I would like to update everyone on Sue. I just spent the past 4 days in Portland with her doctors and even though the scans were not favorable her attitude and outward appearance is as positive as ever. As you read from the prior blog update, she was unable to have the liver biopsy Tuesday as her blood was not "thick enough" after taking blood thinners from the prior chemo treatments. The doctors felt she needed three more days for the blood to thicken so the liver would not bleed excessively during the biopsy. The one risk in waiting was the possibility of blood clots forming. Well, today we had a little scare. This morning Sue had a twitch in her leg that would not go away and as the morning progressed, she had trouble breathing knowing something wasn't right. She was smart enough to recognize things weren't right and made the necessary calls to the hospital. It was blood clot in her calf area. Sheila and Annie were notified asap, but the hospital sensed urgency and had an ambulance take her to Good Samaritan hospital.
The doctors decided not to wait for a liver biopsy and elected to get her back on blood thinners and stay a few days under nurses care. I spoke with her this afternoon and she sounds great, just disappointed about missing back to school night. She should be heading back home Saturday and knowing Sue, back to school Monday with the kids.
Your prayer support is greatly appreciated.
Matt
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
No biopsy today
Another twist today....I was prepped and ready to go for the biopsy, but my blood work showed that my blood is too thin and surgery is unsafe. I've been on Coumadin to keep the blood thin because of clotting problems and levels hadn't dropped enough to do the biopsy today.
Disappointing, especially since I had to take a day off from teaching, but I'd rather be safe than sorry! The biopsy has been rescheduled for Friday afternoon and I was given a dose of Vitamin K today to help counteract the Coumadin.
Turned out to be a hidden blessing as my brother, Matt, is here for a few days and the "reprieve" allowed me to spend a gorgeous, sunny afternoon with him. A very nice treat!
I'll keep you posted, but as it stands now, we're scheduled for Friday and will go from there. Still feeling good and loving a Portland Indian summer.
Love and hugs to all, Susan
Disappointing, especially since I had to take a day off from teaching, but I'd rather be safe than sorry! The biopsy has been rescheduled for Friday afternoon and I was given a dose of Vitamin K today to help counteract the Coumadin.
Turned out to be a hidden blessing as my brother, Matt, is here for a few days and the "reprieve" allowed me to spend a gorgeous, sunny afternoon with him. A very nice treat!
I'll keep you posted, but as it stands now, we're scheduled for Friday and will go from there. Still feeling good and loving a Portland Indian summer.
Love and hugs to all, Susan
Saturday, September 19, 2009
"Scan results disappointing again"
The much hoped for good news regarding the most recent scan didn't happen...again. I met with Dr. Karamlou yesterday and the growths in the liver are much bigger than before. Sure wasn't what we wanted to hear (Mom was with me) and very disappointing.
What is interesting (for lack of a better term) is that the lung and pancreas appear to have stabilized - there has been no change in the nodules in either place and that is great. The growths in the liver, however; are growing rapidly. Dr. Karamlou said this would indicate the chemo isn't working, but also raises the question of a very slight (1-2% chance) that what we're dealing with in the liver may not be the cancer we think it is. This doesn't mean the growths aren't cancerous, the tumor markers and other indicators clearly show it is, but it does raise the ever so slight possibility the cell structure of the liver growths aren't what they (the docs) think they are. Bottom line is, with even the slightest possibility it could be a different cell base, we need to be sure and it was agreed I would have another liver biopsy on Tuesday. This will confirm exactly what we are dealing with, in the liver, and a protocol can be determined from there.
My first reaction to the chance it could be something else (and remember, this is a VERY slight possibility) was thunderstruck and I asked "Is it possible I have a third cancer?" Dr. Karamlous said no, this wasn't likely but it is possible for cell structure to be different in the liver, even with a metastasized cancer. So.....we take another turn in the road on this cancer journey. The word that keeps coming up in the conversations is "atypical". Nothing about my cancer journey has taken what, in medical terms, would be considered a normal progression and this is just another fork in the cancer road.
