy LIFE more. As some wise person said, "No one ever goes to heaven and says 'I wish I had worked more'".
This site and all of you have become a big part of my life, and for that I give thanks.
If we want to understand life, we must live. Not in fear, nor in regret, but with joy.
I wish you joy.
__________________
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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02-16-2008, 04:29 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 82
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Sassy, Congratulations and big hugs to you! And thank you for the window analogy.
__________________
IDC Stage IIIA
Diagnosed Nov 2006 (routine mammogram), age 51
Lumpectomy, lymph node dissection Dec 2006
3 cm tumor, 8 cancerous lymph nodes
Grade 3, ER/PR -, HER-2/neu +++ (by FISH, average 20 copies per cell)
A/C x 4, Taxol x 12, Herceptin x 47 weeks
35 radiation treatments
Completed treatment on April 3, 2008
Chest port removed October 2009
11 years since diagnosis NED
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02-16-2008, 05:31 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Oregon
Posts: 1,756
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Congratulations, Sassy! You put it perfectly.
<3 Lolly
__________________
Sept.'99 - Dx.Stage IIIB, IDC ER/PR-, HER2+++ by IHC, confirmed '04 by FISH. Left MRM, AC x's 4, Taxol x's 4, 33 Rads, finishing Tx May 2000. Jan.'01 - local/regional recurrence, Stage IV. Herceptin/Navelbine weekly till NED August 2001, then maintenance Herceptin. Right Mast. April 2002. Local/Regional recurrence April '04, Herceptin plus/minus chemo until May '07. Gemzar added from Feb.'07-April '07; Tykerb/Abraxane until August '07, back on Herceptin plus Taxotere and Xeloda Sept. '07. Stopped T/X Nov. '07, stopped Herceptin Dec. '07, started Avastin/Taxol/Carboplatin Dec. '07. Progression in chest skin, stopped TAC March '03, started radiation.
Herceptin has served as the "Backbone" of my treatment strategy for over 6 years, giving me great quality of life. In 2005, I was privileged to participate in the University of Washington/Seattle HER2 Vaccine Trial.
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02-16-2008, 06:32 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Southern, CA
Posts: 2,511
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Sassy, I sure have to agree with you about priorities. Mine have changed and been re-arranged for good. lol 
I hope you go out and celebrate and enjoy yourself. Congratulations to you girl. Happy 3rd CANCERVERSARY! Here's to MANY, MANY more to come.
Chelee
__________________
DX: 12-20-05 - Stage IIIA, Her2/Neu, 3+++,Er & Pr weakly positive, 5 of 16 pos nodes.
Rt. MRM on 1-3-06 -- No Rads due to compromised lungs.
Chemo started 2-7-06 -- TCH - - Finished 6-12-06
Finished yr of wkly herceptin 3-19-07
3-15-07 Lt side prophylactic simple mastectomy. -- Ooph 4-05-07
9-21-09 PET/CT "Recurrence" to Rt. axllia, Rt. femur, ilium. Possible Sacrum & liver? Now stage IV.
9-28-09 Loading dose of Herceptin & started Zometa
9-29-09 Power Port Placement
10-24-09 Mass 6.4 x 4.7 cm on Rt. femur head.
11-19-09 RT. Femur surgery - Rod placed
12-7-09 Navelbine added to Herceptin/Zometa.
3-23-10 Ten days of rads to RT femur. Completed.
4-05-10 Quit Navelbine--Herceptin/Zometa alone.
5-4-10 Appt. with Dr. Slamon to see what is next? Waiting on FISH results from femur biopsy.
Results to FISH was unsuccessful--this happens less then 2% of the time.
7-7-10 Recurrence to RT axilla again. Back to UCLA for options.
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02-16-2008, 07:09 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Stockton, NJ
Posts: 4,179
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Dear Sassy
I wish you the best. You have been part of our Her 2 family for awhile and I am very happy that you have hit 3 years now. Go celebrate!!
Love to 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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02-16-2008, 07:16 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 232
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Thanks for sharing your wonderful news with us! Congratulations.
Karen
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02-16-2008, 08:49 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Sheboygan, WI
Posts: 2,582
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Congratulations Sassy on your 3rd year cancerversary! That's awesome. Mine is coming up SOON and I can't believe the time has gone so quickly. I, too, have found way more blessings than curses in the journey.
Love to you sassy and my heart rejoices with yours,
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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02-16-2008, 09:40 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 305
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Congratulations Sassy!
Have fun and celebrate!
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02-16-2008, 09:47 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Lumberton, Mississippi
Posts: 118
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Congratulations, girl. I just celebrated my 3rd. anniversary. So, just do something special for yourself. You deserve it.
Linda
__________________
Diagnosed 12/23/04
Biopsy 12/28/04
Lumpectomy 1/04/05
IDC, ER-PR-, HER2Neu+++
7mm tumor, Stage 1, Grade 3
6 CAF's
38 Rads
Finished 10/05
"Worry looks around. Sorry looks back. Faith looks up."
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02-17-2008, 03:54 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Paris, France
Posts: 858
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Hi Sassy! I hope you celebrated this important milestone. I like what you wrote. I am on the same road, although I still have a treatment and pain problems. You give me hope that I will write the same words in two years. I send you my love for that. Keep well!
