[ExpectAMiracle]

Thanks again to everyone for all of your wonderful support. I am so lucky to have found this site. I feel like a got a big "group hug" from everyone!

I printed out all of the articles that everyone gave me links to and delivered them this a.m. to my onc. office with a nice note. Fortunately, I had an appointment with my surgeon today because I had a "seroma" in my "lumpy" site and had to have it drained. She is an absolute angel. She asked how things went with the onc. and I told her the whole story. She called my onc. while I was there and told her that she definitely believes that I need Herceptin because while I am stage 1, node negative, I had a grade 3, poorly differentiated tumor and I am < 50 years old. The onc. told the surgeon that she agreed (!) and that she would do everything in her power to get it approved for me. She said she would file an appeal and see how they had gotten it approved for other women in my situation. That made me feel MUCH better. I can go ahead and start the TC (Taxotere and Cytoxan) and then add in Herceptin at whatever point it gets approved. I read some articles on this combo and it sounds fine. No heart toxicity like AC, but with better results.

To answer some questions from posts: I have Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield (of New York). Does anyone else have that? I am being treated at the Carilion Cancer Center which is THE gold standard in Roanoke and my onc. is in that facility. I believe you would consider them a private practice though. My surgeon assures me that she will help in any way she can and that in the end, my onc. is great and will make things happen.

I am going to take a few deep breaths and relax and see what happens over the next week or two. If they don't get the Herceptin approved, then I will have to start making some other contacts.

Again, you are all so wonderful and I thank you wholeheartedly for the warm outpouring of support during my "meltdown".

Hugs to all!