RE: Starting carboplatin/gemzar with Tykerb

Yeah Flori! Expect that your lesions will soon dry up to a powder and blow away.

RE: Your son. What a Hunk!

You can do this
 

Oh Flori, I can feel how broken hearted you are. I know this is a huge disappointment for you, and I can tell how much you don't want to go back to a heavier chemo. At the same time, the fact that you are so hungry for your "normal" life says that you are hungry for life, period. You are a fighter and much as you don't want to, I know you will get suited up and back in the saddle fighting with everything you've got.

I agree with StephN, might be a good idea to get another biopsy if you can, these nasty little buggers can change their personalities and you want to know for sure what you're dealing with.

Staying on the Tykerb and adding stronger agents makes sense. Although data with Tykerb is of course limited, it is proven that adding chemo back to Herceptin gives new synergy; it seems likely this would be the case with Tykerb as well. I had carboplatin with Taxol and Herceptin and even with the taxol, it wasn't so bad. Except of course, the hair thing, which is SO distressing even though we know it is just hair.

Remember, the chemos are there to bring out bigger guns, get this stuff under control quicker. Maybe this combo will be just the ticket. Try to imagine it as a flow of lovely healing energy.

And remember, we love you very much. I am sending healing thoughts, wrapping you in this love right now.

Hang in there.

Much love
Chris

Dear Flori,

You'e a local Angelino like me. I know. Such much information, decisions, anxiety of what will work and continue working. I know we all want our health back, all other problems that we may have had are minor, right?

This picture is wondeful. Place it in fron of bed, whatever, you llok at every day. I put daughters' pictures real close to me and just looked at them at some very dark moments.

Love

MCS ( maria)

dear Flori, I can really sympathize with you. I just finished WBR, which has gone well. I have fatigue and am bald, but have seemed to avoid some of the other nasties.

I also have 2 other things going on. A met in my lower spine which is being radiated. I will be finished with that next Wed.

I also have a callapsed left lung. They tried to open the lung, but it was too scarred. So they put a pleural catheter in which my husband drains every three days. We get out about 450ml. It feels like an elephant is sitting on my chest when we finish. If we did not do this the fluid would build up and expand to the other lung and I would surely die without intervention. I think this is what happened to Sandy. They did not get her started soon enough and both her lungs were affected.

I just can't imagine other people going through this. I never would have thought my life would end up like this.

My husband talked to my doc about my prognosis and she said my tumors are slow growing and that it is hard for them to give me a prognosos. So I'll continue to do what I have to to stay alive, but it is hard.

I am currently taking meds for depression which help. You might want to see someone to help you.

I know this really sucks for you. All I know is for now I will continue treatment, until it isn't worth it. I will pray for you to work your way through this. It is so hard.

Blessings to you
Lu Ann

Oooops
 

Just checking up on you and making sure you feel a bit better. Sounds that way judging by the post you sent.

Yes Baby, one day at a time!!

Waiting For A Miracle>>Believe51..(Marie G)

hi Flori--
You have gotten some great advice so far--there are many smart women on this board! I have not been stage 4, so I cannot say that I understand how you feel, so all I can offer you is this: from the moment I was diagnosed, I truly felt that there was always going to be someone out there worse off than I. I always felt grateful; yes, I was living with some crazy side effects from chemo and radiation, but I was still living and doing everything possible to survive.

Hang in there--we are here for you!!
Val

I am hoping this new combination works for you and sending you positive vibes. Don't give up!