The biopsy is currently scheduled for Tuesday, the 22nd, and I'll see Dr. Karamlou on Friday, the 25th for the results and the next steps. If if is the same cancer, we'll start a new chemo that is delivered through a 48 hour pump via a pic line and if it's not....well, I'll find out on Friday.
Many praises in even all this.....I still feel good, have energy and am loving being back in the classroom with the kids. It has been just great! We're starting our third week of school on Monday (is that possible already?) and it's been so much fun getting to know each one of the 140+ kids I have. The weather has been delightful with a combination of warm, sunny days and a little bit of rain here and there and my Giants are still not completely out of the race for the wild card. There is hope!
And that's my bottom line, there is hope. Hope in healing for this cancer and in the joy of every day. Your prayers for a quick and safe biopsy on Tuesday are so appreciated. I'll update again as soon as we know more.
In the meantime, love, hugs and blessings to all,
Susan
What is interesting (for lack of a better term) is that the lung and pancreas appear to have stabilized - there has been no change in the nodules in either place and that is great. The growths in the liver, however; are growing rapidly. Dr. Karamlou said this would indicate the chemo isn't working, but also raises the question of a very slight (1-2% chance) that what we're dealing with in the liver may not be the cancer we think it is. This doesn't mean the growths aren't cancerous, the tumor markers and other indicators clearly show it is, but it does raise the ever so slight possibility the cell structure of the liver growths aren't what they (the docs) think they are. Bottom line is, with even the slightest possibility it could be a different cell base, we need to be sure and it was agreed I would have another liver biopsy on Tuesday. This will confirm exactly what we are dealing with, in the liver, and a protocol can be determined from there.
My first reaction to the chance it could be something else (and remember, this is a VERY slight possibility) was thunderstruck and I asked "Is it possible I have a third cancer?" Dr. Karamlous said no, this wasn't likely but it is possible for cell structure to be different in the liver, even with a metastasized cancer. So.....we take another turn in the road on this cancer journey. The word that keeps coming up in the conversations is "atypical". Nothing about my cancer journey has taken what, in medical terms, would be considered a normal progression and this is just another fork in the cancer road.
The biopsy is currently scheduled for Tuesday, the 22nd, and I'll see Dr. Karamlou on Friday, the 25th for the results and the next steps. If if is the same cancer, we'll start a new chemo that is delivered through a 48 hour pump via a pic line and if it's not....well, I'll find out on Friday.
Many praises in even all this.....I still feel good, have energy and am loving being back in the classroom with the kids. It has been just great! We're starting our third week of school on Monday (is that possible already?) and it's been so much fun getting to know each one of the 140+ kids I have. The weather has been delightful with a combination of warm, sunny days and a little bit of rain here and there and my Giants are still not completely out of the race for the wild card. There is hope!
And that's my bottom line, there is hope. Hope in healing for this cancer and in the joy of every day. Your prayers for a quick and safe biopsy on Tuesday are so appreciated. I'll update again as soon as we know more.
In the meantime, love, hugs and blessings to all,
Susan
Monday, September 7, 2009
"September Already?"
I find myself saying that frequently.....September already? What happened to August? And, here in Portland, what happened to the summer weather? It's been a cold, gray, damp couple of days and I think whatever real summer we had happened while I was traveling the past weeks. This is much better than the 100+ degree blistering heat days I came home to after the cruise, so no real complaints! And with the kiddos returning to school this week, the cooler temps will help them stay a bit more focused, right? :)
Back to school for me was last Monday, August 31st, and it was great to be in the classroom and with my colleagues. Students don't start until Sept. 9th so it was nice to have time to ease into the routines again. Such an answer to prayer for me - when I left in June, I promised myself as well as friends and students I would be back in Sept. so to truly be back, see my name on the schedule and go about the start of the year tasks is such a gift. I was a little concerned about my energy level but at the end of each day, the tired feeling I experienced was a normal, end of the work day kind of tired - not flat on my face. Granted, that will change a bit when the kids begin this week and it will likely be early to bed every night for awhile, but I am so grateful to still feel good and have the energy to work.
God has so protected me, even as the cancer has progressed. My plan is to teach full time for as long as my health/energy will allow, and, as far as I am concerned, that will be for the full school year. My current chemo schedule is two weeks on, one week off so I've scheduled chemo for Friday afternoons with the weekend to recover.
