Widows - ER/PR negative - Her2 +++

GramE

I am glad our moderators have made an "older" forum.    April 2, 2003, my husband of 33 years died.  Since our house was paid for and I was tired of doing yard work, snow shoveling, cleaning and maintenance, I had sold the house in 2007 and moved to an apartment closer to our only son.

May 2, 2008 I was diagnosed.  For years I was the lump queen and they always turned out to be cysts.  I felt the lump and figured it was just another cyst.  The shock was compounded with my son's wedding only 3 weeks away.   I put on the happy Mom of the Groom face and postponed dose dense chemo until mid June.  It was successful and there was no evidence of cancer in December 2008, when I had a lumpetomy and Sentinel node biopsy with clear nodes.  

Every 3 weeks I get Herceptin,  No major side effects except Neuropathy in my fingers.   Anyone else wanting to share hints, ideas, rants and raves for dealing without a spouse/partner?    

Hugs and Blessings,   Nancy 

GramE

Bumping this up in case anyone wants to join in.  Have a good "hump day".

GramE

It is a week since I posted this topic.  Maybe no one had found it yet.   Hugs and Blessings,   Nancy

GramE

I am gonna delete this topic to allow more room for others.   HUGS for all,   Nancy

Brenda_R

Now you're making wonder what the original post was.  Lol

GramE

Brenda, it was as the title says:  widow, er/pr -, her 2 +.   No one responded because maybe a bit too limiting a category.   

Brenda_R

Maybe.  Not a widow here, but I am er/pr- her2+, so I do indentify with you on those factors. Hugs.

GramE

TY Brenda.   Did you do Herceptin for a year?  I am doing every 3 weeks and trying to pin down when the "year" is up.   Had 12 weekly Taxol and Herceptin, began that in August, finished end of October.  Lumpectomy in December, and began the every 3 weeks of Herceptin only.    IF my finances allow, I want to do a trip to Vegas to celebrate the end of H.   Hugs, Nancy

Brenda_R

Yes, I did the year (every 3 weeks).

At first my Onc gave me the Herceptin with the A/C chemo, but I read from the Genentech website that you don't give Herceptin with Adriamycin. So after I talked to them about it, they waited until I finished chemo and rads, then I started back on the Herceptin.  For some reason he didn't give me Taxol either.

GramE

I had dose dense A/C before taxol and herceptin.   By the time I had the lumpectomy , there was no evidence of cancer, confirmed by MRI, mammogram and ultrasound AND  the pathology from the lumpectomy.   Also no node involvement.   Since I am 63, 62 when diagnosed,  I opted for no radiation due to too many potential side effects and living alone.    

It looks like you are NED, and I am calling myself the same.  Congrats.    

Brenda_R

I had my lumpectomy first, then chemo and rads. I had no positive axialary nodes, but had 1 positive IM node in the center of my chest. Not a surprise since my BC was in the inner upper section of the breast.

For me the chemo was the worst. By the time my last chemo rolled around I was asking the onc if I could have less that time. It was brutal on me, and that wasn't even DD. After chemo, the rads were not so bad. I did get a nasty burn in the week after my boosts. They targeted the IM node area since it couldn't be removed surgicaly.

So far, so good.  I have no sign of disease in the latest scans. 

I have to give you my respect and a hug. I can't imagine going through the chemo alone. It was so tough for me. I hope you're doing ok.

GramE

April 2 will be 6 years since my husband died.   I sold our house in 2007 in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, PA and moved to Alexandria, Virginia to be closer to our only son.   He was married 3 weeks after I was diagnosed.   It wasn't easy, but they say God only gives you as much as you can handle.   

I do good most days and I think we all have pity parties.   They pass quickly and I get on with living.   When my husband became ill, I quit working and never went back.   At age 60 I took Widow's Social Security and I was 63 in January.   Thanks for the kind words.   Happy St Pat's Day -  I am 1/4 Irish as my grandma was born in Ireland.