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05-10-2009, 07:46 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,477
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Four Years Ago Today
On May 10th, 2005, I found out I had cancer. The radiologist was certain that the "mass", as she called it, was malignant and I was sufficiently hysterical that she decided to perform a biopsy on the spot (read that as I wasn't going anywhere without a biopsy). Anyway, that seems like yesterday or .......... a lifetime ago, depending on the day, and I have been healthy since then. I had a nice Mom's Day today and received a MUCH needed spa card from my daughter and her dad and ate out at my favorite Italian restaurant. I am very happy to be on the planet, continue to watch my daughter grow and develop, and know all of you through your messages, wonderful advice, and wonderful humor.
Love to all and Happy Mother's Day.
Karen
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05-11-2009, 05:15 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Morris, IL
Posts: 3,507
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Karen
Congratulations on 4 years....may you celebrate many many more years.....to many of us, this day is more of a celebration than our birthday! Enjoy this milestone and look to the future!!!!
__________________
"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."
Hugs & Blessings
Sheila
Diagnosed at age 49.99999 2/21/2002 via Mammography (Calcifications)
Core Biopsy 2/22/02
L. Mastectomy 2/25/2002
Stage 1, 0.7cm IDC, Node Neg from 19 nodes Her2+++ ER PR Neg
6/2003 Reconstruction W/ Tissue Expander, Silicone Implant
9/2003 Stage IV with Mets to Supraclavicular nodes
9/2003 Began Herceptin every 3 weeks
3/2006 Xeloda 2500mg/Herceptin for recurrence to neck nodes
3/2007 Added back the Xeloda with Herceptin for continued mets to nodes
5/2007 Taken Off Xeloda, no longer working
6/14/07 Taxol/Herceptin/Avastin
3/26 - 5/28/08 Taxol Holiday Whopeeeeeeeee
5/29 2008 Back on Taxol w Herceptin q 2 weeks
4/2009 Progression on Taxol & Paralyzed L Vocal Cord from Nodes Pressing on Nerve
5/2009 Begin Rx with Navelbine/Herceptin
11/09 Progression on Navelbine
Fought for and started Tykerb/Herceptin...nodes are melting!!!!!
2/2010 Back to Avastin/Herceptin
5/2010 Switched to Metronomic Chemo with Herceptin...Cytoxan and Methotrexate
Pericardial Window Surgery to Drain Pericardial Effusion
7/2010 Back to walking a mile a day...YEAH!!!!
9/2010 Nodes are back with a vengence in neck
Qualified for TDM-1 EAP
10/6/10 Begin my miracle drug, TDM-1
Mixed response, shrinking internal nodes, progression skin mets after 3 treatments
12/6/10 Started Halaven (Eribulen) /Herceptin excellent results in 2 treatments
2/2011 I CELEBRATE my 9 YEAR MARK!!!!!!!!!!!!!
7/5/11 begin Gemzar /Herceptin for node progression
2/8/2012 Gemzar stopped, Continue Herceptin
2/20/2012 Begin Tomo Radiation to Neck Nodes
2/21/2012 I CELEBRATE 10 YEARS
5/12/2012 BeganTaxotere/ Herceptin is my next miracle for new node progression
6/28/12 Stopped Taxotere due to pregression, Started Perjeta/Herceptin
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05-11-2009, 05:19 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,477
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Thank you Sheila,
I will do my best.
k
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05-11-2009, 05:54 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Ireland
Posts: 3,463
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karen, many many congratulations to you!  I'm glad you had such a good day too 
I'm right behind you and will be four years next month, there was a time I did'nt think I'd get this far so here's to many more to us all!
__________________
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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05-11-2009, 05:58 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 2,357
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Congrats, Karen Z!!!
__________________
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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05-11-2009, 06:03 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,477
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Thank you Tricia and Mary Ann,
Yes, many times I had the same thoughts Tricia.
Here is to many more good years to all.
karen
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05-11-2009, 07:46 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 126
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Congratulations! I love to see post like this
I pretty much had the radiologist do the same thing which is not my normal personality but I was amazed how different I am with a ton of fear.
__________________
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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05-11-2009, 08:00 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Stockton, NJ
Posts: 4,179
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Dear Karen
It's so nice to hear about success, success, success.
I am cruising to 5 years and was not certain of my future. I am so happy to hear that another sister is doing well.
Big hug 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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05-11-2009, 11:12 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 889
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Happy 4 years! Glad you had a great Mom's Day. Now go enjoy that spa card!
