Anyone starting Chemo in August 07?

Hey All,

Just a quick note to lillith and Deann...so sorry to hear that your Mom and Mother-in-law are having such problems.  Praying for both and of course your families. 

Yes ladies, there will come a time when we will all get an opportunity to look in each other's eyes and put our arms around the wonderful sisters that emotionally carried each of us on our darkest days.  In the mean time we keep on doing just what we have been for almost 2 years now.......being there for each other. 

I have a question for you all.  Everyone seems to have a different take on this, so what is the correct answer?  When you all say NED (no evidence of disease)  or cancer free, from what point or date are you talking?  Do you mean from your original diagnosis date or when you actually completed all active treatment (chemo/surgery/rads)? 

Best to all,

June

I  

Thanks everyone for your virtual hugs! 

June, I agree with Nash's comment that it would be from surgery date.That's what I typically hear.

Yikes, Nash. That's a mite scary sounding about the negative biopsy being positive. I've got my first follow-up since January coming up. Each one I get through will make me breathe that much easier, but I guess we must always be vigilant. 

Well, to be perfectly honest, I haven't bothered poking in the biopsy spot b/c 1) it still is sore and 2) they placed that stupid clip in it, so I figure I'd just be feeling the clip. I was OK with waiting until the next MRI in January to see if there was any change. I'll see what the surgeon says, as she tends to be pretty aggressive.

Anyhow, in my friend's friend's case, her tumor was seen on mammo and looked highly suspicious, and I'd been really surprised by her negative biopsy and had wondered in the back of my mind if she shouldn't have it excised. She'd also gone off of Tamoxifen after a year or so. In my case, the spot that showed on MRI was "indeterminate" in nature, and I figure since that MRI was being done on a different machine than the previous ones, and I was on Tamoxifen which might cause weirdnesses in the tissue, it was likely to be a false positive imaging. The only part that bothers me is that I could feel a small hard spot, like I told you guys, and I don't know why normal tissue would feel that way. But I'll have the surgeon poke at it in July--she's got magic fingers, and I think if she thinks it's OK, it probably is.

DeAnn,

I'm so sorry to hear that news.  It never ends.  I'll pray for your MIL and you and your whole family.

Lots of hugs, Jackie

June, I definitely think it was a compliment. No-one else could see how well it suits you and complain! you look great. 

DeAnn, so sorry to hear about your m-i-l. It is awful to hear and to learn about all these illnesses around. I just want to live, and to live well - and I hoped to leave behind me all this knowledge of chemo-rads-op-pre-op etc. but no, it keeps up with me. My mom is still quite well, all in all, it is just what is inside her that doesn't work. After  the first tumors in the lung, they saw one on the spine, at the level of the neck, and last week they also identified a new one on a lumbar vertebrae. GO FIGURE how it grew, given that she was undergoing chemo since xmas!!!! this stuff is really strong. So now they'll start her on a new type of chemo... 

I hate looking at her, and finding myself selfish enough to hope I will not be following in her footsteps. 

June, on a much lighter note: yes, like the girls I am counting since surgery. For me that was on the 11th of July, 7 days after DX! so my cancerversary is coming up... I am seeing the doc next week for my next follow up. actually I am looking forward seeing her - not really worried. Don't know why. Maybe because I've been so busy recently, that I haven't been thinking about it.  

Hi Nash. 

so far, she had the classic treatment - gemcitabine (Gemzar®), cisplatin (Platinol®), I believe associated with the  vinorelbine tartrate (Navelbine®), but I am not sure about the third one. 

The new drug is Alimta. She had the first cycle last Friday, and she seems to be taking it better than the previous stuff; she is not feeling sick, and the infusion is much shorter. It will be paired off with rads to the neck, the doc feel that targeting the lung might be too debilitating at this point.

She seems to be ok, almost normal - or rather, new normal. Tired and weak, never hungry, but not really in pain or in immediate danger.

Who knows.  

What fun, Kaye! And guess what--my bday is June 20th, also! Isn't that funny? I hope you can hook up with the East Coast girls--that would be great.

Hang in there, Lilith. Continued good thoughts for your mom coming your way.

Wish I was traveling somewhere--the Chile trip is pending for next year, maybe, if things work out. This summer is the Okinawa trip, but only my DD and DH are going.

So that means I'm free to hop in your suitcase for the communal bday celebration.

DeAnn, continued prayers for your MIL coming your way.

How exciting about your gig! You rock!

Well, in a sure sign that I need to get out more (although I'm still threatening to hop into your suitcase, Kaye, flailing arms and all), I am positively giddy, having just gotten off the phone with the onc's office and having found out that the insurance has not only approved my next Zometa infusion, but they've approved the next 5 infusions. Whoo hoo!  That will take me through all three years of Zometa Dr. Ozzy wants me to get. Since it's off-label for me, it was iffy if the insurance would cover anything past the first infusion. So, yay. 

Brilliant Nashie!!! So happy for you.

Happy 2 year Cancerversary!!!! We all seem to be getting further away from cancer.  Yeah!!!!

Hugs, Jackie