Hello to all

Your words are so painfully clear, but so brief... Could you tell us more about your story? Caregiver for who? And how is she now?

How old are you, and how are you feeling? What stage, what treatment, what prognosis?

It helps us (well, me, at least) identify, it helps me with my own struggle, hearing similar stories. And from every single story we have something to learn, and to gain. And I also find relief in talking about me, and about IT, about my feelings, about my life.

So please, DO SHARE!

Thank you.

Hope you're both doing as well as can be expected! LP - we are here for you; please feel free to share your story, vent, scream, hollar, cry as much as needed. Hope we can offer you some comfort. I'm sure you know all too well what to expect with all of this, but we are here for support however you need.

How is treatment going Bunny? Any new scans yet? I'm being very pathetic with bad fingers, and feeling icky from Zometa and herceptin. But I am having a lot of fun playing with my babies and have to keep reminding myself that although life long treatment sucks - having a life and being disease free is such a blessing! I had to get a new port (the tubing cracked under my clavical, so they ran the new one through my jugular vein); a few days later I had my annual physical and doc said I had a UTI; I had an allergic reaction to the antibiotic... Anyway I'm doing much better but my incesions are taking longer that anticipated to heal so we're watching those. I also had a very small bump under my incesion that cleared up in a day; but since that is what chest wall recurrance/skin mets looks like I kind of freaked out a bit. Keep doing the emotional roller coaster so I probably need to discuss upping my happy pills; but whenever I'm in for treatment I forget about it...

Hugs

Jessi

6/9/06 - biopsy positive for cancer
6/23/06 - DIAGNOSIS: stage IV (T4d N2 M1) invasive ductile carcinoma NOS with bone and liver mets; 17 cm mass (primary tumors), inflammatory breast cancer(IBC); HER2/neu+, HR-
6/26/06-12/11/06 - Chemo FEC/Taxol w/Herceptin & Aredia
12/20/06 - right modified radical mastectomy, 7 of 13 removed nodes showed evidence of prior disease
12/21/06 - No Evidence of Disease (stage IV/NED); complete remission
2/6/07-3/22/07-Radiation 28+5 boost, 6040cGy.
CURRENT: Still NED, taking Herceptin and Zometa without end. Heart and kidney function remains normal.

I helped take care of my mom when she went through breast cancer. She passed away January 2003, 5 yrs after her first diagnosis. When she had her total mastectomy in Jan. 1999, they said her lymphnodes were clean and she didn't have to have any treatment other than Tamoxifen. A year and half later, she had stage 4 and it was in her bones. She was 54 when she died.

My husband noticed something he thought was a lump in my left breast about a year later. I told him he was nuts and then proceeded to forget about it. I was only 34, I couldn't possibly have cancer.

Last year, after my 36th birthday, that lump had become tender and then I had a bunch in front of my armpit. I called the dr and saw him. He immediately ordered a mammogram and then I had an ultrasound and then met with a surgeon to schedule a biopsy. Turns out I should have paid more attention to my husband. I was diagnosed a year ago with stage 2. I had a total mastectomy and 27 lymph nodes removed, 5 were positive. I had 6 rounds of chemo, 3 before surgery, 3 after. I still have a hole in my chest because of fluid build-up and have 20 more rounds of radiation therapy to go.

Oh, also, because of my age and my mother's when she was first diagnosed, I had genetic testing and I have the mutated BRCA2 gene. So after radiation, I am supposed to schedule an oompharectomy(spelling?) (ovaries removed). Then I think I'm taking a break. Lol!

Staying positive!

Big Hugs to you!

Jessi

6/9/06 - biopsy positive for cancer
6/23/06 - DIAGNOSIS: stage IV (T4d N2 M1) invasive ductile carcinoma NOS with bone and liver mets; 17 cm mass (primary tumors), inflammatory breast cancer(IBC); HER2/neu+, HR-
6/26/06-12/11/06 - Chemo FEC/Taxol w/Herceptin & Aredia
12/20/06 - right modified radical mastectomy, 7 of 13 removed nodes showed evidence of prior disease
12/21/06 - No Evidence of Disease (stage IV/NED); complete remission
2/6/07-3/22/07-Radiation 28+5 boost, 6040cGy.
CURRENT: Still NED, taking Herceptin and Zometa without end. Heart and kidney function remains normal.

