Thanks Ann for the statistics but I won't show them to my daughter.  I don't
want her to dwell on the probabilities.  She still gets the shots to get her
menapausal and frequent check-ups and blood draws. (She had the invasive
ductal positive her2neu.) She did go ahead with the chemo and radiation
after surgery.
We have seen first hand what happens as the years go by and the reacurrence
that has happened to family members. SO MANY in our family!  My niece
Marilyn's funeral
Wednesday.
My motto is to "live, live, live, until we die"
My daughter and I have been in Florida where she has chosen to live.  We
rented a condo with many amenities, just a few minutes from the beach.  She
will work there and I will
also spend much time there with her - especially in the winter.
We had a lot of fun looking for a place, met Pete Rose, ate out, enjoyed the
beach. Each good day a "present".  Hated to come back to rainy Ohio to take
care of things here.

Statistics are just that and we will never know where we fit while on our
journey.  I guess I don't want to know the specifics.  Might ruin my day at
the beach. (grin)

eveline

Ann wrote:

Interesting numbers  ;-)

On a side note (and mainly because I didn't want to start a new thread)
it looks like Deborah and I are back in the fight and about to do Round
3 with the beast.

Test results show her CA15-3 is rising even though she's on Herceptin
now.  Her last bone scan showed a hot spot on her spine (but an MRI
revealed it was just degenerative disk disease) but the last pile of
tests show her markers are on the way up and a touch of emphysema that
we've never seen in a chest x-ray.  Deborah has been a nonsmoker for
almost 20 years, so WTF?

Anyway, her markers always run low (I don't think they've ever been
above 60) but have increased from 27 to 47 in the last four weeks.  The
part that's making me nervous is that her lungs and abdomen are clear -
and knowing how I tend to panic at stuff like this and because she's
doing Herceptin it's about everything I can do to keep from demanding a
skull CT.  No sense looking for trouble when she's still asymptomatic,
though.  I'll calm down in a few days, I think  ;-)

Anyway, Dr. Smiley wants to wait until July 6 to make a decision, but
has told her if her markers continue to rise that it'll be time to
start chemo again.  He's recommending that we try adding Navelbine to
the Herceptin again since the combination's worked well before.  I'm a
little skeptical because it's the Herceptin that's been keeping her
alive all this time and now there's some question whether it's still
effective.  In preparation for this stuff she's doing a bone density
test and a MUGA scan and I'm looking for a Lapatinib trial just in
case.  I haven't mentioned this to Deborah yet, though  ;-)

Y'all have known me for almost six years - and when the nasties start
growing again I panic for a bit and then settle down and do what needs
to be done, I think.  Right now I'm still in the 'oh, crap' mode.

Anyway, Dr, Smiley gave Deborah 6-12 months in August, 1999 - almost
six years ago.  We've beaten the odds and then some and I think we can
do it for awhile more.

Anyway, I'll know a lot more on July 6.

hugs to all -