2-Year Her2+ Cancer-free Roll Call

Here's my post from may 2014;

I am writing this with enormous gratitude that I have reached this 9 Year BC anniversary. I've recently returned from my 6 mos check up, and finally had the nerve to ask my sweet Onc if he thought I would make it back then. He smiled and told me if anyone would, he thought it would be me. You see back then it was a recent development that an additional classification of C was added to the Stage 3 cases.There was only Stage III A. and B then. This meant for me that had I been diagnosed a few years earlier I would of been classified a stage 4 and would not have been a candidate for surgery, or the treatment I received.( My onc was part of the team at MD Anderson that pushed for this additional classification to provide an option of CURE for cases like myself) Anyway, to throw another ratchet in, I was also HER2 positive and when he told me that he looked really disturbed. I was actually happy since I knew I would probably get the newly approved Herceptin and just maybe it would work for me. He told me he had seen HER2 cases(BEFORE Herceptin) to be the worst BC prognosis and did not have any long term data for a case like mine. However, my dear Onc, held out his hand to me and said 'We're going for the Cure for you" I remember telling him then to throw everything he could at me. You see, I had just lost my Mom to Met BC and he was also her Onc. and we all had walked the long road of metastatic dx together.

That was 9 years ago and I am well. Living Large! I don't let a day pass without thanking God for my health and blessings I have in this life. I am blessed to share my life with a wonderful man who stood by me, while some members of my family ran for the hills. I have 2 beautiful girls and healthy happy grandchildren and a new baby boy coming in August! I am blessed to have my faith , and have truly long time dear friends. Upon my return home I went back to my career in research, but it would be Breast Cancer Research this time. How cool is that to be able to do that?! So many new treatments and lots of good outcomes.

Anyway. I am posting this to say hi to my old timer sisters on this board and also to let the newer sisters, know my story. There are lots of us out there.

I wish all a gentle road on a journey no one wants to go on.  

Hi everyone  I just had my 2 year mammogram done and am anxiously awaiting my result . I'll fill you in when I hear anything.  Sandi 

I am wondering 2 years from what? I refer to the BCIRG study quite often to try and keep my anxiety at bay but I get confused when they say 1, 2, 3 years etc if it is from diagnosis or end of treatment. I am 3 years out from diagnosis, 2 years out from ACTH, but only 1 1/2 years out from finishing my Herceptin. I am in a weird place right now where it feels long enough ago that I can forget that it happened or don't think about it every day but then will have sudden anxiety attacks and become consumed again at the thought of recurrance....mostly because I feel like I am still in that critical window and can't get through it fast enough! I also get confused why the 10 year recurrance rate in some of the online predictors is higher than the 5 year rate when the highest rate of recurrance for ER-PR-HER2+ is supposedly in the first 2-3 years?? And the BCIRG results seem to support this. I would love any insight.... I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season! I have a 3 1/2 and 5 year old and it's been a lot of fun this year, mostly because I feel good..my daughter was 6 months old when I was diagnosed and it's amazing to see the little girl she has become. In some ways it truly feels like the BC thing was a lifetime ago.

lago...I've been on this board since diagnosis and have read your speech on more than one occasion. I'm smiling right now and saying "thank you" because what you say is sooo true. As for the debate on "how to calculate how far out you are"..I talked to my MO about this. She uses the date of diagnosis. She admitted that some docs use the surgery date but in her words"it's just semantics" because most of the time initial diagnosis and surgery date areonly separated by a matter of months. Based on that, I am celebrating 17 months !!!!!!! Looking forward to this summer when I can ring the bell for my 2 year anniversary:) in the meantime I'll just keep thanking God.

Thank you for your responses, and for your speeches Lago! Using my date of diagnosis, I feel like I've come a long way. It will be 3 years in February. It's when I count from my last Herceptin that I feel like I am not that far out. I guess I am 2 1/2 years out from surgery...a lot of milestones to keep track of. I had TH first, then surgery, then AC, then radiation and H. Wishing everyone continued health and happiness in the new year!

Awesome LizA!

I am new to this site (ILC/Her2+/Stage 1/Grade 2) and in August of this year will be 3 years clean!! I had a lumpectomy, chemo (6 rounds), radiation (7 weeks), Herceptin for 1 year. Arimidex since April 2013. Zometa infusions for 1 1/2 years (every 6 months). Even though being Her2+ was what made chemo a must for me, I have been told by my surgeon, onocologist, nurses, etc., that it is a GOOD thing to have because they know how to treat it and stop it! If it wasn't for the heart issues that Herceptin can cause, I'd prefer to stay on it forever!ha

Hi Vicki. Congratulations on 3 years NED (No evidence of disease)

Congratulations Debbie! 14 years. Did you do a trial for Herceptin?

I just returned from my eight year annual check up (my oncologist measures the time from the end of my 4 AC).

I am fine and feel great.

Diagnosed Feb 09, last Herceptin treatment Aug 11. So almost 5 years free for me!

Congratulations Fightinhard!

Emily - depends, but it seems many count from time of diagnosis. I had surgery first, so I am counting from there. It's a 2 week difference, anyway!

Anyone here have a mamo with area of concern to watch turn out to be benign? I am 1& 1\2 years out and have reconstruction next week! Really want to make 2yr mark!

Thanks momwriter! Very encouraging! Congrats on 2&1\2 years!