Bad News and Good News!

[TriciaK]

Hello to all you fellow Amazon Warriors! I just have to let you know what has been happening in my fight against the Beast. In January a PET scan showed a large mass in the lower left lung, where the Her2 BC mets showed up after a heart attack in June, 2004. (I had been on herceptin, navelbine and femara and was NED after 15 months of treatment, even though my heart showed more damage). We did a bronchoscopy, which didn't show malignancy, but the lung doctor felt that because of the mass she couldn't examine all of the lung. She reccommended a needle biopsy. I didn't want to do it right then, so we set up another PET scan in 2 months to check it again. I caught a cold in February, and seemed to go down hill after that. An echocardiogram showed that my ejection fraction was under 40, which shocked me because I had had a successful triple bypass last May, and had really felt better. For the past three weeks I grew weaker and weaker, could hardly breathe or even walk, had no appetite, and lost 10 lbs. They did another echo and found my ef was now below 35. Finally my cardiologist and primary care doctor decided I needed to be in the hospital, so I went in Monday morning. They put me on IV liquids with potassium and vitamins and so on, since I seemed to be very dehydrated. They did a brain MRI Tuesday because of the dizziness and weakness, It was clear! This morning they planned a needle biopsy of the lung. THey did a CT scan first. The doctor told me after a while (it seemed like forever) that they had decided not to do the needle biopsy because the scans showed in comparison with the January scan that the mass had shrunk to 1/6, and they felt that it was not worth the risk of the needle biopsy when the mass was so much smaller! What good news! So they sent me home! They are suspecting that the mass is left over from the pnuemonia, and will watch it closely.
I will need to take large amounts of coreg and diovan, coQ10 and fish oil, plus exercise to build my heart back up. If anyone has any other ideas I would appreciate them. Because of my age I can't run or do heavy exercise, but I can walk and use my mini trampoline, and I will. We also are on a 70% alkaline diet with lots of veggies, wild caught fish and little meat or dairy.
I just wanted you all to know that we just have to keep fighting! You are all survivors and do so much to help one another. In June I will have survived my third year since the her2 lung mets and the heart attack, and will be in my 22nd year since my original BC diagnosis in 1985. I believe in positive thinking, self-hynosis and prayer, and appreicate this website more than I can ever express. It has given me the understanding friendship, wonderful stories and prayers, and all the marvelous information I have needed to keep fighting, even at the age of 77! I love and admire you all, and especially appreciate Joe and Christine. You are in my prayers! Hugs, Tricia