I'm also a young breast cancer patient, and so is Jessi. It's not extraordinary, unfortunately. We're not even that special .

Hello again, Jessi. I know it may sound stupid, but I got in a sort of depression (well, heh, sort of...) and didn't want to hear of doctors, hospitals, needles, cancer. So I took a break, despite my family's dispair. No scans, no meds, no nothing. It felt good, actually.

I had an aunt that died of pancreatic cancer, and since she found out about the diagnostic, she wouldn't want to hear about doctors. She didn't even go once to have herself checked, or to get treatment. Towards the end, she started with some natural therapy, still didn't want to hear of doctors... it was too late, anyway. We all thought she was crazy, I couldn't understand how somebody could stop fighting for their life like this. Have some survival instinct, for Christ's sake. Well, finally I understand her now.

I had her in my mind all along, and decided to stop this stubborness, knowing that she died from it (could have died anyways, and most likely would have, her cancer was very aggressive, pancreatic cancer most often is very deadly). So I scheduled an appointment for Wednesday.

Call me crazy...

At least I'm in a good mood.

I so understand your wanting to take a break - it is all so overwhelming! I'm so glad you are heading back to the doc though!!! You can always chat with me; send me a private message or whatever. Talk to the doc about a counselor and/or happy pills as this is all too much for anyone to handle. Most hospitals have support groups some sort of social activity where you can go and attempt to feel normal with other patients. Several cities have "Gilda's Club" http://www.gildasclub.org/ and that may be a nice place for you to go get some support. I've never been to the one here; but I'm told they have all sorts of family activities. Take it day by day and do what you need to!!! Check out www.bcmets.org; they have a e-mail chat that I participate on; it helps to see you aren't alone and to be able to discuss with other people going through the exact same thing. They're arranging a get-together in Denver (I think in Nov); but I won't be going to that; got school for the kids.

Sending you HUGE hugs!

jessi

6/9/06 - biopsy positive for cancer
6/23/06 - DIAGNOSIS: stage IV (T4d N2 M1) invasive ductile carcinoma NOS with bone and liver mets; 17 cm mass (primary tumors), inflammatory breast cancer(IBC); HER2/neu+, HR-
6/26/06-12/11/06 - Chemo FEC/Taxol w/Herceptin & Aredia
12/20/06 - right modified radical mastectomy, 7 of 13 removed nodes showed evidence of prior disease
12/21/06 - No Evidence of Disease (stage IV/NED); complete remission
2/6/07-3/22/07-Radiation 28+5 boost, 6040cGy.
CURRENT: Still NED, taking Herceptin and Zometa without end. Heart and kidney function remains normal.

Absorbing what you sent, just opened the links.

I envy your energy - where do you have so much to give to others as well? I barely hold my stuff together.

Doesn't it depress you to hear so many sad, sometimes hopeless stories? To be honest, I try to stay away from depressing stories for now. Guess being NED gives some sort of balance .

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!

Hugs

Jessi

6/9/06 - biopsy positive for cancer
6/23/06 - DIAGNOSIS: stage IV (T4d N2 M1) invasive ductile carcinoma NOS with bone and liver mets; 17 cm mass (primary tumors), inflammatory breast cancer(IBC); HER2/neu+, HR-
6/26/06-12/11/06 - Chemo FEC/Taxol w/Herceptin & Aredia
12/20/06 - right modified radical mastectomy, 7 of 13 removed nodes showed evidence of prior disease
12/21/06 - No Evidence of Disease (stage IV/NED); complete remission
2/6/07-3/22/07-Radiation 28+5 boost, 6040cGy.
CURRENT: Still NED, taking Herceptin and Zometa without end. Heart and kidney function remains normal.