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Dear Denise,

I am glad that you have a better perspective of what it is going on and how you will face it. You sound much much better today, so I send you a hug, good wishes and will keep my fingers crossed for the good results. I am sure you will beat this. I will keep you in my prayers. Love,

Paty

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Dear Denise, I am rooting for you!! you are a fighter!!

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Oh, Denise,

I haven't been on the site in awhile. I didn't know about your news. I'm so sorry.

I did not want to have you join me in the Stage IV club. Not at all.

Phooey. Cancer sucks.

Love,

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Hi Denise, Sounds like you have a very good plan. I wish you the very best with your tx and will pray that NED visits you real soon!

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Holding you in love and light, Denise.

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Denise,

Gamma-knife is quite effective with very little side effect. You may feel tired for two, three days. It usually takes a while before seeing any reduction of the tumor.

Sending you good vibes.

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Denise, it would indeed be wonderful for all of us to meet up somewhere wonderful in the world, but at least we have this wonderful place to meet now, and to share our highs and lows, and to learn from each other. (Imagine the cacophony if we were all in one place at one time!!)

It sounds like you have a great team behind you as you jump this hurdle heading for Gold!

Best wishes
Marie xx

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Marie!
I just noticed the July 2012 addition to your signature...YAY!!! HOORAY!!!
How did I miss that!?

I'm so happy for you! I truly hope that's the way it stays forever! I'll switch my prayers for you from prayers of healing... to prayers of praise!! OUTSTANDING!

You made my day, my friend!
Stay well!!
Denise

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I'm so happy for you too Marie:)

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Thanks Denise and Tricia,

If I have made your day with my good news Denise, that makes my day. And yes, I've been giving much thanks for my very surprising news. I had the PET/CT scans hoping that the best would be that the lung mets would not 'light up', and if that happened then I was going to keep going down the road of some kind of intervention on the liver tumour. But lo and behold, nothing lit up - no activity at all, just looks like scar tissue.

So the good news is that it would seem that even though the Herceptin 'failed' last June when the liver met appeared, it seems that the Abraxane has done it's synergistic work with the Herceptin, which was the hope!

I have to say I was very happy with the news.....

Thinking of you a great deal Denise and keeping you in my prayers......

Cheers Marie

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Thinking of you Denise. Your attitude is inspirational. Thoughts and prayers coming your way.

Linda

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Hi Again!
So...
Had an MRI of liver...small spot is clearly a benign cyst of some sort...but now we have a baseline picture, just in case anything pops up later.

Had an MRI of the "spot" on my pelvis...and psych!! there's nothing at all there now. So no bone met...no biopsy...no problem!

And...drumroll please...PRAISE GOD!! my spine MRI was clear!! whew! Dodged that bullet...at least for now!

Met with Radiation Oncologist who is on my Gammaknife team. Nice man. Surprisingly good bedside manner.

Still scheduled for Friday, August 10...start at 6am...lots of MRIs, several docs plan treatment...program robot...then the surgery...so I'm not sure what time they'll actually be irradiating those ugly little lesions...but Jesus knows...so I'm sure all your prayers will be in the right place at the right time! :)

Honestly, friends, I feel better today than I have in a long, long time. I'm excited to get these lesions zapped and get back to feeling like the pre-cancer, bundle of energy me that I used to be!

I have to admit...I'm really hoping to be one of the very lucky few who don't get major diarrhea from Tykerb...I'm due for a little good luck, don't ya think? But, even if I'm tied to the "necessary" for part of every day...it beats the hell out of dead...so it's all good!!

Thanks again for all the prayers and support. If I'm not exhausted when I'm done on Friday...I'll post an update...I know some of you worry (Nancy!). If not Friday...definitely on Saturday!
Denise

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Yeah, some good news. Prayers heading your way for an easy procedure and minimal side effects from Tykerb!

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Big smile!

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Denise,

Glad everything looked good.

Have you taken a look at the information provided by IRSA? I think there's a picture/film somewhere on the site (might just be links.)

http://www.irsa.org/gamma_knife.html

The screws that are used to hold the 'frame' to the head might give you some discomfort for a couple of days. Other than that and some fatigue, you should be fine.

Will be thinking of you on the 10th.

Sending you good vibes.

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Here's a video clip from U. Penn:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXTxBd1AZYU

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Regarding fatigue from Gamma Knife. I did not have any. Felt fine - just needed to recoup a little from getting up so early to check in and from the stress of passing the last MRI the day of treatment. Since they hit targeted spots, the rest of the brain is not affected.

You may feel a need to let loose of the normal routine a couple of days just to let your body and mind start to get over the worries you have faced.

I am SO happy thay turned out to be mostly just worries!

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Jackie,
That's the exact video I watched during my "orientation". Love the nurse's outfit!
Thanks!
Denise

Steph,
You have truly been an inspiration during all of this! Thanks! I'll let you know how things go!
Denise

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I am sooooooo happy. Prayers are already being answered. Still praying for you. Good luck on friday.

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Hi Denises! You little love bird you!

I too shall be praying all goes well for you. You inspire me so! As do all of the women and men on this site! There is unbelievable amount of hope here, all of you make us feel nothing is impossible.

Jackie, awesome video! Very thoughtful. Not only for Beautiful Denise but for all of us worry warts to see treatments that on video do not seem so scary and for us to see what good hands are friends are in. Thank you!

Denise I see you've got this one! I'm sure it is totally doable! Thinking of you always and will be hoping and praying your treatment has the best turn out.

I love you my little Sis,

Peace,

Nancy