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StephN · 05-04-2008, 11:30 AM

Thanks everyone for your caring thoughts. Did not mean to sound "nonchalant" about my experience, just trying to get it down in a concise way without a lot of chatter.

Funny that I never felt my life was in danger even when they told me upon terminating the procedure that my heart rate dropped the first time. The second time, they really went into action as it was down to 40 with blood pressure also dropped. I noted they also had a Crash Cart nearby if needed.

I had every confidence with the staff there as the gastro doc is a full professor/surgeon at the university and the nurse used to assist my brain surgeon. A couple of the other nurses also assisted Dr. Hickman with my port replacement. When you trust your body to a group of people naturally the ideal is to have no anxiety about their competence.

All through my long bout with breast cancer I have never felt that my "time" was near. Don't know if that is just de-Nile, but the life force seems to stay strong with me.

05-04-2008, 11:30 AM	#10
StephN Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Misty woods of WA State Posts: 4,128	Even better today! Thanks everyone for your caring thoughts. Did not mean to sound "nonchalant" about my experience, just trying to get it down in a concise way without a lot of chatter. Funny that I never felt my life was in danger even when they told me upon terminating the procedure that my heart rate dropped the first time. The second time, they really went into action as it was down to 40 with blood pressure also dropped. I noted they also had a Crash Cart nearby if needed. I had every confidence with the staff there as the gastro doc is a full professor/surgeon at the university and the nurse used to assist my brain surgeon. A couple of the other nurses also assisted Dr. Hickman with my port replacement. When you trust your body to a group of people naturally the ideal is to have no anxiety about their competence. All through my long bout with breast cancer I have never felt that my "time" was near. Don't know if that is just de-Nile, but the life force seems to stay strong with me. __________________ "When I hear music, I fear no danger. I am invulnerable. I see no foe. I am related to the earliest times, and to the latest." H.D. Thoreau Live in the moment. MY STORY SO FAR ~~~~ Found suspicious lump 9/2000 Lumpectomy, then node dissection and port placement Stage IIB, 8 pos nodes of 18, Grade 3, ER & PR - Adriamycin 12 weekly, taxotere 4 rounds 36 rads - very little burning 3 mos after rads liver full of tumors, Stage IV Jan 2002, one spot on sternum Weekly Taxol, Navelbine, Herceptin for 27 rounds to NED! 2003 & 2004 no active disease - 3 weekly Herceptin + Zometa Jan 2005 two mets to brain - Gamma Knife on Jan 18 All clear until treated cerebellum spot showing activity on Jan 2006 brain MRI & brain PET Brain surgery on Feb 9, 2006 - no cancer, 100% radiation necrosis - tumor was still dying Continue as NED while on Herceptin & quarterly Zometa Fall-2006 - off Zometa - watching one small brain spot (scar?) 2007 - spot/scar in brain stable - finished anticoagulation therapy for clot along my port-a-catheter - 3 angioplasties to unblock vena cava 2008 - Brain and body still NED! Port removed and scans in Dec. Dec 2008 - stop Herceptin - Vaccine Trial at U of W begun in Oct. of 2011 STILL NED everywhere in Feb 2014 - on wing & prayer 7/14 - Started twice yearly Zometa for my bones Jan. 2015 checkup still shows NED 2015 Neuropathy in feet - otherwise all OK - still NED. Same news for 2016 and all of 2017. Nov of 2017 - had small skin cancer removed from my face. Will have Zometa end of Jan. 2018.