__________________
dx aug 03 invasive dcis 1 cm
er/pr/her2+
bcs 8/4/03
bcs 8/21/03 0/16 nodes
tx 4x ca 36 rad tam
postmenopausal 06 aromasin
sept 07 biopsy node in neck
muga/pet/cat/bone mets to lungs nodes and liver stage iv
tx hki-272
tx not working switched to taxol herceptin
Taxol not working switched to navelbine
navelbine is causing bad neuropathy
starting gemzar
gemzar quit on me now on Ixempra due to increasing number and size of liver mets
another progression starting tykerb/xeloda
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05-11-2009, 11:33 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 216
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Dear Karen,
Happy news. It cheers me up every time.
I was 3 years end of february this year and I am determined to be here for my 4th.
I am so happy for you and your family. Enjoy.
Janie
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05-11-2009, 03:12 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Avilla, Indiana
Posts: 261
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Four years! Yeah! Keep the good news coming.
__________________
-Dana-
]
Diagnosed - Nov. 2, 2007 at 45
Lumpectomy - Nov. 13, 2007
Tumor 1.2 cm
Stage 1 Grade 3
ER/PR - Her2 +++ (3.8)
Taxotere/Carboplatin/Herceptin- 6 rounds
Neulasta
Radiation 33 treatments - will be done 6/6/08
Herceptin through 12/08
12/07 MUGA 61%, 4/08 MUGA 60%, 7/08 MUGA 64%
three wonderful daughters, a terrific husband,
Life is Good
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05-11-2009, 03:26 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 437
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Karen, Congatulations on your 4 year mark. I am right behind you. 4 years the end of May!!!
Life is wonderful, and we are surely blessed.
__________________
Linda
Dxed Stage IIIC May 05, 12 pos nodes
er/pr -neg,Her -pos
LVI
Right partial mast & partial axillary dissection-June14,2005
Right modified mast-no clear margins- June 30, 2005
DD AC x4
Taxotere X4 with Herceptin
Rads x 35( 5 fields )
Left prophylactive mast( atypia & hyperplasia found ),
put on Tamoxifen x 1 yr; D/ced due to endometrial thickening
bilateral recon (saline implants)May 06
Nipple recon July 06
metformin 2010
removal of implants due to severe encapsulation, insertion of gummies 2013
Reclast Q yr
NED!!!
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05-11-2009, 03:36 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,477
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Hi Jaimieh,
Yes, I can be pretty persistent but with a lot of fear in me I really wouldn't take no for an answer!
best,
karen
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05-11-2009, 03:38 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,477
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Dear Becky,
Thank you very much. Cruising to 5 years sounds like a very nice place to be. A big hug back to you!
Best wishes,
karen z
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05-11-2009, 07:20 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,477
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WomanofSteel,
CAN'T WAIT to use that card!!!
Karen
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05-11-2009, 07:33 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Sheboygan, WI
Posts: 2,582
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Hi Karen,
Congratulations to you. Wow, 4 years. I was diagnosed 4 years ago next month and like you - sometimes it seems like just yesterday but more often than not it seems like it never really happened to me at all. I can vaguely remember chemo/herceptin and not sure why that is. My husband says it's God's way of protecting us from a really bad time in our life.
Anyway, I'm so happy to hear you are continuing to do well. It gives us all encouragement and hope.
Love and God's continued blessings to you Karen,
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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05-11-2009, 08:04 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,851
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Karen,
Congratuations on your 4-year anniversary, and keep on truckin'
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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05-11-2009, 11:37 PM
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#18
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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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You deserve such wonderful feelings, you are a special person and I am happy to have you here too! Short and sweet. Enjoy.>>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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05-12-2009, 05:51 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Southern California
Posts: 900
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Karen,
So happy to hear that you have reached yet another milestone! Enjoy your day at the spa!
__________________
Gerri
Dx: 11/23/05, Lumpectomy 12/12/05
Tumor 2.2 cm, Stage II, Grade 3, Sentinel Node biopsy negative
ER+ (30%) /PR+ (50%), HER2+++
AC X 4 dose dense, Taxol X 4 dose dense
Herceptin started with 2nd Taxol, given weekly until chemo done
then given every 3 weeks for one year ending on March 16, 2007
Radiation 30 treatments
Tamoxifen - 2 yrs (pre-menopausal)
May 2008 - Feb 2012 Femara
Aug 2008 - Feb 2012 Zometa every 6 months
March 2012 - Stop Femara, now Evista for bone strengthening
********** Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things. - Robert Brault
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05-12-2009, 06:17 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,477
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Hi Janie, Dana, and Joan,
Thank you so much! I appreciate your good wishes!
best,
karen
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