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06-24-2010, 03:48 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Sheboygan, WI
Posts: 2,582
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5 years today
Just wanted to share that it was 5 years ago today that I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I remember my husband walking in the door and us hugging, saying nothing, and me saying to him..."well honey, here I go" thinking forsure this was the "end" for me. Not only wasn't it the end but it was just the beginning of what is proving to be an exhilirating life. I just returned from a trip to Kenya on a mission trip last week Wed., and life is anything but dull!
I thank God today for my health and for all the Lord has taught me. Life is pretty much a crap shoot........what will be will be........and when the Lord wants to take us Home He will. That's how I see it and what I believe.
So for now....I will live and enjoy each day the Lord gives me here on earth......when He is finished with me I will continue on in Heaven where He is making a place for us who believe.
Thanks guys for all your love and support through the years. You are all blessings to me.
Hugs and much love,
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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06-24-2010, 04:06 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Kensington, CT
Posts: 394
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Re: 5 years today
MaryJo; I am so happy for you. Thank you for sharing your story. It's great inspiration to me. Wishing you a forever NED.
Kris...
__________________
06/08/09 - 55, IDC, IIIA, ER+/PR-/HER+++
Nottingham 6/9 - Grade 2 5.2cm, several nodes
06/23/09 - Neoadjuvant - TCH Herceptin til June
10/07/09 - Finished Chemo
10/27/09 - Mastectomy RB
Path Report: RB No residual tumor pCR,
2 of 15 pos - .5mm largest micromets
12/18/09 - Radiation started (28)
02/05/10 - Finished Radiation
01/11/10 - Started Femara
06/22/10 - Finished Herceptin.. My son's 22nd BD. Hope it's a sign! Hoping for the best.
11/15/10 - Started Walter Reed BC Vaccine trial at
1/04/11 - Sibley Mem. Had to withdraw due to met
01/23/11 - Stage IV - Brain Met 1.6cm 1.7cm
02/03/11 - Gamma Knife (2 fracts to minmize necrosis)
03/01/11 - Gamma Knife
6/11 - Necrosis
7/11 - Necrosis stopped & Tumor progression
8/11 = Now think it's really necrosis
9/11 - Avastin every two weeks -- It's working!! Necrosis is shrinking.
12/11 - Necrosis gone AVASTIN worked.
12/11 - Bone &CT found
Oct '10 - Ran Hartford 1/2 Marathon to Thank Dr. Slamon for Herceptin!
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06-24-2010, 04:15 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Georgia
Posts: 1,486
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Re: 5 years today
Mary Jo,
You are truly an inspiration to us all. God Bless You.
Amelia
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06-24-2010, 06:25 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Southern California
Posts: 900
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Re: 5 years today
Welcome home Mary Jo, it is good to have you back. A huge congratulations to you on being 5 years out. Wishing you many more years of good health and happiness.
Sending a huge hug your way,
__________________
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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06-24-2010, 06:40 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: "Love never fails."
Posts: 5,808
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Re: 5 years today
Happy anniversary, Mary Jo. And thanks for the testimony. Now don't forget to change the number in your signature from '4' to '5'. 
__________________
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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06-24-2010, 07:50 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Thornhill, Ontario
Canada
Posts: 2,320
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Re: 5 years today
Big Congrats to you Mary Jo on making the big 5 year mark!!
May you continue to enjoy good health and happiness.
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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06-25-2010, 05:28 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 508
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Re: 5 years today
Isn't it amazing how much living can be done after a diagnosis? I'm so glad you are doing well---and taking every opportunity to live fully. Here's to many more years NED and wonderful surprises as the Lord reveals his plans for you!
Barb A.
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06-25-2010, 07:35 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Posts: 1,516
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Re: 5 years today
Congratulations Mary Jo!!!! And Many, Many more  Take care and God bless.
__________________
Rhonda
Dx 2/1/05, Stage 1, 0 nodes, Grade 3, ER/PR-, HER2+ (3.16 Fish)
2/7/05, Partial Mastectomy
5/18/05 Finished 6 rounds of dose dense TEC (Taxotere, Epirubicin and Cytoxan)
8/1/05 Finished 33 rads
8/18/05 Started Herceptin, every 3 weeks for a year (last one 8/10/06)
2/1/13...8 year Cancerversary and I am "perfect" (at least where cancer is concerned;)
" And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years."- Abraham Lincoln
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06-25-2010, 08:31 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Northern California
Posts: 764
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Re: 5 years today
Congrats on the five year mark. Wishing you continued blessings.
