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Hi - to the "frightened one" -
There is a point for all of us when we just look at our future as a big black hole with the word cancer forming a question mark.
It sounds like you are doing you very best to be informed of the possible routes your cancer could take. This is a brave step in itself! Many women just want their treatment and then go back to their lives and let nature take its course. They just go along as if there is no threat to them. I have friends who are not HER2 positive and many of them are able to follow the aforesaid path. Those of us with HER2 really need to be more on guard even if it is out of some form of fear.
You have been able to do a LOT more for yourself against the cancer than many of us stage IV had the opportunity to do earlier. For instance, I could not have Herceptin - at least not assured of it and the trial was random at that time. Also the trial involved standard drugs with or without Herceptin. My med onc and I opted for more aggressive new drugs at the outset knowing that Herceptin was there for me in future need. "Future need" came along pretty quickly, but I got the cancer under control and have lived a very full life being off chemo for over 3 years now.
If nothing else, you MUST believe that even if there is not a cure, this disease can be managed like other chronic conditions. Look at what Christine has been able to do with her life being stage IV for so many years. She got this site going with her devoted hubby and they are always busy!
Knowledge should equal power, not fear. Try to get your mind around that concept, OK? And keep your health insurance paid up - NO matter what.
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