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IRENE FROM TAMPA · 01-13-2007, 11:21 AM

Hi Kimberly -

I am just celebrating my "11th" year since my diagnosis in January of 1996.

The doctors may be correct in what they say about prolonging survivorship but in my opinion they do not really know..... statistics do not apply to everyone.

I truly believe that trying to stay on top and being vigilant of your own health is very important. We know our bodies the best. Tumor markers seem to work for me so I insist that they be drawn on a regular basis. By doing this, we have been able to detect earlier growth and start treatment before everything went out of control. Everyone needs to find what works for them.

I know there are no guarantees that this will always work but my 11 years of survivorship has to mean something . I have been actually LIVING WITH ACTIVE CANCER for almost the entire 11 years.

Like Mel and Lolly stated, keeping ahead of this I believe might give us more time if caught earlier on and a better quality of life

I don't know how long I will continue to survive this horrible disease, but like our sister Lisa, I will continue to fight this with all of my might and hopefully as courageously as she did.

Take care.....

01-13-2007, 11:21 AM	#7
IRENE FROM TAMPA Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: TAMPA, FL Posts: 568	This In Only My Opinion Hi Kimberly - I am just celebrating my "11th" year since my diagnosis in January of 1996. The doctors may be correct in what they say about prolonging survivorship but in my opinion they do not really know..... statistics do not apply to everyone. I truly believe that trying to stay on top and being vigilant of your own health is very important. We know our bodies the best. Tumor markers seem to work for me so I insist that they be drawn on a regular basis. By doing this, we have been able to detect earlier growth and start treatment before everything went out of control. Everyone needs to find what works for them. I know there are no guarantees that this will always work but my 11 years of survivorship has to mean something . I have been actually LIVING WITH ACTIVE CANCER for almost the entire 11 years. Like Mel and Lolly stated, keeping ahead of this I believe might give us more time if caught earlier on and a better quality of life I don't know how long I will continue to survive this horrible disease, but like our sister Lisa, I will continue to fight this with all of my might and hopefully as courageously as she did. Take care..... __________________ Irene from Tampa 1996 - INFILT DUCTAL CAR.W/ LYMPH NODE INVOLVEMENT. ADRIA/CYTOXIN/5FU 1999 - RECURR. TO AUXILA AND 2 TUMORS IN LIVER TREAT: STEM CELL REPLACEMENT/HERCEPTIN. 2002 - RECUR TO LIVER TREAT: NAVELBINE, THEN GEMZAR, THEN XELODA. 2004 - TUMORS STILL IN LIVER TREAT: RFA TO LIVER STABLE UNTIL 2004 - TUMOR PROGRESSION IN LIVER. TREAT: RESECT HALF OF LIVER. 2005 - RECURR TO LYMPH NODE OUTSIDE OF LIVER. TREAT: TAXOL/CARPO/HERCEPTIN. FAILED ON THIS TRIO. STARTED ON ABRAXANE. 2006 - PROGRESS WITH 2ND TUMOR GROWTH. TREAT: AUG. BEGAN ON TYKERB/XELODA TRIAL. CONSIDERED STABLE TO DATE. 2007 - TAKEN OFF OF TYKERB/XELODA TRIAL DUE TO PROGRESS STARTING TYKERB/AVASTIN. NOV 2007 - SCANS SHOW PROGRESS TUMOR GROWTH IN ABDOM. AND TWO NEW TUMORS IN NECK AREA. BEGAN HERCEPTIN/AVASTIN/TAXOTERE Feb 08 - Ixempra/Xeloda June 08 - Her/DM1 trial *"I WANT TO BE AN OUTRAGEOUS OLD WOMAN WHO* *NEVER GETS CALLED AN OLD LADY. I WANT TO GET SHARP EDGED & EARTH COLORED, TILL I FADE AWAY FROM PURE JOY."*