Chemo last Friday went fine and there has been the usual fatigue and nausea immediately following the session, but nothing out of the ordinary and I feel good today. Hmmmm....things have really changed when fatigue and nausea have become normal occurrences in my life. But if this chemo cocktail is doing the trick and kicking the cancer butt, then I say "bring it on"! The next scan is scheduled for Sept. 16th and I'll see Dr. Karamlou on the 18th for results.
Keep praying for that healing miracle! August was another month of "firsts", some much more enjoyable than others. My mom, sister and I went to the Shakespeare Festival in Ashland and it was fabulous. Considering Ashland isn't really all that far from Portland, it's a shame it took me so long to get there, but it was well worth it. We saw "MacBeth" and "Much Ado About Nothing" and thoroughly enjoyed each one. I highly recommend a trip there.
After the festival, I flew back to Connecticut with my sister and spent a week there with her family, exploring their town (Westport) and even a little bit of NYC. I hadn't been to CT before and we had a great time. I will say I'm no fan of east coast heat and humidity though. Whew! Regardless, it was a really nice week with my niece and nephew, Ryan and Meghan, my sister and brother-in-law and their menagerie. Cats, a hamster and, not one but two, Newfoundland dogs. Darling pups, Wally and Tinkerbell, but they are the size of small black bears! Thankfully, a lot more sweet tempered than a bear :)
The other first (this one I didn't like so much) was a short stint in the hospital. A day or so after a chemo session in early August, I had a very high fever and chills and was sent promptly to the ER for evaluation. The ER on a Saturday night.....quite the wild time there, but thankfully, not for me. :) Though blood and other tests didn't show signs of infection and I wasn't neutropenic (white blood cell count too low), the on-call oncologist and ER doc didn't like the look of my lung x-rays and said I had pneumonia. Not a great thing for a lung cancer patient to develop....I was admitted for observation, antibiotics and rest and spent three days in the hospital while all figured out what was actually happening. The good news is I did not have pneumonia after all and it was determined I had just a bad case of chemo fevers. I will say again how grateful I am for all the great nurses and doctors I've had and everyone was really good to me while I was hospitalized. Just don't go to the hospital if you want to actually get any rest :) They were all very nice about it, but the frequent middle of the night visits for vitals, or antibiotics or a blood draw didn't make for a very restful visit! The whole experience was a little bit sobering for me as I have had so few problems, medically, in this cancer journey and this was a reminder that things may not always go just as I think they will. Fortunately, I wasn't as sick as everyone feared and was "sprung" in time to make it to the Shakespeare Festival. :)
Thought I'd include a few more pictures of the Europe trip - me in Venice and Ephesus and the Acropolis in Greece. I really had such an amazing summer with all the travels I was able to take and the friends that came to spend time with me. I don't take the blessings of my family, friends or this awesome life for granted for one minute.
My Giants are trying hard to get that wild card spot for the playoffs and I'm excited to think they just might make it! Keep praying for that miracle and for some good news on the scan this time. I'm ready for some positive results, how about you?
Back to school for me was last Monday, August 31st, and it was great to be in the classroom and with my colleagues. Students don't start until Sept. 9th so it was nice to have time to ease into the routines again. Such an answer to prayer for me - when I left in June, I promised myself as well as friends and students I would be back in Sept. so to truly be back, see my name on the schedule and go about the start of the year tasks is such a gift. I was a little concerned about my energy level but at the end of each day, the tired feeling I experienced was a normal, end of the work day kind of tired - not flat on my face. Granted, that will change a bit when the kids begin this week and it will likely be early to bed every night for awhile, but I am so grateful to still feel good and have the energy to work.
God has so protected me, even as the cancer has progressed. My plan is to teach full time for as long as my health/energy will allow, and, as far as I am concerned, that will be for the full school year. My current chemo schedule is two weeks on, one week off so I've scheduled chemo for Friday afternoons with the weekend to recover.
