My future and something I didn't know.

Yesterday was my last chemo cycle. Am I happy? Of course, I am. The
worst of the treatments are over or will be in two weeks. No pains to
report yet, I'll start feeling this on Sunday. The super dry mouth is
creeping in though.

I had a chance to meet with my oncologist yesterday to discuss my future...you know, when I can return to work and when I should start radiation, hormone therapy and Herceptin. Next week I get a MUGA test, which is a test of my heart resting. I've had this test prior to chemo, but they want to see how my heart is doing after the chemo and before they start me on Herceptin. It is to my understanding that I will be doing both Herceptin and radiation at the same time.

Herceptin is an anti-body that I will need once every three weeks for a year. It
is an injection through my port, just like chemo. There are little to no side effects, so I should be able to work and live somewhat normally during this. In case you're wondering what Herceptin is, it is to slow the growth of my "HER2+" cancer in case there are cells still living in my body or in case of recurrence.

To be honest, I've never really understood what "HER2+" was at the beginning of all this. Alot of what was told to me I didn't listen to with my best ear because at
the time, I was still in shock and this was all too surreal. It didn't really matter how they broke it down to me, the point was that I HAD CANCER! I had Tina with me during my appointments too, but I guess it was all too shocking for her as well. It was alot to swallow, for both of us, so this morning I found a simple answer on the net. I now vaguely recall hearing "protein", so I now know that having grade 3(out of 3) cancer isn't as aggressive as it gets!:

HER2-positive breast cancer
Q. A friend of mine has "HERS" breast cancer. What does that mean?

A.
You're probably referring to HER2-positive breast cancer — a breast cancer that tests positive for a protein called human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2), which promotes the growth of cancer cells. In about one of every three breast cancers, the cancer cells make an excess of HER2 due to a gene mutation. This gene mutation can occur in many types of cancer — not only breast cancer.

HER2-positive breast cancers tend to be more aggressive than other types of breast
cancer. They're also less responsive to hormone treatment. However, two treatments that may be effective against HER2-positive breast cancer are:

Trastuzumab (Herceptin) — a drug that targets HER2 — may slow the growth of the cancer and even decrease its size. Herceptin may be used as a treatment by itself or combined with chemotherapy. A study published in 2005 also found that Herceptin can reduce breast cancer recurrence by as much as 50 percent.

Certain chemotherapy medications, such as combinations of anthracycline drugs doxorubicin, epirubicin (<-- I had this, it was the "E" in my FEC100 and "thee" strongest drug of all of my chemo. It was the drug that caused most, if not all, of my hair loss and gave me the "Mango Madness" with a whole lot of nausea.)

Breast tissue can be tested for HER2, and routine testing is recommended for most women with breast cancer because the results may affect treatment recommendations and decisions. Whenever breast cancer recurs or spreads, the cancer cells should be tested for HER2.

So yeah, that's alot to swallow this morning because lately I've been getting anxious about my chances of recurrence and am scared to death about this coming back. Like I've told some people, I don't mind going through the treatments this time around to
get kick this in the you know what, but if it comes back...I will turn into, for lack of a better word, a SUCK! I don't know if I'll have the strength to go through this again. Only time will tell. Just as a reminder, this is where your donations go, to help find a cure so that we patients can one day only go through this only once in our lives. As it stands, my chances of recurrence prior to starting treatments was
approx. 70% and after all treatments are complete it will reduce that number to about 40%. 40% is not a good number to me...it sounds a whole lot like 50/50!

Anyway, I don't want to concentrate on the numbers and this HER2+ stuff too much
this morning or it will depress me....I just wanted you guys to know. As for the hormone treatments, it's a pill for a year because my type of cancer is estrogen and progesterone positive. The prescription to it is in my jacket pocket, but I have no idea when I should start it.

Radiation should start either late January or early February. I have to call Princess Margaret to find out because we originally set up this appointment back in August and ask me if I remember! LOL! They told me that they would call to remind me, but I want to know now so that I can prepare mentally.

I'm going to eat some breakfast now while I can still somewhat taste food and the dry mouth isn't in full effect.

Take care for now!
Jen