Update #2 on Please advise, time is running out

[wennydog]

Thanks to all of you who answered my post, gave me such wonderful encouragement, and prayed for Pat. Last week we were sure that she was in her final days. Family came to say goodbye and I began to make necessary plans. All of you told me not to give up and that a miracle was possible.WELL, YOU WERE RIGHT. She agreed to begin herceptin and doxorubicin. Almost immediately she began to respond. Her right arm decreased in size, ( Tumors are blocking her lymph system),her breathing eased and the epidermal rash across her scar and chest began to change color and lighten.Today she finally was able to walk in the hall to the nurse station and they are considering allowing her to go home on Tuesday. This is truly a miracle.

I have to say that she still seems aliitle depressed. Someone in an earlier post mentioned that fighting this disease can be such an emotional and physical roller coaster ride. I am trying to just be here for her.

Someone else mentioned saving the " big guns" for later. What drugs are considered the big guns and does anyone know anything about Doxorubicin?

Again thank you all for being such an inspiration to me.
Sincerely,
Donna, in Birmingham, Alabama

Pat Bailey 55 yo
2001 DX DCIS, mastectomy & reconn
2003 dx mets to lungs, double thoracotomy for bx, herceptin, navelbene,carbpl,
2005chest wall reoccurrance, rads, repeat herceptin, navelbene,carbopl
2006more mets to chest wall, axillary and rt neck lymph system, Taxotere, herceptin
x 2 treatments, inflammtion to lungs,pneumonia, stop taxotere , rads
2007disease progression to small intestine, rt. axilla, lungs,epirub,5FU,cytoxan x 2 tx
disease halted but counts so low and so weak that chemo stopped.
July2007 disease progression, given 3 weeks to live. Began herceptin, doxorubicin
2 weeks later ready to leave hopitaland ambulatory with assistance. Story to be continued