Chemo last Friday went fine and there has been the usual fatigue and nausea immediately following the session, but nothing out of the ordinary and I feel good today. Hmmmm....things have really changed when fatigue and nausea have become normal occurrences in my life. But if this chemo cocktail is doing the trick and kicking the cancer butt, then I say "bring it on"! The next scan is scheduled for Sept. 16th and I'll see Dr. Karamlou on the 18th for results.
Keep praying for that healing miracle! August was another month of "firsts", some much more enjoyable than others. My mom, sister and I went to the Shakespeare Festival in Ashland and it was fabulous. Considering Ashland isn't really all that far from Portland, it's a shame it took me so long to get there, but it was well worth it. We saw "MacBeth" and "Much Ado About Nothing" and thoroughly enjoyed each one. I highly recommend a trip there.
After the festival, I flew back to Connecticut with my sister and spent a week there with her family, exploring their town (Westport) and even a little bit of NYC. I hadn't been to CT before and we had a great time. I will say I'm no fan of east coast heat and humidity though. Whew! Regardless, it was a really nice week with my niece and nephew, Ryan and Meghan, my sister and brother-in-law and their menagerie. Cats, a hamster and, not one but two, Newfoundland dogs. Darling pups, Wally and Tinkerbell, but they are the size of small black bears! Thankfully, a lot more sweet tempered than a bear :)
The other first (this one I didn't like so much) was a short stint in the hospital. A day or so after a chemo session in early August, I had a very high fever and chills and was sent promptly to the ER for evaluation. The ER on a Saturday night.....quite the wild time there, but thankfully, not for me. :) Though blood and other tests didn't show signs of infection and I wasn't neutropenic (white blood cell count too low), the on-call oncologist and ER doc didn't like the look of my lung x-rays and said I had pneumonia. Not a great thing for a lung cancer patient to develop....I was admitted for observation, antibiotics and rest and spent three days in the hospital while all figured out what was actually happening. The good news is I did not have pneumonia after all and it was determined I had just a bad case of chemo fevers. I will say again how grateful I am for all the great nurses and doctors I've had and everyone was really good to me while I was hospitalized. Just don't go to the hospital if you want to actually get any rest :) They were all very nice about it, but the frequent middle of the night visits for vitals, or antibiotics or a blood draw didn't make for a very restful visit! The whole experience was a little bit sobering for me as I have had so few problems, medically, in this cancer journey and this was a reminder that things may not always go just as I think they will. Fortunately, I wasn't as sick as everyone feared and was "sprung" in time to make it to the Shakespeare Festival. :)
Thought I'd include a few more pictures of the Europe trip - me in Venice and Ephesus and the Acropolis in Greece. I really had such an amazing summer with all the travels I was able to take and the friends that came to spend time with me. I don't take the blessings of my family, friends or this awesome life for granted for one minute.
My Giants are trying hard to get that wild card spot for the playoffs and I'm excited to think they just might make it! Keep praying for that miracle and for some good news on the scan this time. I'm ready for some positive results, how about you?
Take care,
Susan
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Vinenzia, Firenze, Mykenos...Oh My! and scan update too."
We had a glitch in the blog site and are now back up and running. Lots to update....Here is her last update from Europe.
I'm still dreaming and smiling about the absolutely amazing cruise through the Mediterranean, it truly was the trip of a lifetime and I enjoyed every moment. When friends ask me which city was my favorite, all I can think to answer is "yes".
Each port brought it's own delights and uniqueness....Barcelona with it's stunning Gaudi architecture, especially La Sagrada Familia (the church) and the Avenue Las Ramblas with the colorful open air market, street artists, restaurants and shops. Florence with the Duomo and beautiful churches, the Ponte Vecchio and art museums that take your breath away. Naples, the rough little sea town with the Pompeii ruins, Monaco - we could at least see the outside of the Monte Carlo casino, seems shorts and sandals were not exactly "dress code" :) Makes me want to see "To Catch A Thief" again since so many spots in Monaco were recognizable from the film all those years ago. And the private yachts - oh my gosh, I didn't think they could be that huge! For sheer beauty, I think I enjoyed Mykenos the most. The backdrop of blue green Mediterranean waters against the whitewashed houses with their blue roofs and doors, the ancient windmills with the gorgeous blue sky behind them and a warm Mediterranean breeze tickling the little pin feathers on my head. Breathtaking. Athens....to be standing on the Acropolis, looking out over the valley surrounding it, all the amazing architecture....so many times I would have to almost pinch myself (in each port) because I could hardly believe I was actually there. Not looking at postcards or travel guides or watching travel shows. Truly walking on the same roads as many had gone so many thousands of years before. Every time we'd get to a new city, I'd turn to my brother and say "Guess what!", he'd be the good brother and reply "What?" (always knowing what was coming) and I'd grin from ear to ear and say "I'm in Barcelona or Mykenos or Venice" (wherever we were).
