getting harder to stay positive

Marsha Mulvey
Marsha Mulvey Member Posts: 597 Member
in Breast Cancer #1
Last Tuesday was my first scan since Jan. 31. Friday I got the results and they're not good. I will start with the spots in my bones, which have been stable for about a year - and still are. I guess that's the good news. The tumors in my liver have significantly increased in size. Unfortunately, the largest 5 or 6 have grown to 2-3 times their previous size. The smaller ones have stayed about the same or increased at a slower rate. No new tumors are currently evident.

This is not the first time that things have taken a turn for the worse, but I must admit that it hit me harder this time. I think I was having a false sense of security because the Navelbine, Herceptin, and Zometa were creating good results and I was coping well with the side effects and feeling pretty good. It seems though that these drugs have run their course for me. After much discussion with my onc, his recommendation on a treatment plan, and my own homework, it looks like my next plan of attack will be Xeloda for the traditional chemo, Tykerb as the targeted therapy for HER2+, and I'll be continuing Zometa once every 4 weeks.

These drugs must be ordered (in pill form) from a specialty drug company and I won't be able to start until late this week or even next week. Knowing how quickly this cancer grows, I'm "chomping at the bit" to get started. After 59 weekly infusions, I'm not looking forward to swallowing so many pills - but it's what I have to do!

So...all I ask of you is to please keep me in your thoughts and prayers. I'll keep you posted as I embark of this newest leg of my journey. Thanks for being here. Continued prayers for all. Marsha
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Comments

  • deeb111
    deeb111 Member Posts: 141 Member
    #2
    Im so sorry to hear this I
    Im so sorry to hear this I will say Aprayer for you and I will say this as hard as it is reach deep down inside and pull up all the strength u have and beat the living daylights out of this disease evict it as i say hang in there and i hope u feel better soon



    Deeb111
  • New Flower
    New Flower Member Posts: 4,294
    #3
    deeb111 said:

    Im so sorry to hear this I
    Im so sorry to hear this I will say Aprayer for you and I will say this as hard as it is reach deep down inside and pull up all the strength u have and beat the living daylights out of this disease evict it as i say hang in there and i hope u feel better soon



    Deeb111

    Dear Marsha
    Dear Marsha,
    I am very sorry that your medications stopped working, The good news you and your oncologist have developed a new plan and you will be able to start soon. Your doctor always has selected effective medications for you , hopefully this new treatments will be very effective. Cancer is very sneaky, but you and your doc much smarter and combat them.
    I always keep you in my thoughts and prayers.
    Sending you a big hug
    New Flower
  • aisling8
    aisling8 Member Posts: 1,627 Member
    #4
    New Flower said:

    Dear Marsha
    Dear Marsha,
    I am very sorry that your medications stopped working, The good news you and your oncologist have developed a new plan and you will be able to start soon. Your doctor always has selected effective medications for you , hopefully this new treatments will be very effective. Cancer is very sneaky, but you and your doc much smarter and combat them.
    I always keep you in my thoughts and prayers.
    Sending you a big hug
    New Flower

    I thought
    you'd mentioned having a scan and was wondering about your results. I hope you've figured out many of us keep you in our thoughts and prayers daily. The results are discouraging, but I like what New Flower has to say about you and your doctor being smarter than the cancer.

    I send you lots of positive energy to help carry you forward till you're generating your own. And you will. It takes a while to process all this.

    Thinking of you,
    xoxo
    Victoria
  • Chickadee1955
    Chickadee1955 Member Posts: 355 Member
    #5
    aisling8 said:

    I thought
    you'd mentioned having a scan and was wondering about your results. I hope you've figured out many of us keep you in our thoughts and prayers daily. The results are discouraging, but I like what New Flower has to say about you and your doctor being smarter than the cancer.

    I send you lots of positive energy to help carry you forward till you're generating your own. And you will. It takes a while to process all this.

    Thinking of you,
    xoxo
    Victoria

    Marsha,
    You'll be in my
    Marsha,

    You'll be in my thoughts and prayers for strength and progress.

    Chickadee
  • aysemari
    aysemari Member Posts: 1,596 Member
    #6
    I am so,so sorry to hear this news
    Where is that darn magic wand? An anti-cancer dance? A magic potion?

    This sucks, I feel so helpless when I read post of this nature. I hope you
    can draw strength from somewhere, us, family, a hobby - to continue your
    fight. And squeeze as much as you can out of life. I am sending you truck
    loads of good thoughts and wishes.

    And of course a big hug!
    Ayse
  • sbmly53
    sbmly53 Member Posts: 1,522
    #7
    Marsha,
    I am so sorry that your news is not so good. Please draw strength for the love and sisterhood and know that you are loved and cared for and always will be.

    Prayers and big bear hugs,

    Sue
  • linpsu
    linpsu Member Posts: 747
    #8
    Sorry
    Oh Marsha, I'm so sorry to hear your news. Know that we are with you every step of the way, dear sister.
    Hugs,
    Linda
  • MAJW
    MAJW Member Posts: 2,510 Member
    #9
    linpsu said:

    Sorry
    Oh Marsha, I'm so sorry to hear your news. Know that we are with you every step of the way, dear sister.
    Hugs,
    Linda

    This...
    Disease sucks B I G time! Know that you are being kept in many prayers....won't tell you to stay strong, keep positive...just do what ever you have to do to get through the day...what ever it takes...

