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MJo · 10-26-2006, 12:29 PM

I must agree that I'm glad your doctor is being aggressive. My tumor was smaller than yours with a negative sentinal node biopsy, but I decided to treat Her2 aggressively. We have a chance of actually being cured. I don't have children, but your two babies give you even more of a reason to smash this cancer to pieces. One thing I learned from treatment is that everyone is different -- everyone has a different response to chemo and radiation. Do you have people to help you if you get sick? I took Adriamycin & cytoxan, followed by taxol and herceptin, followed by radiation. A/C made me pretty sick. I didn't work. Taxol and herceptin were easier, and so was radiation. I was able to work part time. By "easier" I mean I wasn't sick -- bone pain was mild, not much nausea. But I sure was tired and I'm still tired. Get all the help you can -- family, church, local organizations, hired help if you can afford it. Take antidepressants if you need them. Find a cancer support group or talk to a therapist if necessary. You'll get through it, but it's no walk in the park. MJO

PS Try to let go of "always being the healthy, strong one." I rarely took aspirin before BC. Try to make your health come first for now and be good to yourself. It's easy to say all this now that the intensive part of my treatment is over. One year ago I was a basket case. But I know you will come through this.

10-26-2006, 12:29 PM	#7
MJo Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Wilmington, Del. Posts: 1,126	I must agree that I'm glad your doctor is being aggressive. My tumor was smaller than yours with a negative sentinal node biopsy, but I decided to treat Her2 aggressively. We have a chance of actually being cured. I don't have children, but your two babies give you even more of a reason to smash this cancer to pieces. One thing I learned from treatment is that everyone is different -- everyone has a different response to chemo and radiation. Do you have people to help you if you get sick? I took Adriamycin & cytoxan, followed by taxol and herceptin, followed by radiation. A/C made me pretty sick. I didn't work. Taxol and herceptin were easier, and so was radiation. I was able to work part time. By "easier" I mean I wasn't sick -- bone pain was mild, not much nausea. But I sure was tired and I'm still tired. Get all the help you can -- family, church, local organizations, hired help if you can afford it. Take antidepressants if you need them. Find a cancer support group or talk to a therapist if necessary. You'll get through it, but it's no walk in the park. MJO PS Try to let go of "always being the healthy, strong one." I rarely took aspirin before BC. Try to make your health come first for now and be good to yourself. It's easy to say all this now that the intensive part of my treatment is over. One year ago I was a basket case. But I know you will come through this.