Istanbul with the Sultan's Palace and San Sofia church, the Blue Mosque, remnants of the ancient Hippodrome....Ephesus, the city where early Christianity was first established. I cried a little to know I was walking on the same dusty paths as Jesus, Mary and John, very deeply moved by that experience. Venice.....what an amazing city with it's waterways and gondolas, water taxis and St. Mark's Basilica, the Rialto and the Bridge of Sighs. Loved it!
The weather was great while we were there, quite hot but not intolerable. The only two places that were real scorchers were Ephesus (110 degrees) and Athens (about 106 degrees). Most of the rest of the places averaged mid 90s for temperature and that wasn't bad. Made sure I had 70 sunblock on my head and a good sun hat!
There were so many experiences - the sights, sounds, smells, food, colors, people, culture, language - it would take me pages to tell you all the incredible things I enjoyed. I tried to sample a little of the local cuisine no matter where we were and had a few rather interesting "tastes" but didn't miss many meals, that's for sure!
And this doesn't even cover the very cool experience of being on a luxury cruise ship! I was sure spoiled when I got home....very nice to have a pleasant cabin steward making up your room in the morning, turning down the sheets at night and always making sure there are fresh towels in the bathroom. And the food on a cruise ship.....well, let's just say "expanding your horizons" while traveling doesn't always mean seeing new places. :)
It was a great trip and I hope you can tell from what I've written here how much I enjoyed myself. Being with my brother and sister-in-law, niece and nephew plus many of Judith's (my sister-in-law) family members made this an adventure almost beyond description. The pictures on the blog are of me in Venice and with my nephew, Michael, before one of the formal dinners on the ship. If you have access to Facebook, my brother and niece have posted quite a few photo albums from our trip and you can see them from my page.
We're back in the "real world" now and the scan results are in. Discouragingly, the news was not good yet again. Seems the Abraxane and Carboplatin weren't working and the spots on the liver (that were there before) are larger plus there are a few new ones. No change in the nodule in the pancreas itself, however; the lymph node around it is bigger. The only piece of good news, I guess, is the lung tumor appears to have stabilized - it's not smaller but it's also not bigger and there appears to be no change at all. Would love to see it up and disappear, but for now, will take no changes as a good thing.
This is really disappointing news on two levels - first, obviously, it means we have to try yet another combination of chemo agents to try and stem the progression in the liver. I started this new chemo last Thursday - the name of the three drugs is quite lengthy and I don't remember exactly what they are, but they are referred to as "GTX" (sounds like a motor oil, doesn't it?). I'm back to weekly chemo, with two weeks on and one week off and we'll do another scan after two full cycles, 6 weeks from now.
The other issue is the continued progression of the cancer in the liver. So far, liver function has not been affected by the cancer (praise God for that!) but a major concern is that it will begin to cause problems (in the liver). Since the liver metabolizes all the chemicals going through the body, if it is affected by the cancer it could mean I can't continue to have chemo because my body won't be able to handle it. Now we aren't there yet and so far, my liver is ok but it is something to watch carefully. And truthfully, there are only so many bunnies in the hat for chemo combinations to try and, though we're not out of options, this is the 4th combination we've tried. As Dr. Karamlou said, this is a very aggressive cancer and it hasn't been responsive to treatment. Let's continue to pray this one does the trick.