Tonya
__________________
DX 02/01/07
2.5 cm, Er/Pr-, Her2+++
18/20 Nodes
03/07 CT & Bone scan - Clear
AC x 4, Taxol x 4, Added Herceptin
Radiation until 09/07
Herceptin every 3 weeks until 06/08
01/10/08 local recurrence -IBC
01/28/08 CT & Brain MRI - clear
02/08 - Navelbine & Herceptin
05/08 -MRM
05/08 - Gemzar & Herceptin - didn't work
09/08 - Hyperthermia rads
03/09 - Tykerb/Xeloda
05/10 - Tram flap to fix wound
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06-25-2010, 11:12 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: TN
Posts: 83
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Re: 5 years today
Thank you for sharing and providing hope and inspiration. May every day be filled with joy and peace.
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06-25-2010, 12:47 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 2,357
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Re: 5 years today
I love that #5 has rolled around for you and that you are making life a real adventure! Here's to many, many more years! 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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06-25-2010, 12:50 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 216
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Re: 5 years today
Many congratulations.
May you have many more happy years.
Janie
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06-25-2010, 02:55 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Stockton, NJ
Posts: 4,179
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Re: 5 years today
Wow Mary Jo! Congratulations. The time is really flying by. I remember some of your first posts. We've been through alot. Life is good.
Love and hugs from me
__________________
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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06-25-2010, 04:33 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 823
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Re: 5 years today
A Big Congrats Mary Jo on teh 5 year mark. It does feel wonderful.
__________________
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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06-25-2010, 05:09 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,210
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Re: 5 years today
"Here I go" indeed! Into a new dimension! And what a way to commemorate it, that trip you just took. I hope you will share details with us.
__________________
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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06-25-2010, 05:55 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,851
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Re: 5 years today
Mary Jo,
Great news! Congratulations on reaching the 5-year milestone!
You're a source of inspiration and have always been very supportive.
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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06-25-2010, 09:24 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,477
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Re: 5 years today
So happy to read your post-many congratulations!!!
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06-26-2010, 03:06 AM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Melbourne Victoria
Australia
Posts: 330
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Re: 5 years today
Well done! Here's to another 50!
Jackie (down under)
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06-26-2010, 08:43 AM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: New Roads, LA
Posts: 35
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Re: 5 years today
Congratulations Mary Jo!!! I have just started my battle, but have found SOOOO much hope and encouragement through all of you!!!! I can't wait to see all that you have done in the next five!
__________________
Toni
Found lump...Oh, crap!
Dx 4/29/10
Invasive Poorly Differentiated Ductal Carcinoma. BRCA 1&2 no mutations(although 2 cousins also are HER2+)HMMM....
Stage IIB, G3
ER/PR -, HER2+++
5/11/10 Lumpectomy/Axillary node dissection/Mediport placement
Tumor 3.5cm, 1/15 nodes + Both Sentinel nodes negative!
6/24/10 - Started TCH.
10/14/10 - Finished chemo...yea!!!!!
12/27/10 - PET scan and MRI-NED!!!!!
03/09/11 - Bilateral Mastectomy and reconstruction (DIEP Flap)
03/16/11 - NED! Path report negative!
6/9/11 - Revision of both breasts, and port removed. Two lumps removed...both benign!
6/23/09 - LAST HERCEPTIN!!! Wohooooo!
My son Tim and his wife Nicole just had their first born...a son, Brayden...my first Grandchild! My daughter Hanna is working her way through college, and I am so proud! God has blessed me.
Update...as of 10/2013...still NED, and my son and daughter-in-law just had identical twin girls!!! They have blessed me with 3 beautiful grandchildren in 27 months!! Haha!
My beautiful daughter, Hanna, is still working toward her degree and working full-time.
God is so good:)
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06-26-2010, 11:10 AM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Moultrie, GA
Posts: 431
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Re: 5 years today
Thank you, Mary Jo, for sharing this wonderful news with us! You are truly a testiment to, "live life to it's fullest!"
I wish you many, many more cancerversaries!
Sandra
__________________
Diagnosed: 7/25/08 ~ age 63, no family history
Surgery: 8/14/08 Bilateral mastectomy; tumor left breast, node dissection; right prophylactic with expanders: 1/12/10 latisimuss dorsi flap on left side: 9/22/10 implants in
Pathology Report: ER/PR-; HER2+ (3+); Grade 3, StageIII; 3cm tumor plus 21/21 lymph nodes positive; 5cm DCIS
Chemo: A/C; Taxol/Herceptin/Tykerb; phase II study at Mayo adding Tykerb for early stage
Radiation: 25 rads
Vaccine: Walter Reed GP2/AE37 vaccine study ~ last booster 9/17/2012
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