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11-26-2009, 09:29 PM
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#21
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 3,142
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Re: How do you feel during the holidays?
I am not sure if this is the correct thread to share this, but I would like to tell you about my Thanksgiving. I was watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and starting to prepare some food for today when the phone rang.
It was my oncologist calling !! I wished him a Happy Thanksgiving and wondered why he was calling on a holiday. I thought "What's up?"
He asked me if I was going to be home in about an hour, because he wanted to stop by. I said, "yes" still wondering what he was up to. I gave him directions to my apartment and promised to meet him in the lobby of my building since it was his first time here and my apartment is not the easiest place to find. I thought I could go and stand on the street and look for him if I didn't see him in an hour.
He came by with his little daughter and presented me with a bouquet of flowers, an apple pie and some French bread. We sat and chatted about other things besides my health and played with his daughter for about 30 minutes. He said he just wanted to wish me a Happy Thanksgiving before heading off to dinner with his wife, children and extended family. I shared the food with my neighbors since we had already agreed to share our food this Thanksgiving. I put the flowers in my big vase and placed it in a place where I can see it from every direction in my tiny living room.
My oncologist and I don't always agree on everything, but he has always been a very nice person and I am still alive and kicking, so we must be doing something right.
I am thankful to have some nice doctors. My favorites are my oncologist, my naturopathic physician and my dermatologist. I also like my former oncologist who now lives in Asia. We still keep in touch by e-mail at his request.
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11-27-2009, 11:54 AM
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#22
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Misty woods of WA State
Posts: 4,128
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Re: How do you feel during the holidays?
Hi -
We know there are a lot of good-hearted people "out there." I would expect a friend or church member to bring food, but my oncologist??
Elaine, maybe that is the difference between living on a tropical island and a big, cold, busy, spread out city! Such a nice experience to share with us!
__________________
"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.
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11-27-2009, 05:37 PM
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#23
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Ireland
Posts: 3,463
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Re: How do you feel during the holidays?
Elaine, how amazing!!!
I'm speechless!!!!
__________________
Tricia
Dx July '05 IDC 1.9cm Triple positive 3/9 nodes positive
A/C X 4 ..Taxol/Herceptin x 12 wks then herceptin 1 yr
Rads x 36 ..oophorectomy August '06
Currently taking Arimidex..
June 2011 osteopenia/ zometa x1 yearly- stopped Zometa 2015 as Dexa show normal bone density.
Stopped Arimidex July 2014- Restarted Arimidex 2015 for a further two years on the advice of my Onc.
2014 Normal Dexa scan
2018 Mammo all clear, still NED!
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11-27-2009, 07:18 PM
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#24
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Northern California
Posts: 764
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Re: How do you feel during the holidays?
I can't even imagine my Onc doing that. Thanks for sharing that story with us. He's a keeper.
Tonya
__________________
DX 02/01/07
2.5 cm, Er/Pr-, Her2+++
18/20 Nodes
03/07 CT & Bone scan - Clear
AC x 4, Taxol x 4, Added Herceptin
Radiation until 09/07
Herceptin every 3 weeks until 06/08
01/10/08 local recurrence -IBC
01/28/08 CT & Brain MRI - clear
02/08 - Navelbine & Herceptin
05/08 -MRM
05/08 - Gemzar & Herceptin - didn't work
09/08 - Hyperthermia rads
03/09 - Tykerb/Xeloda
05/10 - Tram flap to fix wound
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11-27-2009, 08:25 PM
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#25
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Southern, CA
Posts: 2,511
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Re: How do you feel during the holidays?
Elaine, Since I officially have the onc from he$#...I have to dig down real deep to even imagine any onc doing that on Thanksgiving. To me...that speaks volumes about your onc! I think he is a keeper.  Thanks for sharing your story...I think I'll cut out your post and hang in up in my onc's office when she isn't looking. Maybe that will help her get a clue. 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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11-28-2009, 07:56 AM
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#26
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Evergreen, Colorado
Posts: 454
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Re: How do you feel during the holidays?
Hi all,
After being out of town for a week, visiting my husband's family...I just couldn't wait to see what I had missed on the board.
Thanksgiving was wonderful as I too feel that the gift of BC has been to heighten my awareness about what really matters. I enjoyed all of the children at the celebration (even when screaming and running laps around the house), the efforts of my neice to host a beautiful dinner at her house for everyone, the fact that my 87 year old mother in law is healthy enough to attend and participate.
5 years ago...I would have been mildly annoyed and not FULLY enjoying these gifts. So....thank you BC.
But....in the evening as I closed the door to our bedroom, removed my wig, removed my eyebrows I became very sad.
Definately had a few moments of pulling myself up by the bootstraps to remember what is important. Certainly isn't hair and eyebrows.
Happy belated thanksgiving to everyone. I'd be so lonely without all of you.
