Need Help Please!!!

Hi Zaro,

I'm glad you have another option.  Can you do the rads and then chemo?  Maybe you could put a call in to your second opinion Onc and see what he says.

Hugs,

Kasey

Dawn,  maybe you should do the rads and then you should be able to get into the trial for the PARP Inhibitor trial.

Dawn,

I, too, agree with LuAnn.  Check out CalGal's thread from yesterday.  She is getting good results on the PARP trial!!

There is hope....don't you give up!!

Love you and lots of hugs and prayers,

Bethie (Aus)

Zaro,

My prayers are with you.

Trish

Dawn,  Try to deal with this whole situation in smaller segments---

--in one day (tomorrow) the onc will call and you can ask MANY questions and hopefully some things will be better understood.  You do know that from talking with your regular doc that the scan schedule is booked solid, and the likelihood is that you will have to wait for your actual appt (very soon) to be scanned.  If any of your docs were really worried about this new lump being the precursor to mets other places in the body, they would probably find a way to scan you sooner.  I think that they regard this as a continued problem with the nodes that will be hopefully taken care of with the next treatment.

--in 14 days is the start of your trip to Cuba.  After you talk to the onc tomorrow, i think he will be able to give you some clarification about the new lump (perhaps he will possibly see you sooner about it too) and he will be able to tell you if anything needs immediate attention.  He may not feel that anything that has happened is medically a "drastic change" for you (even tho you are freaking out about it), in which case you should be able to go to Cuba with the family and ENJOY THAT TRIP!!! It is just one week long!!! You deserve it after all the treatments you have gone thru, and so does your whole family!!  You will have a fantastic time watching your kids having the best time ever!!

--after the trip which is one week long, you will have your scans, if i remember correctly, i think on the 19th of January which is about a week after vacation.  Anyway i know that the scan is soon after vacation.  At that point you will have an answer to your question about progression.

--so, in about one months time, you will have had your conversation with your onc about the new lump, your vacation with the family, and the scans, and you will be ready for what ever treatment is next.

Based on what your scans show (OR DON'T SHOW!) you and the onc can figure out what trial you might be able to do or what treatment you should have.  In one months time there may be more info on what trials are available and when they start or what trials have been revised and when they start, which would help you to make the decision.

Your nodes have been the ONLY place where you have the bc and nodes do swell up and then get smaller again all the time anyway with anything that happens to your body.  If your onc thought that what is happening right now was "drastic" or he suspected a progression, he would have told you so. 

Time does seem to pass VERY slowly when you are anxious, but altogether what you are dealing with will not take a lot of time. And there are some answers that will happen along the way (like the talk with the onc) to help you make decisions.  Try not to see this as a whole, just look at the segments--each small step brings you closer to being able to make the decision about what treatment to do.  If we could hurry time or slow time down as it was needed, it would be fantastic, but we can't do that so try to take this whole experience a little bit at a time, and try to stay in the present moment...........just look down at your feet and concentrate.........heel..toe...heel....toe...heel....toe....just take baby steps.

Slow down your mind if you can.  Anxiety is making you race to figure out everything at once.  You are a strong woman deep inside.

hugs and love,

celia 

Dawn,

This sounds really really good to me.  He has moved the appts up for you and that will cut down on your anxiety. He might be able to move the scan date earlier too--YAY!!!!  I think that he does not believe that it has progressed past the nodes and i am sure he is basing this on rate of growth you have had (not real fast) and his knowledge of the node area. 

i think that psychological therapy is a very good idea (but you knew i would say that!), so try to be open to it because it can really help.  It has been a life-changing experience (for the good) for me.  Sutent in January---that is the BEST news yet!!!!!!

He says it is "not life-threatening" i think because he believes that medical intervention will produce good results.  You could even end up NED. And there are lots of chemos and treatments for you to use.  It seems that he is trying to say to you that "it is NOT over yet."  Dawn, you have plenty of life to live.  Your onc is treating your bc as a chronic thing--it is there in the back of everything, but it CAN be beaten down.  He thinks you should go on your vacation and i really hope that you do!!!!!!  Next appointment with him--ask him to explain to you what he means when he says "not life-threatening."

Dawn, you will have to fight with yourself, but you CAN stay on the "up and up."   If you need help with this, i am just a phone call away.

Love and Hugs,

celia 

Hi Dawn,

   I just want you to know that I am praying for you. I hope better days are coming for you! Hugs and prayers, Peggy

Dawn,

Hope your scans went well on Friday and that Monday goes well also.

Sending hugs your way.

Teresa

Hi Dawn,

  Just wanted you to know, you are in my prayers. Hugs to you Bat Girl. I hope you get good results from your scans. Hang in there Dawn, we love you. Regards, Peggy

z,

how did the onc appt go??? waiting to hear about it.  thinking positive thoughts.

hugs,

c 

Hey Dawn,

We're all waiting for the word on the scans!! How'd it go?? Thinking of you and happy that you had a great time in Cuba!

XX

Joy