I saw Dr G yesterday and the latest news indicates stability. My tumor marker went up a few points, but is basically stable since I've been on the Afinitor.
Dr G agreed that my crushing fatigue of a week ago might have been due to the mouth infection as well as the Afinitor. He has me alternating 5 mg and 10 mg doses of Afinitor to see if I can move back to the higher dose with no ill effects.
He's ordered a chest, abdomen and pelvis CT and a brain MRI in three weeks and then we will know more about how well this combo works
I asked Dr G about some statistics related to his practice. He treats about 20 patients for metastatic breast cancer. Of those, about half have lived with mets around ten years (could be seven, eight, nine years -- I didn't press him for details). When I asked him if anyone had lived longer than ten years, he looked me in the eye and said, "You."
I'm at ten years and 18 days! And I'm looking forward to dancing with this cancer for much longer.
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Thanks for your wonderful blog. I am going through breast cancer for the first time and need a guide to show me that its not going to be THAT bad. Oh I know its bad, but I need a survivor to light the way for me. I also just started blogging about it. I needed someone to confide in, so why not the world?
ReplyDeleteMazaltov Jill! Your blog is a pleasure, an inspiration to read!
ReplyDeleteYou inspire me! I am so happy that you are doing quite well regardless of what you are going through! And you'll be dancing up a storm even years from now!
ReplyDeletePatrice
Hi Jill, I admire that you can share such an intimate experience. My family has a history of breast cancer with my great aunt undergoing a lumpectomy less than two months ago. Feeling overwhelmed and wanting to have a sense of control back in my life, I decided to get involved with the breast cancer nonprofit community. It has given me the opportunity to feel as though I am fighting this disease right along my family and friends who are continuing their journey with the disease.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to let you know that The Keep A Breast Foundation were nominated for a $250,000 Chase Community Giving grant. This youth-focused nonprofit organization educates about cancer prevention, early detection, and of cancer-causing toxins in the environment. The recipient is determined by votes and winning would mean that they could continue their awesome work in education. Would you be so kind as to help them get the word out? Polls close September 19th. People can VOTE here: http://bit.ly/TrduBz Thank you!!
-Sarina
-Sarina
Good for you for writing about your experiences on your blog! It's hard to share these things sometimes! I really hope you're doing alright. I am a cancer survivor as well. Blog: morgankatz505.blogspot.com
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