my end is near with breast cancer i am 70 years of age

Concerned husband here.  More knowledgable people will be by shortly, but I want to give you hope.

NO, this is not a death sentence.

Herceptin is supposed to be doing wonderful things for many, many Her2 + breast cancer patients.

You are in my thoughts and prayers.

I'm sure support from wonderful, beautiful ladies who are doing very well with similar diagnoses is soon to come.

I'm sure some of the HER2+ ladies will begin to chime in, but I just wanted to offer some reassurance.

Breathe.  Deep breath in, deep breath out.

HER2+ breast cancer is considered an aggressive breast cancer, but it does NOT mean that it's an automatic death sentence.  Herceptin has changed the landscape for this type of breast cancer; before Herceptin, the outlook was more bleak, but there are many HER2+ ladies here who've completed their treatment with Herceptin and are doing just fine.

You sound horribly frightened by what's happening to you.  We've all been there.  Even those of us who are not HER2+ were scared-to-pieces at diagnosis.  The word "cancer" is just so awful.  Do you have anyone supporting you through this time?  Is there anyone you can talk to?  Check with your treatment team to see if there is a Social Worker or Counsellor who can help you sort out your feelings about this.  Then sit down and write a list of all the things that concern you, so that you can ask your oncologist to explain what is happening to you, why he/she has chosen this particular treatment plan for you, what does he/she hope to accomplish with this treatment plan, and how this treatment plan will affect you both short- and long term.  If you can, take someone with you to this discussion; a second pair of ears in invaluable.

I'm so sorry that you've joined the club that no one wants to join, but I sincerely believe that you don't need to start planning your funeral just yet.  My mother was diagnosed with an aggressive breast cancer at the age of 74; this year, she turns 82 and is still cancer-free.

I just did a Cancer Math on your tumor and in 15 years, you only have a little over 10% chance of dying from it. Translated, that means you have about 89% of NOT dying from it. That would put you at 85 years young!!!! You go girl!

Helen, my diagnosis is similar to yours.  You will be fine, just get through chemo which is kind of yucky.  I work for the company that makes both Perjeta and Herceptin and they are miracle drugs.  At the San Antonio Breast Cancer meeting this last Fall, some of the key investigators in the BC world were saying that with these drugs (and Kadcyla), Her2 positivity is becoming a good thing.  This is because they have these targetted medications to take the cancer cells down. 

You should come join us on the triple positive board.  Lots of good information there.http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/80/topic/764183?page=758#idx_22738

Helen - in three years I will be 70 and I have had triple negative breast cancer for the past 5 years and am doing great - and I plan to continue to do great!  I work full time, I have had two knee surgeries for torn miniscus' in both knees within the last 6 months- terribly arthritic knees and am raising my teenage (in college now) grand-daughter alone, as I am also a widow.  YOU CAN DO THIS!!!  I wish you all the best,

Linda