[Joannie]

Hi All:
Well, I finally had my onc. appointment this a.m. I left her office in tears. I told her I'm still debating to take Herceptin even though I'm 2 years and 3 months out of chemo (currently NED). She said "You know the data" doesn't support you taking it, but she will give it to me (not that she is recommending it). I told her that I don't want to live with regrets and I just can't seem to "get on" with my life because I wonder about this everyday. She told me she has a patient whose situation is very similar to mine and she went to the Mayo clinic for a 2nd opinion. They told her the same thing....blah blah blah, no evidence to show that it will help. She came back and is now taking Herceptin (her choice) through my onc. office.
This has been one of the hardest decisions of my life. At this point, I am leaning toward taking Herceptin beginning the first of the year. My other obstacle is that I have insurance through my husband's work. It is a very small company and due to all of my health claims from chemo/surgery, it has driven their prices thorugh the ceiling. To insure two families (mine and the owners), the policy cost $33,000 last year, of which the company paid $24,000!!! They are currently shopping for new insurance so I don't know what January will bring as far as insurance and if it will be covered. Currently, Anthem (my insurance) says they will cover it. So many hurdles!
As the nurse was drawing my blood today, I had this discussion with her. She said my onc. won't recommend it bc. she has the follow the NCI guidelines, however, if she were in my shoes, she would probably take it. She says it is very well tolerated and they would do Muga scans every 3 months. My onc. also said every week dosage is easier on the heart vs. every three weeks.
I want to thank all of you who continue to inspire me every day of my life. If I would not have found this website early on, I'm sure that I wouldn't even have the knowledge to even pursue things like this. I read this board daily and have found so much valuable information. Thank you for all you do, the support you provide, and the understanding of this disease that we all share. The funny thing is, no one really knows that I have been pursuing this drug. By that I mean friends and most of my family. I have only shared with a couple people who really understand. Everyone just thinks, it's life as usual. Little do they know what we live with day to day. God bless you all and thank you again for your continued support.
Joannie