I am going on a Chemo Holiday!

[Bunty]

Met with my onc today for results of scans after cycle 6 of abraxane - herceptin just keeps on and on! In a nutshell, lung tumours and liver all stable - no further reduction on the liver tumour after about a 30% reduction seen after cycle 3.

So the lung ones really have never changed in about 4 years, which was again reported. If there had been more reduction in the liver I think we would have pressed on a bit longer, but my onc is mindful of my blood counts etc. All the way along my CA15-3 has been going down and down, and is in the normal range (currently 12) so I'm hoping that although there is stuff showing up on scans, it's necrotic mass!!

Although I'm very happy at the prospect of having eyelashes and eyebrows again, higher energy, etc part of me feels the old safety net of chemo has just been removed, and I'm flying through the air on the trapeze hoping I don't slip too soon! I'm planning to be up on that trapeze for a long time!

So not sure if I can say I am NED, but perhaps NEaD - no evidence of active disease!

Cheers Marie

[dawny]

Oh Marie, that is awesome news! A chemo holiday, I hope you stay high up on that trapeze, hang on tight, we will help strap you on! Enjoy your hair and eyelashes coming back, I hope your hair gets down to your waist!

Best wishes
Dawn. Xxxx

[karen z]

Marie,
This all sounds good. I am so happy you get a break from chemo. Enjoy your hair growing back and remember to report HOW it is growing back. Chemo often does unusual (but highly desirable and interesting) things to hair ! I know I was amazed (not unhappy) to see what it did to my hair.........and then watched as some of the effects changed over time (curly to my regular hair/gray to brown again.......it was sort of amazing).

['lizbeth]

Marie,

Oh hair! That will be nice.

Wishing that you have a long vacation from chemo and a long visit with NEaD.

[Cat]

That does sound good! Enjoy your break and the hair. Karen is so right mine came back curly, stayed curly in back only for awhile really hard to style! Then it returned to my regular straight. Also from grey fuzz to mostly gray to my normal mousy color (sadly the days of blond are gone). BTW I had to have my son help give me a buzz cut because on the abraxane I didn't completely lose all my hair and I had these weird tough buggers sticking every which way. Sounds so much worse that it is. It actually looked so much better one length. Lovin' having hair at all.
One of the posts has a t-shirt quote that says "I'm having a bad hair day. I don't care, I've got hair."
Anyway I love your "NEaD" how great is that and great to be there too. Enjoy it.
Cathy

[Jackie07]

Love that NEaD! Enjoy your Chemo Holiday ...

[tricia keegan]

Marie enjoy that break, we all missed the regular appts when we finished our initial treatment but soon got used to the freedom and relaxed and so will you:)

[Mary Anne in TX]

Happy swinging, Marie! Enjoy the hair and eye lashes, etc. Here's to lots of "swinging" years!

[NEDenise]

Girl! That sounds awesome!
I may have to change my name...NEaDenise has a nice ring to it! And I have a much better shot at living up to that one!

Congrats! Enjoy the holiday!
Denise

[SusanN]

Celebrations are in order...!!! Cheers to you Marie!! :)

[Mandamoo]

NEaD! Woohoo! Where a you going on your holiday? A bike ride planned? Lol - chemo holidays are the best! Enjoy beautiful lady - you deserve it!