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06-24-2007, 06:50 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Sheboygan, WI
Posts: 2,582
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2 year annivesary today
Hello everyone,
Just wanted to share with everyone here that today is my 2 year anniversary as a survivor. I was diagnosed 2 years ago today. Thankfully, I am NED to date and pray it continues. I've learned to live my life way differently!!! First and definitely foremost for me is to live each day absolutely to the fullest. I grab a hold of each moment now and enjoy it. I thank God daily for this life He's given me and know ultimately, that whatever happens or doesn't happen is really out of my control. I do eat better (but not perfect - hey life is short ), I exercise daily (but have been doing that for approximately 15 years), take a few supplements and am trying to learn how to relax and enjoy the ride. And, I must admit.......I was a happy person before breast cancer but am WAY happier now. My life has been truly blessed in countless ways (I couldn't even begin to share the blessings as my post wouldn't fit). So, you can see....life has been good since June 24, 2005.
I'm learning to live with my "new" self and that dear friends, isn't always easy. The worry of a recurrence is frightening but it's something I try to keep in perspective as well. As I said earlier, I feel it's really out of my hands although I find myself (that control freak part of me) trying to be in control and that's when the journey is harder. So, I try to sit back and enjoy the ride and for the most part it is getting easier and easier.
Now, the most important part of my post. To thank everyone of you for all your encouragement, love and support you've given to me during these 2 years. Those blessings I was speaking of earlier......well, you dear friends are definitely part of those blessings. I've learned a lot from you........I've cried with you..........I've prayed for you....................I've asked for help and support from you............................................... ................and for all this I say "thank you all so much. May the gracious God we all serve bless and keep each of you and give you Peace."
Love,
Mary Jo
__________________
"Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10
Dx. 6/24/05 age 45 Right Breast IDC ER/PR. Neg., - Her2+++ RB Mast. - 7/28/05 - 4 cm. tumor Margins clear - 1 microscopic cell 1 sent. node No Vasucular Invasion 4 DD A/C - 4 DD Taxol & Herceptin 1 full year of Herceptin received every 3 weeks 28 rads prophylactic Mast. 3/2/06
17 Years NED
<>< Romans 8:28
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06-24-2007, 07:00 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Southern, CA
Posts: 2,511
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Maryjo, That is just fantastic! Big Congratulation on your two year Anniversary! What a well written post as I can relate to many of those same feelings. I got a laugh out of your comment about eating better. I can SO RELATE to that too. Ha! Anyway...may you and NED live happily ever after.  (That NED sure gets around...doesn't he.) lol
Chelee
__________________
DX: 12-20-05 - Stage IIIA, Her2/Neu, 3+++,Er & Pr weakly positive, 5 of 16 pos nodes.
Rt. MRM on 1-3-06 -- No Rads due to compromised lungs.
Chemo started 2-7-06 -- TCH - - Finished 6-12-06
Finished yr of wkly herceptin 3-19-07
3-15-07 Lt side prophylactic simple mastectomy. -- Ooph 4-05-07
9-21-09 PET/CT "Recurrence" to Rt. axllia, Rt. femur, ilium. Possible Sacrum & liver? Now stage IV.
9-28-09 Loading dose of Herceptin & started Zometa
9-29-09 Power Port Placement
10-24-09 Mass 6.4 x 4.7 cm on Rt. femur head.
11-19-09 RT. Femur surgery - Rod placed
12-7-09 Navelbine added to Herceptin/Zometa.
3-23-10 Ten days of rads to RT femur. Completed.
4-05-10 Quit Navelbine--Herceptin/Zometa alone.
5-4-10 Appt. with Dr. Slamon to see what is next? Waiting on FISH results from femur biopsy.
Results to FISH was unsuccessful--this happens less then 2% of the time.
7-7-10 Recurrence to RT axilla again. Back to UCLA for options.
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06-24-2007, 08:12 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Thornhill, Ontario
Canada
Posts: 2,320
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Mary Jo,
Wow - it's the big 2 year anniverary - Congratulations, may your dance with NED continue for years and years.
All the best
Caya
__________________
ER90%+/PR 50%+/HER 2+
1.7 cm and 1.0 cm.
