Breaking up is hard to do
What I mean by the above is that I had my last appt with my very wonderful medical oncologist today. I posted a few weeks ago that he is leaving the area.
He gave me good news - that my CT of chest and Abdoman of last week were clear as a bell and tumor markers low. No Evidence of Disease. And he is still amazed that I have been off chemo now for FOUR years and my disease has not returned (he does not count my brain mets, as he feels the seeds for those got there during my raging liver mets).
I remembered the time six years ago that he looked at me with those soft, kind eyes and gave me his card saying he would take me as a patient even if I did not want the rest of the normal team he works with (I did not). He was the first person to let me know that my disease was aggressive and would need special treatment. I felt reassured somehow in those early days of my diagnosis and the reassurance carried me through my bout with mets (even though there was a lot of doubt until the first scan showed results).
He seemed to have confidence in my ability to handle the treatments and this was coming through in his attitude towards me.
So, a good news/bad news sort of day for me. Happy for good results, happy to be alive and not needing more treatment. Sad to see a wonderful doctor leave my life that I feel is largely responsible for giving back to me.
I know he prescribed the tough drugs and my body did the work, but they were the RIGHT drugs for me.
Guess I will go get a bar of nice dark chocolate - time for comfort food!
__________________
"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; 07-17-2006 at 02:19 PM..
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