A Little Note of Hope for All
 

Dear Group Members:

I thought I would give you all a little news that may be encouraging for you. My wife, Lisa, had scans last week, brain MRI, CT Neck to Knees, and they were clean. This significance of this is that she is now a 15 year survivor, a 5 year survivor of a Stage IV recurrance and a two year survivor of a stroke and recurrance in 2005.
So far she has been through a great deal and suffers at this point from frequent nausea and the other side effects of herceptin, but the good news is that she is fine.
Hers is a long story which includes a vaccine treatment at the University of Washington which failed, but for now the weekly doses of Herceptin which she has received for the past 5 years seem to be doing the trick. We have Tykerb waiting in the wings and with luck we can keep this stuff at bay for a long time.
Our second daughter will be married this fall and we will be grandparents for the first time this fall. Truly God has been watching over us.
We hope that this story of survival gives hope and courage to all women suffering from this gastly disease.

Good Luck and God Bless!
Lisa and Brian

Good news
 

Wow Brian, 15 years. That certainly is grounds for a celebration. What a journey the two of you have been on. I am just coming up to 2 years from Dx on the 26 th of this month, so you can see this is very encouraging news. I wish you both well and will keep you in my prayers for at least another 15 years. Jeanette

Thank you, Brian, for your post. I head out on Wed. for my second follow-up appointment after my completion of a year of herceptin. Your wife's story( and your story too!) is inspiration for us all. Keep up the good work!!!

It is always so encouraging to hear of how well so many are doing. If I've gained nothing else from this site I've learned that even if recurrence is part of my future that it does not mean a death sentence. So many strong, brave women visit this site everyday and show us that this disease can be dealt with and managed quite well and lives can be lived joyfully and fully.

Thanks so much for sharing.

Mary Jo

Dear Brian
How lovely to hear some good news. It sounds as if you've both been through so much these past few years. I feel touched that you wanted to share something positive here with us, it's a real treat! And I can imagine how happy you must be to have a wedding and a new life to come in the autumn. What nice things to look forward to.
Best wishes to you both
Caroline

Brian - I just got chills and tears reading your post... I can't believe
what Lisa (and you and your family) have been through. And for her
to keep tooling along is SO inspirational!! And for you to post this for
us to put in our noggins and our hearts to counteract the fear, grief
and uncertainty that we struggle with due to this disease, is just such
a phenomenal gift. Thank you for your gift to us. Wow. I am so
touched and affected by your post. Much love to you and Lisa!

Thank you Brian for this uplifting information about your wife Lisa. It truly is inspiring for someone like me, not quite six months out from diagnosis, to hear this. It really gives me hope that this horrible disease can be conquered.

All the best to you and your family,
Caya

Dear Brian and Lisa,

Big Thank you for sharing your happiness of 15 years winning the battle.
Wishing you continued success of 15 + 15+ and 15+ more years.

Also what better way to celebrate than to have your children with you -
Weddings, Births and Life all around you. Enjoy it all you deserve it.

You made me Smile Big Time!
jean

Brian,

Thank you for posting your wonderful news. You and Lisa have had quite a journey together. I always feel good when someone posts good news. Wishing you and Lisa many more years together.

Hi Brian and Lisa,
I am new to this board. A good friend here also failed the UW vaccine (with brain mets no less!), and now I have been diagnosed with this terrible disease. I asked my MD Anderson docs about the HER2 vaccines, and they advised against trying any of them. I hope I am not dashing the hopes of anyone in such a trial, but all results have been negative or worse than negative according to my doctors. I have been looking for any positive results that have been published but have yet to find any. Are there other trials for metastatic disease anyone would recommend? (I have stable disease at present, plans to go on Tykerb if need be, but would love to try something new and different!)

Thank you for any opinions. Bev

Brian, Thank you so much for sharing that with us. I know it does me a world of good to hear such an encouraging story. Lisa has been through alot and is one very strong & amazing lady. She sounds like a lucky women to have such a terrific man by her side. It brought tears to my eyes just seeing such a loving husband take the time to share her story with us.

Here's to good times to both of you. I am sure that first grandchild you will have this fall, will bring you both many good times and loads of happiness. :) Thanks again for taking the time to share Lisa's story with us. What a awesome and very special man you are. I will be keeping you both in my thoughts and prayers.

Chelee

Way To Go!!!

GOOD NEWS BRIAN & LISA
 

So good to hear such good news. Please convey to Lisa my congrats and to keep up the good work.

NOW....

you both enjoy that new grandbaby coming and the upcoming wedding. This is what living is all about.

Brian - Congragulations on your good news. It is so uplifiting for me to read success stories of those who have successfully continue to beat back this disease (just as I intend to do). Enjoy that grandchild when it gets here, they are one of lifes greatest experiences!

Dear Brian and Lisa,

Thank you for taking the time to bring such uplifting, inspiring and positive news to all of us here on this forum. We tend to lose sight of the fact that their are such long term survivors because the ones most often active on here, are those going through the worst or who have not been so fortunate. I am thrilled that this is not the case for you and so many others we might not hear from on a regular basis. I wish you and Lisa many many more years together filled with good health. Thank God for Herceptin and Tykerb and thank God for this support forum and it's wonderful members.

Impressed, encouraged, and so excited for you! I think I'll put myself in your mode in my mind and just linger a while!!!! thanks for taking time to share. Seems that the days I need to be encouraged, someone provides just the dose of hope needed. Thanks for being such a great warrior! ma

Thank you for sharing your wonderful news. It is encouraging to hear and I am sending you and your family best wishes!!

I just love reading stories like this ,congrats to Lisa and thank you

for posting to give us all hope!

Dear Brian,
I have been reading your posts for a long, long time. I love to hear of Lisa's progress ... and that is just what it is...progress. I remember the first time I logged onto this site; worrying about prognosis; you were one the the first people to post telling me the positive side of Lisa's journey and I have held onto her strength ever since.
Anytime one of us makes it 5 years or more as a stage IV; well that is nothing short of a miracle. And what a rough ride your dear Lisa has had.
I am especially grateful for your posts of progress. As a pretty uneventful stage 4 survivor for 3 years and holding (with just maintenance herceptin) I appreciate hearing the hopeful but realistic updates of your journey.
Please give your angel a squeeze and a hug from this friend in Connecticut.
Love Kim from CT