Stage 1, grade 2, Node Negative (16 nodes tested)
MRM Dec.18/06
3 x FEC, 3 x Taxotere
Herceptin - every 3 weeks for a year, finished May 8/08
Tamoxifen - 2 1/2 years
Femara - Jan. 1, 2010 - July 18, 2012
BRCA1/BRCA2 Negative
Dignosed 10/16/06, age 48 , premenopausal
Mild lymphedema diagnosed June 2009 - breast surgeon and lymph. therapist think it's completely reversible - hope so.
Reclast infusion January 2012
Oopherectomy October 2013
15 Years NED!!
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06-24-2007, 08:18 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Ohio
Posts: 212
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Mary Jo, thanks for sharing your happy 2nd anniversary news with us--time to celebrate! I hope you enjoy many more years living cancer-free and with that hard-earned knowledge of how precious life is and the blessings each day brings.
__________________
Audrey
diagnosed July 2001, at age 36
large tumor, 11+ nodes
Stage IIIb, er/pr-, Her2+
treated with A/C, weekly Taxol
radiation, + year of Herceptin
on clinical trial. double mastectomy
followed by reconstruction
NED!!
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06-24-2007, 08:39 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 823
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A BIG CONGRATS on your two year anniversay.
May you have many, many more years NED.
__________________
Vicki
Texas
Biopsy Dx'd 3-23-05 Age 48
MRM 4-5-05 w/ 2 tumor's 5cm, and 6 cm (right side)
IDC (poorly differentiated infiltrating ductual carcinoma)
5+/16 nodes
Stage III A
Grade 3
ER/PR-, Her2/neu ++
Ki67 78%
Begin Chemo 5-2-05 4XAC Dose Dense , 4X Abraxane Dose Dense (ended August 05)
28 Rad's ended October 13 2005
Started Herceptin Weekly August 2005 for one year
Had a Simple mastectomy left side after Mamo showed incresed micro-calcifications. Jan. 17 2006.
Brain MRI Feb.2006--All Clear
August 28, 2006 Last Weekly Herceptin.
October 2006--Colonoscopy, 6 Polyp's removed--all B9
PET Scan July 2007
Abdominal MRI Oct. 2007---2 Right Kidney Cysts
Core Biopsy-- Lump on Scar Line 1-10-08---B9
Brain MRI 6-2008--All Clear
PET/CT Scan 6-2008
Sept. 8 2008, 4CM area removed from mastectomy scar line. Proved to be B9.
PET/CT Scan-- July 2009 --All clear
August 17,2009 ---Had Port Removed
6 Years NED -- April 5,2011
DX'd with Melanoma left arm 10-10-2011
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06-24-2007, 09:11 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: So California
Posts: 223
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congratulations!
Mary Jo:
Congratulations on your two year anniversary. I know how important that date is, esp in light of you staying NED. You humble me Mary Jo. You are such an example for all of us. I believe that your life is better; better in the sense that your circle has widened and you can share your wisdom with so many more people. I can not begin to tell you how much you have impacted my sister's life with your words of encouragement, friendship etc. I pray that things continue to go well with you, that our loving Father continues to watch over you and that the people you touch continues to grow and grow. You glorify our Father with your words everyday!
Lisa
P. S. On a totally different note, I took my six year old to see Surf's Up today at the movies. One of the main characters, the chicken, was from your home turf, Sheboygan, Wisconsin. I couldn't help but think of you when that flashed on the screen.
__________________
Leslie's Sister (Lisa)
Diagnosed 5/17/06
Left breast Stage II
5 cm. Her2Neu+++, ER-, PR-
1 positive node out of six,
double mastectomy 6/9/06;
TCH started 7/12/06
last chemo 10/25/06
herceptin ended 6-11-07
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06-25-2007, 05:13 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: RHODE ISLAND
(Ed getting me a latte on 2nd Cancerversary Cruise 2008)
'BELIEVE': To accept as true or real, To have faith in, To presume
ALWAYS BELIEVE
Posts: 2,999
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Great News Marejo
You are in heart today and always, our prayers forever and etched into our souls for an eternity; we are thanking you right back My Special Angel!!! There is a part of you inside of my husband and myself and with that we have appreciated your advice, wiped your tears in our minds, prayed for you (especially harder when needed). We have become better educated, less fearful....all because we are blessed enough to have you in our lives. I am so excited for you and sharing that news with us makes me even happier, it makes us feel so closer to you. You are an incredible person and having you in our lives has helped enrich it even more. Yes My Love, we too feel we are better people just because WE KNOW YOU!!!!
