Gabrielle!!!

Gabrielle...Your comment about "Did they take it all? No, I asked them to leave some behind"

was priceless. I read that post so many times, tears in my eyes from laughing.

Thanks.

Sheila

was priceless. I read that post so many times, tears in my eyes from laughing.

 Sheila~~ , .  Looks like all those years of reading Mad Magazine when I was a kid has paid off. 

Kerry ~~, yes, I'm in my 11th year.  I'm now one of those long-time survivor stories I frantically searched for when I was first diagnosed.  I have no secrets to share other than I was very aggressive with treatment.  My kids were 9 and 12 at the time.  I think something primal kicks in when you have small kids.  But, I attribute most of it (survival) to just dumb luck. 

Cheers, Gabrielle  

>>what was your treatment if you don't mind me asking?:)

mastectomy; prophylactic mastectomy; prophylactic hysterectomy; adria/cytox/taxotere; 52 rounds of Herceptin; radiation.

----

I turned down an initial trial because I might have been randomly selected for a leg that didn't receive cytoxan. 

I changed Oncs when my first Onc wanted to hold off on the Herceptin until I recurred (whaaaat....  Did this guy just not hear that I have small kids??!)  Since the cancer was in 9 of my lymph nodes, my second Onc cleared me for treatment. 

I changed gynecologists to get the hysterectomy when the first doctor challenged my decision by asking me (I kid you not and I'm paraphasing) "what are you going to do next....have all your skin removed if you get skin cancer?)  I found a gynocologist who agreed to the procedure and just said (bless her heart) "when do you want to have it?" when I poured out this experience with the first ass**** doctor to her. 

I decided to have the prophylactic mastectomy on the good breast even after a visiting doctor to our breast cancer support group expressed general disagreement with the idea of whacking off body parts. 

I made these decisions regading the prophylactic mastectomy and hysterectomy when one of the Oncs I saw (I saw four in total) said, my chances of developing another primary and/or ovarian cancer had doubled to 25% as a result of the first primary.  That percentage (again .... small kids) was just too high for me to live with. 

I have no idea if any of these decisions are the reason I'm alive.  The one thing I've learned about cancer is that there is no consensus in the medical community regarding treatment and that's because there is so much uncertainity about cancer.  So, I followed my shouting inner voice and doggedly pursued what I thought was best for me. 

But, I'm humbled by cancer too.  I know the friends I had who passed on, fought just as hard as I did -- and through no fault of their own, and not for lack of trying, lost the fight.

So, who knows? 

Gabrielle

At what point did you receive Herceptin? Wondering if you were in a trial as I didn't think they gave it to anyone but stage V until 2004.

If you were in the herceptin trial how are the other gals doing?

You really do bring much hope here and on Her2 thread thanks so much!

With you having a Hysterect, did you also have an AI or Tamox?

Billynda - quite a few of us have had our ovaries and/or uteruses removed prophylactically (sp?). My Onc was going to give me the shots every month to shut them down, but was happy with me having them removed. The Surgery is not difficult. I just feel better knowing there is no estrogen-making machine in my body any more!!

I read somwhere that colon, uterine, ovarian and breast cancers are all related somehow.  I can't tell you where I read it, so take it or leave it!  It scares me because my brother died of colon cancer when he was 24 and grandmother died of ovarian cancer, she was in her 70's I believe.  So, yep peace of mind is worth its weight so I'm going to beg and plead for them to get rid of all of it. 

Kerry,

 I am debating with my surgeon to have ooph. Now, where did you read about the increased risk of uterine cancer ???

I will see him this week and need to discuss that with him.... 

OB/GYNs are surgeons.  They do it.

I am having mine done in 3 weeks. I am 100% er positive so I really want it gone. There are studies that show that same women's estrogen can overcome thoe shots-and with my luck that would be me. I am dreading doing it though I didn't want more kids the fact that this decision is permanent and being made for me makes me sad. Billy you are ER neg you might be able to just do the shots and be fine.

I spoke to my onc about the ooph & hyst. He said ovarian ca & bc are related but not uterine & recommended just the ooph (VERY HIGHLY - grandma died of ovarian ca) & prophy mast.

The tamox does put you at higher risk for uterine ca. however, the stats are that w/out the tamox, there is a 1 in 2,000 chance of developing this ca & with it, 1 in 1,000. I can live with 1 in 1,000. Onc said it's easy to spot since the first symptom of early-stage is unusual bleeding. Well, I'm post-meno so ANY bleeding would be "unusual".

Leah