No Evidence of Cancer Remains

TIME AGAIN FOR THE HAPPY DANCE !!

I made it through the last few days of radiation without a hitch. As if this weren't the BEST of news, I was given the next 3 weeks "off". No treatments or pills. No doctors' appointments or tethers to the hospital. I was NORMAL !!

I slept a lot, read a lot and reacquainted myself with everyday life. Chrissie and Fran left for London, our nephew Matt got engaged, Felix stopped biting his fur and I started spending more time down the Cape. I heard from old friends, shopped, went out to dinner, and had the chance (of a lifetime) to see Sir Paul, front row center, at Fenway. It's hard to express how wonderful it feels to be "back".

This week I've started another round of chemo, 7 pills a day, which will last for 4 weeks. I'll continue Herceptin infusions, one every 3 weeks, through next June. At some point, about a month after my last day on chemo, I'll start the pill I'll need to take once a day for the next 5 years. The end is in sight !!

I'm so thankful to my team at MGH and the fact that I was able to have such state of the art care and treatment. Words seem hardly enough to express my gratitude for all the blessings I've received. Of course, as always, YOU are the reason I'm able to wake up each morning with a smile on my face. Your love and support have carried me through each and every day. You're always in my thoughts.

I'm going to give my blog a rest for a while. The next big decision will center around the possibility of another surgery, some time next year. I'm not sure I'll opt for more surgery, but I have plenty of time to think about it. In the meantime, know I'm forever grateful for your presence in my life. I wish you the BEST, always.

4 More Days To Go, But Who's Counting

That would be ME !! Counting down the number of radiation days left to go. The treatment protocol was changed from 7 weeks to 6 weeks, a huge relief in and of itself.

So far I've been tolerating the mix of radiation and oral chemo pretty well. My chest passed the sunburned, angry red stage last week, sailing into what I would call a purple haze. Right about the time my cheeks started swelling, turning red and blotchy. I'm quite the sight. I'm using 4 different lotions and ointments, which seem to help.

I've been switched to the final phase of treatment a week early, which is radiating the incision site only. Since 90% of recurrence happens there, my team thinks this is the best approach. Hopefully a week's break will allow my chest to heal to the point of being able to tolerate the last 2 days of the regular treatment next week.

THEN I'LL BE THROUGH WITH RADIATION !!

And being tethered to MGH Monday through Friday. I may sleep for the first few days. Then go down the Cape for an extended stay.

Thanks to all of you for helping me make it through this point. You are the BEST. I don't know what I would do without your love and support. Words can hardly express the overwhelming gratitude I feel when I think of you. I am truly blessed.

1 Down, 6 To Go

That would be weeks of radiation, as the countdown begins !! We celebrated my having made it through the first week of chemo pills, radiation and Herceptin infusion. The first day took longer than expected, 8 hours in all, so we had to postpone cocktails at the Liberty Hotel. I'm thinking the end of treatment would be a better time to PARTAY. More on this later.

So far, so good. I'm tired but able to nap. I've started a "sunburn" which usually doesn't happen until a few weeks into treatment. If I turn tomato red by the end of this week, the doctor will adjust the chemo dose. I'm seeing the Reiki therapist, continuing acupuncture and looking into yoga or Pilate's for breast cancer patients, offered through the hospital. Lots to keep me busy in between daily trips to radiation and doctor appointments.

We continue driving down the Cape on weekends. It's peaceful and beautiful, the perfect balance to weeks in the city. Chrissie's been able to come with us, hopefully work won't interfere with this schedule.

I continue to be strong because of you. Thanks for your love and well wishes. My thoughts are with you.

Radiation Is Set To Go, TURN ON THE JUICE

SUCCESS !! I've been working closely with the physical therapist at Mass General to improve flexibility in my left arm, which is still stiff and sore, a month after my second surgery. The first time I went for a radiation "fitting" I wasn't able to move it to a position over my head to fit in the CT machine. A week later, with a little help from my friends (Ativan and Percoset), I was able to tolerate the procedure. I'm now sporting 5 tattoos which the radiologists will use to guide each radiation treatment to precisely the correct spot. In case you're wondering, yes, I DID ask for a discreet flower tattoo around my ankle, time permitting, when they were through. Clearly they'd been asked this before (where IS their sense of humor), the answer was a flat NO. This makes me want to go to the first treatment with a few paste-on flowers, to possibly make them reconsider.

My radiation "dry-run" is scheduled for Monday, June 8. The real-deal treatment begins June 9. It's going to be a full day, starting with 5 chemo pills each day for 12 weeks, and Herceptin infusions (every 3 weeks for a year). YIKES. My goal is to stay strong for the duration of the treatment.

Martha is going with me on June 9. When the zapping is complete, our plan is to walk from the Yawkey Building at Mass General directly next door to the Liberty Hotel, straight to the Alibi Bar for an after-radiation/chemo/infusion cocktail (other than toxic chemicals). We'll be toasting ALL OF YOU for helping me make it through to this next step in my recovery !!

Our niece Chrissie is staying with us for most of the summer. We're VERY happy. She'll be working 2 days a week as an intern at O'Neill and Associates, in Boston, and looking for additional employment, hopefully the kind that comes with a paycheck, as she's saving to go back to school in the fall. In addition, she'll be helping me through the first couple of months of treatment. She'll be BUSY.

I remain positive and strong, again because of you. Words can't express my gratitude for your unfailing support, good wishes and prayers. Here's to YOU, best wishes for the summer and all your endeavors. Oh, and GO SOX !!

