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elcalabrese · 10-30-2006, 06:14 AM

Hello Ladies,
A quick version of my story.
I was dx in Jan 2000 at the age of 43 with lobular carcinoma stage 2b. I had a masectomy and 10 nodes removed. 5 were positive. I was er-/pr-, Her2 +++. I did the usual rounds of AC followed by 6 weeks of radiation. One year later I noticed pain in my left hip that would come and go but was become increasingly painful. I saw my onc in Feb and he suspected bone mets. Tumor markers were elevated and scans showed extensive mets to the bones.
So in April 2002 I began a treatment of Herceptin/Carboplatin/Taxotere. I had immediate results but the bone mets were causing extreme pain and I began to lose the use of my left arm because of a tumor that was pressing on my spine.
I had 4 weeks of radiation to the cervical/thoracic spine and 2 months later had 2 weeks of radiation to my left posterior ribs. After several months of treatment I was stable but my onc kept me on all drugs as a precaution. Unfortunately due to a lack of knowledge at the time, the consequences were severe. My lungs had been "fried". In Sept. 2003 I was taken off all treatments to allow my body to "rest". Monthly scans showed I was remaining stable and after a 6 month hiatus, I was put back on Herceptin on a weekly basis. March 2004 I resumed my weekly treatments and then in Sept 2005 I switched to every 3 weeks. My scans continue to remain stable.
I have now been on Herceptin for the better part of 4 1/2 years with tremendous success. I have lost most of my lung capacity but I consider this a small trade off because I am still here.
When I started this odyssey, I was told I would not live long enough to see my first child graduate from high school. Well not only did I get to watch him, I was there for my next child and I have another one getting ready to graduate this year. The last one will graduate in 2 years and I have no reason to believe I won't be around for that one too.
Eleanor (el)

10-30-2006, 06:14 AM	#1
elcalabrese Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 8	My Story Hello Ladies, A quick version of my story. I was dx in Jan 2000 at the age of 43 with lobular carcinoma stage 2b. I had a masectomy and 10 nodes removed. 5 were positive. I was er-/pr-, Her2 +++. I did the usual rounds of AC followed by 6 weeks of radiation. One year later I noticed pain in my left hip that would come and go but was become increasingly painful. I saw my onc in Feb and he suspected bone mets. Tumor markers were elevated and scans showed extensive mets to the bones. So in April 2002 I began a treatment of Herceptin/Carboplatin/Taxotere. I had immediate results but the bone mets were causing extreme pain and I began to lose the use of my left arm because of a tumor that was pressing on my spine. I had 4 weeks of radiation to the cervical/thoracic spine and 2 months later had 2 weeks of radiation to my left posterior ribs. After several months of treatment I was stable but my onc kept me on all drugs as a precaution. Unfortunately due to a lack of knowledge at the time, the consequences were severe. My lungs had been "fried". In Sept. 2003 I was taken off all treatments to allow my body to "rest". Monthly scans showed I was remaining stable and after a 6 month hiatus, I was put back on Herceptin on a weekly basis. March 2004 I resumed my weekly treatments and then in Sept 2005 I switched to every 3 weeks. My scans continue to remain stable. I have now been on Herceptin for the better part of 4 1/2 years with tremendous success. I have lost most of my lung capacity but I consider this a small trade off because I am still here. When I started this odyssey, I was told I would not live long enough to see my first child graduate from high school. Well not only did I get to watch him, I was there for my next child and I have another one getting ready to graduate this year. The last one will graduate in 2 years and I have no reason to believe I won't be around for that one too. Eleanor (el)