    Hopefully knowing how many care will be of some small comfort..
    Hush, Nancy
  • poplolly
    poplolly Member Posts: 346
    #10
    Marsha,
    You may not feel
    Marsha,

    You may not feel like swimming any fancy strokes right now, so just keep on dog-paddling until you get your second wind.
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #11
    poplolly said:

    Marsha,
    You may not feel
    Marsha,

    You may not feel like swimming any fancy strokes right now, so just keep on dog-paddling until you get your second wind.

    I am sorry to hear that you
    I am sorry to hear that you have to change chemo and that the tumors have grown,so glad the zometa is working. Yay. and praying that the new chemo is super effective. I will pray for effective chemo, and strength for you Hugs!
  • sea60
    sea60 Member Posts: 2,613
    #12
    I'm saddened to hear this
    I am praying for you and hoping that this treatment will be effective. That's good that the spots on the bones haven't spread. I just dream that tomorrow they can come up with a wonder drug to knock this out! I hate it!

    Sending you hugs of comfort,

    Sylvia
  • Ritzy
    Ritzy Member Posts: 4,381 Member
    #13
    sea60 said:

    I'm saddened to hear this
    I am praying for you and hoping that this treatment will be effective. That's good that the spots on the bones haven't spread. I just dream that tomorrow they can come up with a wonder drug to knock this out! I hate it!

    Sending you hugs of comfort,

    Sylvia

    :(
    Marsha, I wish I had some magic wand to wave or even some magic words to write to you. I am very glad for the news about your bones, but, so sad about your liver. I wish I could kick cancer to the curb and make it stay there, away from everyone forever!!!!!

    I know that you must be upset and feel disheartened, but, please, please try to think positive.


    Leave the praying to us. All of the pink sisters will pray as hard as they can for you!


    Sue :(
  • butterflylvr
    butterflylvr Member Posts: 944
    #14
    Ritzy said:

    :(
    Marsha, I wish I had some magic wand to wave or even some magic words to write to you. I am very glad for the news about your bones, but, so sad about your liver. I wish I could kick cancer to the curb and make it stay there, away from everyone forever!!!!!

    I know that you must be upset and feel disheartened, but, please, please try to think positive.


    Leave the praying to us. All of the pink sisters will pray as hard as they can for you!


    Sue :(

    I always feel so helpless
    I always feel so helpless when I read posts of this nature. Stay strong Marsha you've already proven your a fighter. God Bless you and my prayers are with you in your time of need.

    Hugs,
    Lorrie
  • Double Whammy
    Double Whammy Member Posts: 2,832 Member
    #15
    butterflylvr said:

    I always feel so helpless
    I always feel so helpless when I read posts of this nature. Stay strong Marsha you've already proven your a fighter. God Bless you and my prayers are with you in your time of need.

    Hugs,
    Lorrie

    Staying positive
    Dear Marsha-

    I have no idea what to suggest to help you stay positive. What I have to offer is my hopes,prayers, and my own positive vibes that this new cadre of drugs will do the trick. I'm so sorry you have to keep starting over.

    Suzanne
  • camul
    camul Member Posts: 2,537
    #16
    Marsha
    I am sending prayers for both you and your doctor that the new chemo will work. I really do know how hard it is to stay positive with this news and the apprehension when starting a whole new protocol.
    Sending you hugs, positive thoughts, and prayers that this combo will slow down the progression of this horrible disease.

    ~Carol
  • Jean 0609
    Jean 0609 Member Posts: 2,462
    #17
    Hang in there sister!
    Sending postive thoughts & prayers your way.

    xoxo,
    Jean
  • skipper54
    skipper54 Member Posts: 936 Member
    #18
    Jean 0609 said:

    Hang in there sister!
    Sending postive thoughts & prayers your way.

    xoxo,
    Jean

    So sorryy to hear your news
    Sending lots of hugs and prayers your way
  • dyaneb123
    dyaneb123 Member Posts: 950
    #19
    skipper54 said:

    So sorryy to hear your news
    Sending lots of hugs and prayers your way

    Marsha
    I'm so sorry that you
    Marsha
    I'm so sorry that you are going through this. It's what we all fear and loathe. No one wants to have to continue chemo like this, but you seem to be ready to tackle it and I
    know we will all be here to support you on this new leg of the journey. Keep us posted on how things are going.
    Hugs
    Dee
  • Gabe N Abby Mom
    Gabe N Abby Mom Member Posts: 2,413
    #20
    Of course I'll keep you in
    Of course I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers. I really like that you and the doc are working together as a team. And it sounds like you've come up with a promising new mix. Let us know how you're doing once you get those pills.

    Hugs,

    Linda
  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    #21
    Gabe N Abby Mom said:

    Of course I'll keep you in
    Of course I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers. I really like that you and the doc are working together as a team. And it sounds like you've come up with a promising new mix. Let us know how you're doing once you get those pills.

    Hugs,

    Linda

    Marsha .. Gentle Hugs, Positive Thoughts and many
    prayers. Praying that your new chemo pill combo provides positive results for you! Stay strong dear WARRIORS, you are in our daily thoughts and prayers, dear Sister.

    Strength, Courage and Hope.

    Vicki Sam

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