Igor Has Left The Building

His remains are HISTORY !!
The pathology report shows no trace of him remaining. From this day forward, I feel I have joined the ranks of Cancer Survivor !!

Hopefully his demise was SO painful, humiliating and gut wrenching, he'll never have the nerve to show his disgusting, stinky, slimy self again. The doctors at Massachusetts General have a new one/two/three punch course of treatment in mind for me to ensure he stays away forever.

Starting next week I begin PT at the hospital, geared toward limbering my left arm, which right now is pretty stiff. Radiation begins the first week of June. I'll go once a day, Monday through Friday, for 7 weeks. Each treatment will take about 15 minutes. Both of my arms need to be flexible enough to stay overhead for this procedure, so I have some work to do between now and then.

I'll start chemotherapy in pill form at the same time, for 12 weeks. Hopefully side effects will be minimal.

Radiation/chemo together is the one/two punch. Here's the third: I'll be visiting the infusion floor again, once every 3 weeks for a year, to receive the drug Herceptin. Just when I thought I could say goodbye to the power port, it needs to stay a while longer. This protein based drug has an impressive cure rate for HER2 positive tumors like mine. According to my medical oncologist, I'm on the cutting edge of treatment with this drug combination. Though not a place I ever thought I'd be, I'm extremely grateful for the timing to be there now.

I thought I might be able to have a few of the radiation treatments at Cape Cod Hospital so I could spend more time down the Cape this summer. However, I've decided to stay with my team at the General. The hospital's just 8 blocks away, very close if I need to get there in a hurry, and a sure way of getting my daily exercise if I choose to walk.

I'm continuing to recover from surgery, a little slower than the first go round, but no complaints. I just thank my lucky stars I'm headed in the right direction, with an end in sight.

Every single day I'm grateful to you for making all things possible. Your caring notes, emails, thoughts and prayers are my support. Know you are special beyond words to me.

Dasvadanya Igor, Auf Wiedersehen, Goodbye

Two weeks after surgery and I'm feeling GOOD. My left arm is much better, just a little tingly and numb. I'm able to do physical therapy at home, this is the good news. The not so good news centers around the conversation Steve and I had with the surgeon about the pathology results. It appears not even 2 lumpectomies would be sufficient to rid my body of Igor. Nothing short of a mastectomy will do the trick, so "off with his head" tomorrow morning.

Not only were 10 lymph nodes positive out of the 24 removed, and margins not clean in several places, the tumor didn't respond to chemotherapy in the way they had hoped. Instead of deflating like a balloon, Igor stood tall, riddled like Swiss cheese. Not ONLY is he a persistently annoying, clinger-oner piece of SLIME, he's a STINKY YELLOW ROTTEN piece of GARBAGE. I'll have to give the devil his due for being so tenacious, but ENOUGH ALREADY.

After his one-way trip to the BIN tomorrow, to help seal the deal of his demise, in 4 to 6 weeks I'll start radiation, accompanied by another round of chemo. This time it will be in pill form, one a day for 6 weeks, following each radiation treatment. Apparently a toxic mix, but the doctors think I can tolerate it, and it will be strong enough to kill any errant, lingering cells. EEEEUUUU, the THOUGHT of Igor procreating is NOT a pretty picture. This time, as his days are truly numbered, losing his cozy little home in the place called MY BREAST, should come as a BIG surprise.

This weekend I've been enjoying time down the Cape, with Steve and the kitties. Felix, who you may remember started licking the fur off his legs the day I began losing my hair, is doing better. We've taken him off kitty Prozac and put him on steroids. Very low strength, they seem to be working. Or maybe it's because my hair is starting to grow back, too.

Hope all of you are doing well. My thoughts are with YOU, and the many blessings you bring to me each and every day. Thank you so much for your comments, well wishes and prayers. I LOVE the idea of a voodoo Doll, Annie. Thick pins ONLY. The thought of an African fertility doll makes me LAUGH, Sarah. Bring them all on. You are my strength.

Igor: Down But Not Entirely Out

The BAAHSTID. (Jane pardon my French.)

The Good News: Monday I'll have the drain removed.

The Other News: I need a second surgery. The pathology report shows a few spots of tumor residue still lingering around the original site. The "margins" are not clean. I'll probably have surgery next week, we're waiting to see if the surgeon can work me into her schedule, as she's been on vacation this week. (Guess it's not ENTIRELY all about me.)

Of the 24 lymph nodes (out of 28) she removed from my left side, 10 contained cancer cells. This isn't the best of news, as fewer usually equals better in terms of outcome. There's a chance my course of treatment may need to be altered (chemo again ??). I'll know more after speaking with her.

The road is proving not only long, but filled with turns and uncertainties. I feel good, only slight tingling/burning remains in my left arm. What's left of Igor must be smirking from his vantage point, thinking he's about to gain control again. He doesn't know his days are still numbered, as the next surgery date nears. JEEZ, he's proving to be a persistently wretched piece of slime AND an annoying nuisance at the same time. It puts a smile on my face knowing he's going to be taken by surprise again BIG TIME.

Steve and I are down the Cape this weekend. The buds are just beginning to pop, the weather is warming up, everything is beautiful. We're about to go for a walk. This is great reflective time for me. I'm thankful for so many things. Waking up in the morning, the patience and loving care of my husband, the playful and gentle purring of the kitties. Most of all, the healing power of friendship. I'm so thankful for all of you, your constant well wishes and heart felt prayers and support. To be so blessed is amazing, you're in my thoughts every day. Know you're the reason I'm able to remain strong.