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KatherineM · 07-26-2014, 08:00 PM

Maureen - The stress on patients and their families is enormous! I keep having to remind myself that I've only known I had cancer for four months. How can one person process that, with all its ramifications and consequences? Families function, in duress, the same way they do normally -- only more so. With the same issues, the same personalities, just heightened and attenuated. I've been surprised by some friends and family who have really stepped up since my diagnosis, and disappointed in others who have kind of disappeared into the woodwork, or who promised things they didn't make good on, etc., and I've tried to not judge. You are the only one who can know if you're taking on too much, or if you need to ask for help. Make sure you have support for yourself, and do some things each day to try to alleviate the anxiety. Yoga helps me, meditation, and talking with my partner about what I need. He is unbelievably amazing, but I worry that he doesn't do enough for himself. So be kind to yourself. Tell your sister to start reading and posting on this site; she'll find a lot of company, practical suggestions, reassurance, and support. I hope she feels better soon. I'm starting to feel a little better, on the eve of Day 10.

Cheers, Katherine

07-26-2014, 08:00 PM	#23
KatherineM Senior Member Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 94	Re: Hello NEW Member Looking for info Maureen - The stress on patients and their families is enormous! I keep having to remind myself that I've only known I had cancer for four months. How can one person process that, with all its ramifications and consequences? Families function, in duress, the same way they do normally -- only more so. With the same issues, the same personalities, just heightened and attenuated. I've been surprised by some friends and family who have really stepped up since my diagnosis, and disappointed in others who have kind of disappeared into the woodwork, or who promised things they didn't make good on, etc., and I've tried to not judge. You are the only one who can know if you're taking on too much, or if you need to ask for help. Make sure you have support for yourself, and do some things each day to try to alleviate the anxiety. Yoga helps me, meditation, and talking with my partner about what I need. He is unbelievably amazing, but I worry that he doesn't do enough for himself. So be kind to yourself. Tell your sister to start reading and posting on this site; she'll find a lot of company, practical suggestions, reassurance, and support. I hope she feels better soon. I'm starting to feel a little better, on the eve of Day 10. Cheers, Katherine __________________ _______________________ Diagnosed 3/26/14 BC Stage 3a ER neg PR neg HER-2+ 5 cm tumor in left breast, needle node biopsy positive Started TCHP 4/25/14 - 6 rounds Oncologist can no longer feel tumor, after 4th round Chemo shrunk tumor to less than a mm Lumpectomy and axillary node dissection 9/3/14 Radiation for 5 weeks, with boost Herceptin until 4/3/15 CT Scan on 4/27 shows lung mets (lots of little ones on both sides, largest 1.6 cm) STAGE IV Lung biopsy shows still HER2+++/ER-/PR- Taxol with Herceptin and Perjeta May, June, July 2015 Lung mets reduced by 50% Just H&P through Fall 2015 11/15 Progression Back on Taxol with H&P January 2016 THP no longer working March 2016 Start Kadcyla 3/16 After first treatment, experienced low platelets, tongue turned black, had to have transfusion. Dry cough and shortness of breath for first week, improves over second and third. 4/16 Platelet transfusion after second treatment, blood blisters in mouth. Allergic reaction to platelets. 6/16 Kadcyla not working. Progression to liver, though lung mets smaller. 7/16 Start Xeloda and Tykerb. 11/16 Port infected. Taken out. Have to go off chemo. 1/17 Back on Xeloda and Tykerb 5/17 Tykerb and Herceptin 11/17 Navelbine and Herceptin 12/17 Progression in lungs, liver reevaluated, no progression 1/18 Haloven and Herceptin 2/18 Sloan Kettering consultation 3/18 Brain mets, 16 lesions, largest 16mm 3/18 Cyberknife to 16mm lesion 3/18 Haloven and Tykerb added 4/18 Scan shows all lesions significantly smaller! Some almost gone. Radiation oncologist says she's never seen anything like it 7/18 Brain scan shows progression, w/ with one new lesion. Don't want to do WBR. Will try for tucatinib. 8.15.18 Start Keytruda