Not easy news to hear and very sobering to realize options may becoming increasingly limited. I've shed my tears and continue to say my prayers for healing and still, no matter what, trust God and His plan for me. This journey on earth may be shorter than I'd like, but we aren't done yet and I continue to fight this disease with everything He has given me. Truthfully, the hardest part for me is having to make the phone calls to my family and friends to share more "suck" news (as I not so affectionately refer to it). I've come to terms with the cancer and what it may mean for me as it progresses but it never gets any easier to hear the anguish in the voices and see the fear in the eyes of the people I love so dearly. It's that pain I would dearly love to be able to take away, not my own.
And thankfully, I still feel good and have decent energy. I was so thrilled to be able to keep up on the Europe trip, I moved quite slowly at times but, by golly, with few exceptions made it to every single site and felt good. That's also what makes the conversations with Dr. Karamlou so bizarre - to look at me (other than being chemo bald) there are no outward indications I'm at all sick and yet on paper, I am considered terminal and it's just a matter of time. I still believe God can and may heal this cancer and certainly that is my prayer, as I know you are praying for me too, but I can only take each day as it comes and enjoy it for the blessings it holds.
A few weeks of summer left before I go back to work on the 31st and I plan to make the most of them. My mom, sister and I are going to Ashland this week to attend the Shakespeare Festival and that should be lots of fun - we've never been before. I'm flying back to CT with my sister to spend a week with her and her family in Westport and that will be great too. Then a week at home to rest before the wonderful chaos and bedlam of a new school year begins! I'm excited to meet my new "crop" of 6th graders and am so looking forward to being back to work. I was at school yesterday to get a few things organized in my classroom and print shop requests done and it felt so darn good to be there.
I hope each of you are enjoying this lovely summer too and am sending many hugs and much love.
Thanks for your continued support, encouragement and prayers, they mean more than I can every say.
Susan
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Bon Giorno from Venice!
Good morning, friends and family :)
We docked in Venice this morning and all the bells in the churches in St. Mark's Square were ringing as we sailed through. Awesome! We have to wait for the Italian health inspectors to approve the "medical condition" of the boat before we can disembark. I guess with all the H1N1 scares, they are being cautious. Everyone had to fill out a health form and will have their temp. scanned as we leave the boat.
I am doing great and having the time of my life on this trip. I return late Tuesday night and look forward to a day or two of rest.
Prayer needs: I have a scan on July 30th and will get the results when I see Dr. Karamlou on August 3rd and prayers are appreciated.
I plan to send pictures on the next blog update.
Love to all,
Susan
We docked in Venice this morning and all the bells in the churches in St. Mark's Square were ringing as we sailed through. Awesome! We have to wait for the Italian health inspectors to approve the "medical condition" of the boat before we can disembark. I guess with all the H1N1 scares, they are being cautious. Everyone had to fill out a health form and will have their temp. scanned as we leave the boat.
I am doing great and having the time of my life on this trip. I return late Tuesday night and look forward to a day or two of rest.
Prayer needs: I have a scan on July 30th and will get the results when I see Dr. Karamlou on August 3rd and prayers are appreciated.
I plan to send pictures on the next blog update.
Love to all,
Susan
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
"Scan Results - The Cancer is Trying to Kick Back"
Wow, seems like I blinked and June is over. These past few weeks have gone so quickly and it's hard to believe tomorrow is July 1st. Summer weather has finally arrived and it's wonderful....sunny, warm days and the long summer nights we love so much here in the NW. It stays light until almost 10:00 pm and it's so beautiful. Definitely worth the soggy cold winter and spring months to enjoy this lovely summer season. A balmy evening, baseball game on the radio and a popsicle or two (my new favorite treat :)........ahhhhhh.
Scan results are in and, disappointingly, the news is not too good. There is fluid in the lower lobe of my right lung and the lymph node around the pancreas is slightly larger. Also, there are spots on the liver that weren't there 6 weeks ago - an indication the cancer is moving. Clearly, the Gemzar and Tarceva weren't working and Dr. Karamlou took me off them immediately and has started a new chemo protocol of Abraxane and Carboplatin. Both are very potent chemo agents (more "big guns") and I will lose my hair again with this round. Darn, I was really getting to like my short little summer "do", but at least with the warmer weather, my head won't get cold as much.