Today we celebrate in your glory!! You shall engulf my major thoughts today, I will shine from the inside out because of your blessings. Again, Thank You Marejo for sharing and caring.
Congratulations on your 2 year Anniversary
__________________
9/7/06Husband 50yrs=StageIV IBC/HER2+,BoneMets10/06TaxotereX10,'H'1X wk,Zometa,Tamoxifen4/12/07Last Tax5/18/07Pet=Rapid Cell Activity,No Organ Mets,Lytic Lesions,Degeneration,Some Bone Repair5/07ChemoFail6/01/07Pleural Thoracentisis=Effusions,NoMalignantCells6/19/07+7/2/07DFCI
6/25/07BrainMRI=BrainMets,Many<9mm7/10/07WBR/PelvisRad37.5Gx15&Nutritionist8/19/07T/X9/20/07BrainMRI=2<2mm10/6/07Pet=BoneProgression
10/24/07ChemoFail11/9/07A/Cx10,EndTam12/7/07Faslodex12/10/07Muga7512/13/07BlasticLesions1/7/08BrainMRI=Clear4/1/08Pet=BoneImprovement,
NoProgression,Stable4/7/08BrainPerfect5/16/08Last A/C8/26/08BrainMets=10(<9mm)9/10/08Gamma10/30/08Met=5mm12/19/08Gamma5mets5
12/22/08SpinalMets1/14/09SpinalRads2/17/09BrainMRI=NoNewMets4/20/09BoneScan5/14/09Ixempra6/1/09BrainMRI=NumerousMets6/24/09DFCIw/DrBurstein6/26/09Continue
Ixempra/Faslodex/Zometa~TM now lower7/17/09Stop Ixempra By Choice9/21/09HOSPICE10/16/09Earned His Deserved Wings And Halo=37 Month Fight w/Stage 4 IBC, Her2+++,My Hero!!
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06-25-2007, 06:05 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Poland Ohio just a little south of Youngstown.
Posts: 473
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Mary Jo, I am so happy for you! Big congratulations on your two years! What a wonderful post, it made my day.
__________________
Susan
Age: 61
dx: 5/25/06
2 cm/ 0 nodes
Lumpectomy rt breast on 7/26/06
ER/PR- / Her2+++
A/C x 4
finished taxotere 2/07
finished 33 rads
Herceptin finished 12/07/07 Yippee!
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06-25-2007, 07:15 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Posts: 1,516
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Congratulations...
Mary Jo!!!! And MANY more anniversaries Take care and God bless.
Rhonda
__________________
Rhonda
Dx 2/1/05, Stage 1, 0 nodes, Grade 3, ER/PR-, HER2+ (3.16 Fish)
2/7/05, Partial Mastectomy
5/18/05 Finished 6 rounds of dose dense TEC (Taxotere, Epirubicin and Cytoxan)
8/1/05 Finished 33 rads
8/18/05 Started Herceptin, every 3 weeks for a year (last one 8/10/06)
2/1/13...8 year Cancerversary and I am "perfect" (at least where cancer is concerned;)
" And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years."- Abraham Lincoln
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06-25-2007, 09:12 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Acworth, GA
Posts: 2,104
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Congratulations MareJo! You have such a positive outlook, I'm sure you'll have many more NED anniversaries to celebrate. It's always encouraging to hear good news!
__________________
Kate
Stage IIIC Diagnosed Oct 25, 2005 (age 58)
ER/PR-, HER2+++, grade 3, Ploidy/DNA index: Aneuploid/1.61, S-phase: 24.2%
Neoadjunct chemo: 4 A/C; 4 Taxatore
Bilateral mastectomy June 8, 2006
14 of 26 nodes positive
Herceptin June 22, 2006 - April 20, 2007
Radiation (X35) July 24-September 11, 2006
BRCA1/BRCA2 negative
Stage IV lung mets July 13, 2007 - TCH
Single brain met - August 6, 2007 -CyberKnife
Oct 2007 - clear brain MRI and lung mets shrinking.
