Re: update I hate to give
Dear Chris -
I feared your silence meant that things were not going so well. You have been and continue to be very brave and plunge on battle after battle.
When I thought my timer was nearing the dinging point a few years back, I could see all the pain and suffering in the eyes of my family and loved ones. That brought me up short. They tried so hard to be helpful and not show their feelings, but it comes through all the same. It is very hard to reassure your close ones at that stage, but you will do it through love and grace.
My "papers" were not ready either, and that seemed more of reaction to a death knell than tidying up in any event.
My prayers are with you. I will never forget the great time we had as roomies at the swanky spa Miraval. We were free to be ourselves, wander the grounds, have spa services and wonderful treatments like the watsu we discovered. That was WAY back in early January of 2008.
__________________
"When I hear music, I fear no danger. I am invulnerable. I see no foe. I am related to the earliest times, and to the latest." H.D. Thoreau
Live in the moment.
MY STORY SO FAR ~~~~
Found suspicious lump 9/2000
Lumpectomy, then node dissection and port placement
Stage IIB, 8 pos nodes of 18, Grade 3, ER & PR -
Adriamycin 12 weekly, taxotere 4 rounds
36 rads - very little burning
3 mos after rads liver full of tumors, Stage IV Jan 2002, one spot on sternum
Weekly Taxol, Navelbine, Herceptin for 27 rounds to NED!
2003 & 2004 no active disease - 3 weekly Herceptin + Zometa
Jan 2005 two mets to brain - Gamma Knife on Jan 18
All clear until treated cerebellum spot showing activity on Jan 2006 brain MRI & brain PET
Brain surgery on Feb 9, 2006 - no cancer, 100% radiation necrosis - tumor was still dying
Continue as NED while on Herceptin & quarterly Zometa
Fall-2006 - off Zometa - watching one small brain spot (scar?)
2007 - spot/scar in brain stable - finished anticoagulation therapy for clot along my port-a-catheter - 3 angioplasties to unblock vena cava
2008 - Brain and body still NED! Port removed and scans in Dec.
Dec 2008 - stop Herceptin - Vaccine Trial at U of W begun in Oct. of 2011
STILL NED everywhere in Feb 2014 - on wing & prayer
7/14 - Started twice yearly Zometa for my bones
Jan. 2015 checkup still shows NED
2015 Neuropathy in feet - otherwise all OK - still NED.
Same news for 2016 and all of 2017.
Nov of 2017 - had small skin cancer removed from my face. Will have Zometa end of Jan. 2018.
Last edited by StephN; 04-05-2013 at 03:27 PM..
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