I had my first IV treatment with the new drugs on June 19th and will have chemo once every three weeks. The next treatment is July 10th and then we'll do another scan at the end of July to monitor progress. Needless to say, I was discouraged with the latest news since I look and feel so good. It's just plain bizarre to be talking with the doctor about how sick I really am and yet have no physical indications of the disease at all. It is truly a gift God is giving me, to be so protected from the symptoms of this cancer and I am grateful for every day that I feel good.
Dr. Karamlou was encouraging on a few things....there have been good responses to this chemo protocol and, with cancer, it is not unusual to have to try a variety of chemo combinations to find the drugs that will work. Since I had such a good response on the first round, perhaps another "platin" will do the trick. He also said I am in good physical condition and very healthy (well, except for this little old cancer thing) to take on this chemo protocol. Sometimes people are too sick to handle it, but my body is strong and able to do this. Another blessing God has given me.
The side effects from this chemo protocol are definitely more evident than the first two rounds. A little nausea (good meds for that) and neuropathy (tingling and tenderness) in my feet but that hasn't been too bad. The biggest surprise was the fatigue, much worse than anything I've experienced before. Truly debilitating - the few days after the chemo were spent sleeping a majority of the time and it was a huge effort to even get up and walk across the room. That took me by surprise as I had been tired before but not flat out like I was this time. Thankfully, each day has been progressively better in terms of getting my mojo back and I can honestly say my energy levels are pretty much back to normal now.
The battle continues and I am up for the fight. Like everyone else, I really wanted to hear something different and there have been tears and swallowing hard more than a few times as I absorb this news. But as I've said before, I am fighting this disease with everything God is giving me to do so and more importantly, He is in charge and I still trust His plan for me.
I'm not one to sit around waiting for things to happen and these past few weeks are no exception. Had a wonderful time in California for my niece's graduation from college and the family celebration for her and my nephew, Michael's, graduation from high school.
Came home from CA to finish the last week of school with the kids and it was the usual end of the year bedlam. No matter how well it's planned out, the last few days are always chaos and this year was no exception. Although crazy, it was a fun week and I was so glad to be able to end the school year with the kiddos. They are my medicine!
Went up to Coeur D'Alene to watch my sister-in-law compete in (and finish!) the Ironman Triathlon. Kathy did great, finishing in 14:00:19. It is such a grueling event, I can't imagine why anyone would want to put themselves through all that but we sure are proud of her. My idea of a competitive event these days is navigating the hallways during passing times, getting from one side of the cafeteria to the other without hearing "Miss McCormick!" 50 times and herding children to the buses at the end of the day. Ever try to push a string across the floor with your foot? Eventually you get there but the energy it takes...well, you get the idea :)
Matt, Kathy and my nieces, Maddie and Mallory, came to Portland a few days after the CDA event and stayed with me. We had a great time and the house was just too darn quiet when they went home on Monday.
The next big adventure, of course, is the cruise through the Mediterranean. I leave for Barcelona on July 12th and return home on July 28th after traveling to Italy, Greece, Monte Carlo and Turkey. Am I over the moon about this trip? Oh my gosh, yes. It will be an amazing time there. I'm going with my brother Mike and his family, but my ticket is a gift from my whole family. I am so excited I can hardly stand it and I have promised not to try and stalk George Clooney while in Italy :) I've never been on a cruise ship before and that in itself will be beyond cool! I will take lots of pictures and share the stories that go with them.
Even though the scan results weren't what we wanted, life is good and I am enjoying every moment. The days are filled with all sorts of pleasures, from time with family and friends to savoring lime popsicles in the evening. Circumstances may change, but my joy is still in the strength of the Lord and this wonderful life He has given me to enjoy so abundantly. I hope your summer days and evenings are just as delightful as mine are.
