Out of the Red

I had a 1 week follow up appt w/ the Nurse Prac this last Tuesday which included labs.  I'll start by saying that my labs the week before showed that I was "in the red" on three particular markers or tests that are associated w/ my liver... the results were NOT in the normal/healthy range that I should be in.  Which isn't surprising considering the recent lesion flare up and the CT Scan which confirmed that.  WELL, after this last weeks labs I got a little tidbit of good news... 2 of those 3 "markers" (or whatever they're called) are back in the normal range.  Woohooo!!  Out of the red!!  That's great news and I can only assume that my new chemo cocktail is working and getting me back on track!!  YEAH!!  Maybe it helps that I've been surrounding myself w/ such awesome friends and family over the last couple of weeks... Yep, I think I'm on to something!!  And if I could recommend a little something... a good 'ol dance party! I tell ya, that will cure anything!  Great friends, old school tunes and waking up to foot prints on the coffee table... GOOD TIMES!! 

2 Steps Forward, 1 Step Back

I'm back!  I'm back!  Did y'all miss me?!?  So sorry about the late update, but there are a few things I FINALLY want to share w/ you.  So here I go...

1.  The week before last I started seeing a flash/flicker/blurry spot in my right eye.  My drs office scheduled an MRI to hopefully rule out the possibility of a brain metastasis (cancer spreading to my brain).  Come on now, it’s already spread to my liver… does it really need to spread anywhere else?!?  Well, thank goodness the results of the test came back normal… WHEW!!!  I tell ya, it was a long weekend waiting for the results of that test!!  Jason and I not only aged 10 yrs but we’re now being treated for an addiction to Xanex!  ;)

2.  I received some great news… I have been selected as an alternate for Casting for Recovery, the fly fishing retreat in Boerne I signed up for in April.  And even better news is that a friend of mine has also been selected as an alternate.  So we’re of course hoping that we’re both selected… it would be a great opportunity/experience for both us!  Fingers crossed!!

3.  Now for the big doozy... Unfortunately the pain in my side (lesions on my liver) started hurting again.  Last week I was scheduled to have a routine CT Scan and unfortunately the results weren’t that great.  The lesions have increased in size from the December CT Scan so it’s looking like my “chemo cocktail” needed to be remixed!  Since my Dr was out of town I met w/ a new oncologist who came up w/ a new plan of attack.  I will now be on an oral drug that I will take everyday called Tykerb and for my Toxic Tuesdays I will now be in the infusion room once every 3 weeks.  I will continue to have Herceptin and I will also have another iv drug called Ixempra.  And yes, I have officially been pulled off the investigative study drug…sionara can-sores!!  Now lets see what side effects the new drugs bring on.  Yeah, I can’t wait!!  Oooooh, maybe they’ll reduce the black circles and big bags under my eyes?!?  Maybe whiten my teeth?!?  Give me lots of energy?!?  I can hope!  I can hope!!

So that's about it.  That wraps up what I've been going through over the last couple of weeks.  At first I kind of felt like we were starting all over with my treatment, but really the lesions aren't as bad or as big as my first CT Scan (taken in October).  So now I'm trying to look at it as 2 steps forward and 1 step back.  So yes, this is another minor set back, but I'm confident I'm going to kick this cancer's ass!