March 2008 lung met progression, brain still clear - begin Tykerb/Xeloda/Ixempra
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06-25-2007, 10:32 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: indianapolis, indiana
Posts: 1,544
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Congratulations! I know how happy you are to be NED as well.
__________________
dxd 9-04, lumpectomy,
st 1, gr 3, er,pr-, her2 +,
2 tac,33 rads,6 cmf
1 yr herceptin,
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06-25-2007, 12:18 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 37
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CONGRATS on your 2nd anniversary!!!!!!!!!! I agree with the others that this was such a special post and you have such a great outlook. I always enjoy your posts and learn so much from them----laugh---cry---and praise God. Thanks!
Kacey
__________________
dx 9-13-05 MRM (lt)on 9-19-05
IDC stage llb grade 2 3/24 nodes+
ER/PR- Her2+++
Groshong placed 10-13-05 and chemo started
TCH x6 and continue Herceptin for one year every 3 wks
Rads x 33 (at the end of chemo) finished 4-01-06
20 months NED
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06-25-2007, 01:17 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2006
Location: California
Posts: 668
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Congrats!
Dear Sister: I'm celebrating for you and your 2nd Anniversary cancer free. We all learn to prioritize our needs and keep everything in perspective. So happy to hear such great news. Please keep us posted.
__________________
1994 - rt brst, .lump, underarm node dissection,chemo+rad 1.2 cms, Grade 3.
28 nodes neg
Er,Pr, Positive HER2 status unknown
2003- Recur to rt lung.July 16 ( B-Day!)
Her2+++ Er,Pr, Negative
2003 - Aug04--Navelbine + Herceptin
2004- 2007--NED - Herceptin, only
2007 Feb-April Xeloda added to hereceptin
2007-May Back on Navelbine+Herceptin
2008-Feb-Mar 15 Ses Rad to Rt. Lung
2008- Oc 17 Add Tykerb to Herceptin
2009- June-- Discont Tykerb
2009 July 7--Current Taxol + Herceptin
2009 Dec--Discontinued treatment due to progression. Looking into cyberknife.
2010-Aug Accepted to TDM1, no SE, except liver count went up.
2010-2011 September got kicked out of the trial, due to a small spot found on lung.
2011- 2012 September thru early 2013 on Herceptin
2013- March Bone density shows small spot on 5th rib.
2013 - April 4th appt with onc. will post after discussing course of treatment.
2013-March-April Cyber knife to brain and radiation to rib. Chest --base line before chemo-CT-Scan stable for lung issue. CA2729 Normal.
2013 April Herceptin- TDMI
2013 Sept Herceptin + Perjeta . CA2729 within normal range. Brain and Pet scans October 31st. will post results.
2013 October Brain MRI- mixed response. Will see Onc/rad on Halloween.
2013 October/November Brain-MRI nothing new. Repeat MRI next year in May.
2013 December Continue Herceptin and Perjeta. Stable at the moment.
2014 February Brain MRI -clear!
2014 January Added Taxotere to Perjeta+Herceptin.
2014 March Stopped chemo-chest ct-scan next.
2014- March Scans shows tumor's larger, CA2729 higher. Discontinue Herceptin.
2014 April Perjeta+ Halaven
2014 April CA2729 went down 60 points after one cycle. Cough does not want to go away.
2014 June Continue on Perjeta + Halaven-- no more cough. Stable
2014 June Back on Herceptin + abraxane
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06-25-2007, 02:46 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Stockton, NJ
Posts: 4,179
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Congratulations on reaching this important milestone Mary Jo!
__________________
Kind regards
Becky
Found lump via BSE
Diagnosed 8/04 at age 45
1.9cm tumor, ER+PR-, Her2 3+(rt side)
2 micromets to sentinel node
Stage 2A
left 3mm DCIS - low grade ER+PR+Her2 neg
lumpectomies 9/7/04
4DD AC followed by 4 DD taxol
Used Leukine instead of Neulasta
35 rads on right side only
4/05 started Tamoxifen
Started Herceptin 4 months after last Taxol due to
trial results and 2005 ASCO meeting & recommendations
Oophorectomy 8/05
Started Arimidex 9/05
Finished Herceptin (16 months) 9/06
Arimidex Only
Prolia every 6 months for osteopenia
NED 18 years!