Love and hugs to all of you,
Scan results are in and, disappointingly, the news is not too good. There is fluid in the lower lobe of my right lung and the lymph node around the pancreas is slightly larger. Also, there are spots on the liver that weren't there 6 weeks ago - an indication the cancer is moving. Clearly, the Gemzar and Tarceva weren't working and Dr. Karamlou took me off them immediately and has started a new chemo protocol of Abraxane and Carboplatin. Both are very potent chemo agents (more "big guns") and I will lose my hair again with this round. Darn, I was really getting to like my short little summer "do", but at least with the warmer weather, my head won't get cold as much.
I had my first IV treatment with the new drugs on June 19th and will have chemo once every three weeks. The next treatment is July 10th and then we'll do another scan at the end of July to monitor progress. Needless to say, I was discouraged with the latest news since I look and feel so good. It's just plain bizarre to be talking with the doctor about how sick I really am and yet have no physical indications of the disease at all. It is truly a gift God is giving me, to be so protected from the symptoms of this cancer and I am grateful for every day that I feel good.
Dr. Karamlou was encouraging on a few things....there have been good responses to this chemo protocol and, with cancer, it is not unusual to have to try a variety of chemo combinations to find the drugs that will work. Since I had such a good response on the first round, perhaps another "platin" will do the trick. He also said I am in good physical condition and very healthy (well, except for this little old cancer thing) to take on this chemo protocol. Sometimes people are too sick to handle it, but my body is strong and able to do this. Another blessing God has given me.
The side effects from this chemo protocol are definitely more evident than the first two rounds. A little nausea (good meds for that) and neuropathy (tingling and tenderness) in my feet but that hasn't been too bad. The biggest surprise was the fatigue, much worse than anything I've experienced before. Truly debilitating - the few days after the chemo were spent sleeping a majority of the time and it was a huge effort to even get up and walk across the room. That took me by surprise as I had been tired before but not flat out like I was this time. Thankfully, each day has been progressively better in terms of getting my mojo back and I can honestly say my energy levels are pretty much back to normal now.
The battle continues and I am up for the fight. Like everyone else, I really wanted to hear something different and there have been tears and swallowing hard more than a few times as I absorb this news. But as I've said before, I am fighting this disease with everything God is giving me to do so and more importantly, He is in charge and I still trust His plan for me.
I'm not one to sit around waiting for things to happen and these past few weeks are no exception. Had a wonderful time in California for my niece's graduation from college and the family celebration for her and my nephew, Michael's, graduation from high school.
Came home from CA to finish the last week of school with the kids and it was the usual end of the year bedlam. No matter how well it's planned out, the last few days are always chaos and this year was no exception. Although crazy, it was a fun week and I was so glad to be able to end the school year with the kiddos. They are my medicine!
Went up to Coeur D'Alene to watch my sister-in-law compete in (and finish!) the Ironman Triathlon. Kathy did great, finishing in 14:00:19. It is such a grueling event, I can't imagine why anyone would want to put themselves through all that but we sure are proud of her. My idea of a competitive event these days is navigating the hallways during passing times, getting from one side of the cafeteria to the other without hearing "Miss McCormick!" 50 times and herding children to the buses at the end of the day. Ever try to push a string across the floor with your foot? Eventually you get there but the energy it takes...well, you get the idea :)
Matt, Kathy and my nieces, Maddie and Mallory, came to Portland a few days after the CDA event and stayed with me. We had a great time and the house was just too darn quiet when they went home on Monday.
The next big adventure, of course, is the cruise through the Mediterranean. I leave for Barcelona on July 12th and return home on July 28th after traveling to Italy, Greece, Monte Carlo and Turkey. Am I over the moon about this trip? Oh my gosh, yes. It will be an amazing time there. I'm going with my brother Mike and his family, but my ticket is a gift from my whole family. I am so excited I can hardly stand it and I have promised not to try and stalk George Clooney while in Italy :) I've never been on a cruise ship before and that in itself will be beyond cool! I will take lots of pictures and share the stories that go with them.
Even though the scan results weren't what we wanted, life is good and I am enjoying every moment. The days are filled with all sorts of pleasures, from time with family and friends to savoring lime popsicles in the evening. Circumstances may change, but my joy is still in the strength of the Lord and this wonderful life He has given me to enjoy so abundantly. I hope your summer days and evenings are just as delightful as mine are.
Love and hugs to all of you,
Susan
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