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BluebellsMcGee OP t1_jbxcqrw wrote

Made by hand in Canva, in an effort to help my friends and family visualize my overlapping treatments.

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ChrisB911 t1_jbxfnn5 wrote

This is honestly the richest post I’ve ever seen on here. This data holds an incredible amount of weight and conveys so much emotion. I appreciate this post probably more than you expected and I’m not even personally connected to any cancer patients or survivors. I wish for the best of everything for you and I’m so sorry you had to endure all of this. You kickass.

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BluebellsMcGee OP t1_jbxggvr wrote

Thank you for the very kind words -- that's the impact I was hoping it would have. Before being diagnosed, I had no idea how long the breast cancer "journey" would be. As I approached each milestone, I thought "ahhh I'm finally in the home stretch!" and my cancer team would say "actually, there's more..." I'm grateful there are so many lines of treatment available for my type of cancer (the alternative would suck), but life truly will never be "back to normal" for me.

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I_LIKE_LIMA_BEANS t1_jbxrka9 wrote

Fellow breast cancer survivor here (five years out from treatment, 3.5 since second reconstruction). The whole, “but wait…there’s more!” really resonated with me. It’s such an unpredictable disease, and like you wrote, it differs incredibly not just by cancer type, but by individual. Over time, the twists do seem to get a little easier. I hope your journey eases soon, and the new normal is a good one.

Edit to add: also super smart to have this to explain to loved ones. I found explaining my diagnosis and treatment to be very emotionally difficult and draining. And then you end up comforting your friends and family because they feel so bad for you. My husband began sharing my news when he realized, which made it a lot easier for me (though tougher of course for him). Fuck cancer

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ChrisB911 t1_jbxgzae wrote

It literally brings tears to my eyes just thinking about all you’ve been through.

You should do another one on the costs associated, like insurance coverages and out of pocket expenses, etc. I have heard it can be crazy and I’m sure other people would be interested in this info.

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newleaseonlife1 t1_jbzjoz0 wrote

I've only had breast reconstruction with no cancer and I feel like I've been put through the ringer with no end in sight to the surgeries and procedures and complications. I don't think I could have gotten through it had it been cancer as well. Kudos to you for fighting this hard.

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MegBundy t1_jby1od6 wrote

I also had triple positive breast cancer. Most of my treatment was the same, but two years in, I’m only on Anastrozole. I’m amazed and so grateful for how effective Herceptin is!

I love this timeline. It puts a wonderful visual to the treatment.

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gedmathteacher t1_jbyerau wrote

I don’t see Herceptin on this

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BluebellsMcGee OP t1_jbyh4o7 wrote

I had Herceptin in my TCHP chemo cocktail. MegBundy most likely achieved pCR (pathologic complete response), which means her chemo completely killed her cancer.

When a triple positive patient gets pCR, she gets Herceptin infusions (or shots).

When a triple positive patient doesn’t achieve pCR, the prognosis isn’t as rosy, so they throw stronger drugs at it, including Kadcyla, Nerlynx, Zometa, and whatever other new treatments they can concoct (new treatments are coming out almost every year).

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MegBundy t1_jbyn45x wrote

I didn’t achieve pcr, but hopefully my double mastectomy removed all the cancer. I often consider about how much the cancer would have spread without Herceptin. I don’t think the previous poster , u/gedmathteacher , realizes that triple positive was very aggressive and deadly before Herceptin, which has only been around for twenty years. My husband met one of the researchers who discovered Herceptin, Dennis Slamon, and discussed my therapy with him when I was first diagnosed. TCHP is standard treatment for the vast majority of triple positive cases. The H in TCHP is Herceptin, and TCHP is listed in the first line of the graph.

Herceptin can go by other names, Trastuzumab, Herzuma and Ontruzant, so maybe that’s confusing.

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gedmathteacher t1_jbyphnk wrote

My apologies. Herceptin saved my sisters life. Now that I see where it is in the timeline, it’s the same course she had. She had the same cancer as you and wrote a book about it. I have no excuse to be so ignorant

Edit : she had triple negative

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Ch1Guy t1_jbz8d1h wrote

Triple negative means the cancer doesn't have estrogen or progesterone receptors, or make excessive HER2 proteins.

Herceptin is generally for HER2 positive cancer.

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MegBundy t1_jbyq89i wrote

Triple negative is a terrible prognosis. I’m so sorry she went through that. It is so wonderful she survived.

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gedmathteacher t1_jbysxt7 wrote

Ugh she was HER2+, ER-

Thank you science regardless!!

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MegBundy t1_jbytrpu wrote

So many cancers out there! How can we keep track?! 😆

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Ch1Guy t1_jbz7k97 wrote

Herceptin is the H in TCHP Taxotere Carboplatin Herceptin Perjeta

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Snickerlish t1_jbz9yby wrote

As a marketing professional, I’m impressed you made that in Canva! lol my mom just went through breast cancer surgery and treatment in 2021-22. We sympathize with the timing of the process 💕

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JuicyJew_420 t1_jbzw7bx wrote

Shit that looks like hell... But congrats on living! I'm glad you are around to make this post

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