jjames,
Lani posted three wonderful videos on another post.
I have pasted the link below.
http://youtu.be/WSXrDap-O9M
Please take a moment to view as it will offer a positive lift without all the fear of treatment issues. We all realize this disease is nasty and we have to consider the risks and then balance that with what we consider to be vital to our life.
Dr. Slamon is the Dr. I flew out to see for help in my early days of dx.
He is wise, calming and an attentive medical researcher. He cuts to the chase with a no nonsense approach. He told me I more than likely saved my life by pushing ahead (at the time of my dx.) all dr. were going with the standard trt. for early stage Her2 gals. No chemo/or/herceptin. Now as I said earlier some gals were able to have their dr. just give herceptin but my insurance would not cover the treatment unless we followed the trial of TCH.
When I saw Dr. Slamon back then he told me he had just concluded the trials results of TCH and strongly urged me to have treatment. There was not a doubt in his mind. He was not as strongly concerned about the side effect that could be or maybe involved - he was more worried about HER2.
Now I did have higher KI 67 levels and I am strongly ER+ but as he clearly stated to me any women with Her2 should be treated. You can imagine my response as a patient fighting to have treatment and here this genius researcher dr. is agreeing that my dr's in NY had missed the boat. They were behind him in the newest cutting edge research, (following standard of care). Most dr.
will not venture out of that area. (understandable ) but my mind was on saving myself and turning over every stone of informatio and then making a medical decision that I would be comfortable living with.
Again, you must make the best medical decision for you based on knowledge
of the good, the bad and the ugly...but not on the fear of the unknown.
We do know what this Her2 disease can do.
Wishing you all the best.
Jean