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Dear Lynn,
I just realized as I was reading your post that it was five years ago this month that I became a stage IV. I too had gone for a routine 6 month blood draw and my tumor markers were elevated. It really didn't register with me that I could be in trouble because just 4 yrs earlier I had had what was thought to be the Mother of all treatments (mastectomy, 4 cycles of AC, followed by high dose chemo with stem cell rescue, then 6 weeks radiation) I really thought I was cured. Anyway, my cancer was back big time, spread throughout my liver.
I too was told that the average survival for metastatic cancer was about 18 months. I have had my ups and downs, but overall my quality of life has been excellent. I have been on Herceptin only for 3 yrs. now. I did have Gamma Knife for a single brain lesion last summer, but I only missed about 3 days of riding, and did an endurance ride just a couple of weeks later.
In fact, when I think about it, in many ways my life is better. I am doing things that I just used to think about doing "some day". Each day certainly means more to me than ever before. So just remember, nobody knows how much time any of us have. Just take one day at a time and set little goals for yourself, and reward yourself bigtime whenever you feel like it!
You just hang in there and remember, we Her2 gals are making history and changing the face of metastatic disease.
Kim in CA
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