Michka
__________________
08.2006 3 cm IDC Stage 2-3, HER2 3+ ER+90% PR 20%
FEC, Taxol+ Herceptin, Mastectomy, Radiation, Herceptin 1 year followed by Tykerb 1 year,Aromasin /Faslodex
12.2010 Mets to liver,Herceptin+Tykerb
03.2011 Liver resection ER+70% PR-
04.2011 Herceptin+Navelbine+750mg Tykerb
06.2011 Liver ned, Met to sternum. Added Zometa 09.2011 Cyberknife for sternum
11.2011 Pet clear. Stop Navelbine, continuing on Hercpetin+Tykerb+Aromasin
02.2012 Mets to lungs, nodes, liver
04.2012 TDM1, Ned in 07.2012
04.2015 Stop TDM1/Kadcyla, still Ned, liver problems
04.2016 Liver mets. Back on Kadcyla
08.2016 Kadcyla stopped working. mets to liver lungs bones
09.2016 Biopsy to liver. no more HER2, still ER+
09.2016 CMF Afinitor/Aromasin/ Xgeva.Met to eye muscle Cyberknife
01.2017 Gemzar/Carboplatin/ Ibrance/Faslodex then Taxotere
02.2017 30 micro mets to brain breathing getting worse and worse
04.2017 Liquid biopsy/CTC indicates HER2 again. Start Herceptin with Halaven
06.2017 all tumors shrunk 60% . more micro mets to brain (1mm mets) no symptoms
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02-17-2008, 05:45 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 2,077
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Congratulations, Sassy! Keep on enjoying that sweet Virginia breeze! Love, Bill
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02-17-2008, 05:51 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 2,357
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Three Years!!!!! And many more coming! Thanks for sharing your celebration and your "attitude"! 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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02-17-2008, 05:56 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: From Syracuse, NY but living in Tokyo, Japan for 26yrs
Posts: 132
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Attagirl! I'm wishing you much joy too!
__________________
Kathy S in Tokyo (44)
11/2004 partial masectomy (clear margins) - ER/PR++ HER+++
12/2004 Tamoxifen
11/2005 Clavicle & neck lymph nodes mets
30 Days rads, 7 months CEF-T Chemo
6/2006 mid chemo lung mets oral toremifene
10/2006 changed hospitals
12/2006 Tamoxifen and monthly Zoladex
2/2007 Dramatic growth of mets! Stopped Tamoxifen and Zoladex
3/2007 Began weekly Herceptin
6/2007 Added weekly Taxol to regime
4/2008 More lung mets - stopped Taxol
5/2008 Xeloda - 3 weeks on 1 week off
8/2008 Got a port!
9/2008 Stopped Xeloda, started weekly Navelbine
12/2008 Tumor progression, stopped Navelbine
1/2009 Taxotere begins again, once in every three weekly Herceptin IVs
3/2009 Added Zometa pelvic bone met, lung tumors progressing, stopped Taxotere/Herceptin
4/10/2009 Whoa seizure! 6cm&3cm brain mets. craniotomy and gamma knife surgery 5/15/2009 Started Adria/Cyto stopped 9/15 due to progession. Brain mets back 10/28 surgery more gamma soon
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02-17-2008, 06:24 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,851
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Sassy, Congratulations! 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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02-17-2008, 11:53 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Mountains of Virginia
Posts: 2,267
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Hey Bill,
Gotta love Robin Thompson and that "Sweet Virginia Breeze"! Glad you know it!
__________________
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.......
14YEARS NED!
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02-17-2008, 01:28 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 144
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Congratulations!
Three years and counting sure sounds wonderful. You said it so well that you have made living a priority. That is something I try to pass on each day to all my loved ones.
Celebrate and be merry.
Emelie
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02-17-2008, 01:34 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: "Love never fails."
Posts: 5,808
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Congratulations!
__________________
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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02-18-2008, 07:43 AM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Acworth, GA
Posts: 2,104
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Congratulations Sassy on your three year mark! Celebrate!!!
__________________
Kate
Stage IIIC Diagnosed Oct 25, 2005 (age 58)
ER/PR-, HER2+++, grade 3, Ploidy/DNA index: Aneuploid/1.61, S-phase: 24.2%
Neoadjunct chemo: 4 A/C; 4 Taxatore
Bilateral mastectomy June 8, 2006
14 of 26 nodes positive
Herceptin June 22, 2006 - April 20, 2007
Radiation (X35) July 24-September 11, 2006
BRCA1/BRCA2 negative
Stage IV lung mets July 13, 2007 - TCH
Single brain met - August 6, 2007 -CyberKnife
Oct 2007 - clear brain MRI and lung mets shrinking.
March 2008 lung met progression, brain still clear - begin Tykerb/Xeloda/Ixempra
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02-18-2008, 10:59 AM
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#19
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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
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Nice Post
Sassy, I enjoyed reading your post this afternoon and am so happy to be able to rejoice with you. Three years-and-a-counting, sounds so sweet my Friend that my heart is smiling from the inside-out!! Your post was an inspiration to me just as you have been since the start of my husband's journey. Thanks for sharing those thoughts with us and remember that you too are a part of our appreciation. It takes US ALL to make this site the best it can be. With that I want to say thanks to YOU!!>>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!!
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02-18-2008, 02:22 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Ireland
Posts: 3,463
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Congratulations Sassy on your three year's out! Mine will be in the summer and I can't wait. I hope you have a special celebration planned so go have some fun..you've earned it
__________________
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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