Love....Lori
__________________
2007
Oct - Diagnosed - Stage IV 5 c.m. IDC - Left Side er/pr- Her2+++ Node + 2/14 - Single Liver Met Double Mastectomy Nov - Begin T+H 2008
Feb-Complete 6 cycles- T&H- NED
March - Continue - Herceptin Only
April - Rads for 6 weeks
2009
Continue Herceptin - Continue NED
April - Recurrance- 3 cm. Liver Met
May - Cryosurgery
June - November - Abraxane + Herceptin
Aug - PET/CT - CTC = 0 Back to NED
2010
January - Continue NED
July - Recurrance - 3 cm Liver Met CTC=1
August - Cryosurgery #2
August - November Navelbine
November - Back to NED - End Navelbine
2011
Feb - Recur - 4 cm Liver Met - Same Left Lobe
March Surgery it is -Couldn't get a clean margin
July - Confirmed continued liver involvement
August - Begin Herceptin + Tykerb
October - Mixed results from H+T
Add Abraxane + H + T - Nov - April
2012
January PET Scan - It's working!!
April - Back to NED
July - Recurrance
August - Begin TDM-1 Trial (Taxol + TDM-1)
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11-28-2009, 07:29 PM
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#27
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 309
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Re: How do you feel during the holidays?
Hi all-
Having mixed emotions--
Of course deep gratitude for 'Today' as that is all we have--is NOW--
This is my 'first' holiday season as a survivor--
Last year-(diagnosed Nov-Dec last year)--I spent the entire holiday season being overwhelmed with the decisions that we have all had to make when being dx--made the decisions and had surgery in Jan--
So again--mixed emotions--
Love and blessings to all ----
__________________
DX: 11/08 Age: 53
Surgery: 1/09
Bilat Mastectomy, no reconstruction
ILC-4 tumors-1.7 cm,1.5 cm (2).8 cm
DCIS-11 cm
All tumors Grade 3
All tumors ER-0%/PR-0%
All tumors HER2+
IHC-all tumors Overexpression/borderline
FISH 2 tumors Her2-Negative
FISH 2 tumors Her2+ Equivocal
Stage I, 0/1 nodes
LVI-Indeterminate(treated as positive)
SPR Score 8/9
Ki-67 20%
BRCA genetic test 1/2=negative
Chemo: 6 rounds TAC Feb-June 2009 w/Neulasta
Herceptin: 6/12/09-6/4/10 52weeks
HNPCC genetic test: negative
Port Placement-9/23/09 Port Removal 6/25/10
Echo's every 3 months-All normal
2/09 Staging PET/CT showed 0.2 micronodule upper R lobe-lung-Onc does not think this is mets--
6/5/09 AND 10/09 CT scan 0.2 micronodule unchanged
1/10-PET/CT-uptake in nasopharynx-
1/10-MRI All normal
6/10-Bone Scan-clear
12/10-PET/CT-All Clear-NED
12/11-PET-All Clear-NED
12/12-PET-All Clear-NED
12/13-CT w/contrast Head, Torso-All Clear
12/14-CT w/contrast Head-All Clear
2/15-Core needle biopsy-R scar line
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11-30-2009, 01:09 AM
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#28
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Hilo, Hawaii
Posts: 1,867
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Re: How do you feel during the holidays?
For me, I think my bc experience has given me a more meaningful perspective for the holidays. My mastectomy/reconst happened just before Thanksgiving of 2006 and I was still recuperating as Christmas approached. 3 days before Christmas i flew back up to CA and had my oophorectomy. Came back home to HI on Christmas day. Being that I was unable to do the "normal" preparations, my husband and kids ended up doing all preps that I would normally do (tree, dinners, etc) I was shocked!! I usually plan it all myself!! We skipped all the gift exchanges, cards and just had the most meaningful Christmas together and it was a jolt back to what the real meaning of Christmas is all about. I do believe that was one of the best Christmas i ever had.
__________________
*** MARYANNE *** aka HARRIECANARIE
1993: right side DCIS, lumpectomy, rads
1999: left side DCIS, lumpectomy, rads, tamoxifen
2006:
BRCA 2 positive
Stage I, invasive DCIS (6mm x 5mm)
Grade: intermediate
sentinal node biopsy: neg
HER2/neu amplified 4.7
ER+/PR+
TOPO II neg
Oncotype dx 20
Bilat mastectomy with DIEP flap reconstruction
oophorectomy
2007:
6 cycles TCH (taxotere, carboplatin, herceptin)
finished 1 yr herceptin 05/07
Arimidex, stopped after almost 1 yr
Femara
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11-30-2009, 04:55 AM
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#29
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Sheboygan, WI
Posts: 2,582
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Re: How do you feel during the holidays?
Amen Harrie!
__________________
"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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11-30-2009, 11:49 AM
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#30
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 3,142
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Re: How do you feel during the holidays?
Hey everybody,
I have been reading your posts in this thread and the thread I started about virtual Thanksgiving. Sharing our holiday experiences, feelings and memories has been wonderful.
Here is my suggestion
Let's have a holiday open house around the campfire !!
Feel free to drop by whenever you want to rest, pray, share memories, warm up, share food, decorate, celebrate whichever December and January holidays you celebrate. You will never feel alone at the campfire. It is our very own virtual retreat center !! I think Bill must be finished with the potty by now, so we shouldn't have to worry about that !!
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