Said Christopher Robin to Pooh: "You must remember this: You're braver than you believe and stronger than you seem and smarter than you think"
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06-25-2007, 03:53 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 3,154
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Mary Jo,
Happy "NEW BIRTHDAY TO YOU"
and MANY MORE....................
Sending you a big hug!
Jean
__________________
Stage 1, Grade 1, 3/30/05
Lumpectomy 4/15/05 - 6MM IDC
Node Neg. (Sentinel node)
ER+ 90% / PR-, Her2+++ by FISH
Ki-67 40%
Arimidex 5/05
Radiation 32 trt, 5/30/05
Oncotype DX test 4/17/06, 31% high risk
TOPO 11 neg. 4/06
Stopped Arimidex 5/06
TCH 5/06, 6 treatments
Herceptin 5/06 - for 1 yr.
9/06 Completed chemo
Started Femara Sept. 2006
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06-25-2007, 04:26 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 2,357
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Hip Hip Hooray to you Mary Jo!
We'll celebrate with you on each of your upcoming anniversaries!
ma
__________________
MA in TX.
Grateful for each and every day....
Diag. 12/05 at age 60
Stage II, Grade 3, 4.5 cm primary tumor
ER/PR- Her2 +3 strongly positive
Her2 by FISH 7.7 amplified
vascular invasion
Ki67 20% borderline
Jan - March '06 Taxotere/Adriamycin X 3 to try to shrink tumor - it grew
April '06 Rt Modified Radical Mas, 7 of 9 nodes positive
April - Aug. '06 Herceptin/Taxol/Carboplatin X 8 (dose dense)
Sept - Dec. '06 Navelbine/Herceptin x 8 (dose dense)
Radiation & Herceptin Jan. 22 - March 1, 2007
Finished Herceptin Dec. 10 '08! One extra year.
Port removed August, 2012.
8 1/2 years since diagnosis! 5 1/2 Years NED!
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06-26-2007, 12:48 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: SW Virginia
Posts: 50
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Congratulations on your 2nd anniversary! I always enjoy your posts and you are always so positive and uplifting! You are such an inspiration to a relative "newbie" like me.
I'm praying that you will be NED for many years to come! God bless you and your wonderful family!
__________________
Susan in VA
Determined to be a VICTOR not VICTIM - by the grace of God!
DX 2/8/07 at 48
1.75 cm IDC in left breast, Stage 1
Grade 3, ER-/PR-/HER 3+
Lumpectomy 3/7/07, 5/5 nodes clear, clear margins
Starting TCH on 4/9/07, every 3 weeks X 4 treatments - Completed on 6/12/2007
33 rads to began 7/2/07 and completed on 8/22/07
Herceptin every 3 weeks until April '08
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06-25-2007, 05:37 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 274
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Dear Mary Jo,
Congratulations on your second anniversary. May the Lord continue to Bless you and yours. You are always so uplifting. All the best and many, many more to come.
Sincerely,
Liz J.
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06-25-2007, 07:06 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Mountains of Virginia
Posts: 2,267
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Marejo,
Big congratulations! What a wonderful day for you and thank you for sharing it with us. You are an inspiration and I hope you celebrate many more years of NED.
May God hold you in the palm of his hand.....
________
TeaseMaid live
Last edited by sassy; 08-22-2011 at 09:20 AM..
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06-25-2007, 09:49 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 96
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2 years out!
Mary Jo,
CONGRATULATIONS!! My 2 year is coming up next month as well. It is a big milestone and I hope that you celebrate and dance with joy (and with NED)!
Your post was very nicely written and touched me in a way that I am sure many others were touched as well.
Hugs,
Patricia
__________________
age 37 @ dx 7/21/05: IDC 1.5cm, grade III, Stage 1c, ER /PR+, HER2+,
7/29/05: Partial Mastectomy
dx 8/15/05: Papillary Thyroid Cancer
9/15/05: Total Thyroidectomy
A/C X 4 DD, 11 weekly Taxol + Herceptin, + 9 mos Herceptin Alone, 36x Rads, Lupron, Aromasin
7/29/07: 2 years NED :)
8/6/07 Oopherectomy (Lupron no more! :-)
Aromasin & Estring plus Synthroid and supplements
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