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Old 11-15-2007, 08:30 PM   #10
Andrea Barnett Budin
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: LAND OF YES! w/home in Boca Raton, Florida Orig from L.I., N.Y. Ever hovering IN THE NOW...
Posts: 1,904
Wink YOU NEED A PLAN... Here's mine.

Just like Maryanne, I begin at my toes, feet, ankles, shin bone, calf and work my way up SLOWLY -- relaxing ea body part. one at a time. This includes chin, cheeks, lips, you get it... Then I imagine that I weight 5 tons! LOL. I feel my cement self laying there, then -- I a a feather! I drift up, in to the stratosphere. Able to look down at the whole scene, removed -- The Witness, serene. Then I visit a special place. I like this field with knee high grass and wild flowers of purple, coral, red blowing in the breeze. I am beside a waterfall, strong yet gentle. I hear the water surging and hitting the pond which reflects the magnificent trees surrounding it. The mirror image mesmerizes me. Like a Monet painting... The sun is glorious and sky that heavenly blue. I am in the clouds and on the ground. I bring Andrea Bocelli's Romanze to listen to -- his voice transports me with ease... Everyone at the Imaging Center thanks me for the treat. They play him for ALL to enjoy. I am SOMEPLACE ELSE. Eyes closed. The noise pretty much obliterated. I nap. The noise annoying awakens me from time to time as I drift in reverie. OH, AND I TAKE 1 1/2 ATIVAN THE NIGHT BEFORE. AND 1 1/2 ATIVAN AN HOUR BEFORE W/2 BENEDRYL (TO CONTERACT ANY POSSIBLE ALLERGIC REATION TO THE CONTRAST) -- doc's orders, as I am a panic attack claustrophic. That's my system and it works divinely without incident. I wish the same for you. And good results too. DO NOT DRIVE. GO HOME AND PLAN TO *REST* COMFORTABLY FOR MOST OF THE REST OF THE DAY. I always take the first available appointment...
Andi
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Andi BB
'95 post-meno dx Invasive LOBULAR w/9cm tumor! YIKES + 2/21 nodes. Clear mammo 10 mnths earlier. Mastec/tram flap reconst/PORT/8 mnths chemo (4Adria/8CMF). Borderline ER/PR. Tamoxifen 2 yrs. Felt BLESSED. I could walk and talk, feed and bathe myself! I KNEW I would survive...

'98 -- multiple mets to liver. HER2+ 80%. ER/PR- Raging, highly aggressive tumors spreading fast. New PORT. 9 mnths Taxotere Fought fire w/fire! Pronounced in cautious remission 5/99. Taxotere weekly for 6 wks, 2 wks off -- for 9 mnths. TALK ABOUT GRUELING! (I believe they've altered that protocol since those days -- sure hope so!!)
+ good old Vit H wkly for 1st 3 yrs, then triple dosage ev 3 wks for 7 yrs more... The "easy" chemo, right?! Not a walk in the park, but not a freight train coming at 'ya either...

Added Herceptin Nov '98 (6 wks after FDA fast-tracked it for met bc). Stayed w/Vit H till July '08! Now I AM FREE! Humbly and eternally grateful for this life-saving drug! NED since '99 and planning on keeping it that way. To hell w/poor prognosis and nasty stats! STOPPED VIT H JULY '08...! REMAIN STABLE... Eternally grateful...Yes is a world & in this world of yes live (skillfully curled) all worlds ... (e e cummings) EVERY DAY I BEAT MY PREVIOUS RECORD FOR # OF CONSECUTIVE DAYS I'VE STAYED ALIVE. Smile KNOWING you too can be a miracle. Up to me and God now...
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