kinda good news

bunnie

Well yesterday i went in and had chest xray the tumors in my chest are just about completly in remission there are a few tiny ones left but not like before so that is good the bad news is he said taht if i dont stay on some kind of treatment with the kind of cancer i have and as aggrasive as it is he can almost 100% garntuee it will come back so we are still talking about doing chemo for life or until i say enough.We are going to start out with gemzidabin and hope that is strong enough to keep it in remission we will start out doing three weeks on three off and do xrays once we get it where he wants it we will do three weeks on then like 6 off.My husband doesnt really understandi dont think about how upset iam about having to deal with chemo forever he says at least your going to live if you do this but the point iam trying to make too him is how big of a pain in the butt it will be sorry iam complaining but she need to vent this moring.bunnie

tlmac

The news is wonderful but I can understand why you'd question chemo for life. I lost both parents before their 60th birthdays. Neither was healthy but had very different perspectives. My mother had more than 40 surgeries, many major ones, during her life and battled cancer 3 times. Her breasts were removed 8 years apart back in the 50s when they cut deep and extensively and hoped for the best. Till the day she died, her philosophy was, "life is sweet no matter how you have to live it." My dad died at 57 from COPD. We watched him smoke himself to death and literally waste away for years. Toward the end when he had to be tied in order to sit up in a chair, he asked, "how much longer?" My mother was appalled. He explained that, "there are worse things than dying."
I made a friend while going through chemo a year ago. He was 2 years past diagnosis of stage IV colon cancer that had metasticized to his lungs requiring additional surgery. He's cancer free today, despite a 1% chance of survival when diagnosed, but will be receiving chemo for the remainder of his life. Aside from the diarrhea he battles, life for him is good.
Today the drugs you're taking are working. Tomorrow they may introduce new drugs that work better with fewer side effects. I know that reading your posts has always been an inspiration to me. Only you will know the moment when the life you're living is harder to face than the thought of death. I'm praying that's not anytime soon.
terri

hummingbyrd

Bunnie...just a suggestion, and your doc has probably already done this, but just in case; have you had the tumor tested for chemosensitivity? It's where they actually test the tumor to see what chemo will kill it. Kinda like what they do with antibiotics when you have a resistant infection.
Congratulations on the good report on your chest x-ray! Keep the faith you'll do fine!
God bless.
hummingbyrd

marbleslab

Bunnie,
Hang in there. They are coming up with new meds all the time, thank goodness. As for your husband, NO ONE who has not gone through chemo understands. I wish he would be more supportive. But WE ALL understand and we will be here for you.
Marla

judiek

Bunnie,

Great news Bunnie, I am so happy for you. I assume your er/pr negative? If you were positive you may be able to hold the disease down with hormonal therapy. Keep us posted

Warmly,

Judie

History

Discovered lump Sept. 2002 (mammo didn't pick it up after I found it)
Dx Oct 2002-just turned 41
IDC, Stage 2b, grade 3/3-very aggressive
3cm, lumpectomy, clean margins
er/pr positive, her2 neg,2/25 nodes with cancer
Nov 2002-March 2003 -FEC (Flourorical, Epirubicin, Cytoxen)
March 2003 started tamoxifen
May 2003 finished rads (33 tx)
June 2003 ct/pet scan-clean
Did 3 month check ups/lab work
Dec 2003 complete hysterectomy
Jan 2004 extensive mets to both lungs and liver/labs normal
Jan 2004Stopped tamoxifen
Feb to Current- clinical trial of avastin and taxol
Apr 2004-CT -significant shrinkage on all tumors/pleural effusion gone
June 2004-CT -all liver lesions decreased in size/ lung mets gone.
July 12th-CEA is 1 (0-3 normal)was 23 in Feb/ CA 27.29 is 25.8 (0-38 normal)was 66.1 in Feb

Unknown

Bunnie:

I am so happy to hear about the shrinkage! I've been reading your posts these past few weeks and my heart breaks for you and all of us that have to do battle with this horrible disease. Hang in there. I know that the prospect of chemo for life may not be appealing, but stay positive! Your doctor is offering you options. And I agree with Hummingbird about the chemosensitivity testing. It sure looks like the chemo is working! we are here for you!!

Jaded