Art Bra Austin 2013

On May 18^th, the Breast Cancer Resource Centers (BCRC) of Texas will present Art Bra Austin! Art Bra Austin is my non-profit’s signature fundraiser and is a runway show featuring an eclectic collection of art bras modeled by BCRC clients—and this year I am one of 60 women who will be modeling these amazing works of art!  

This exciting event is instrumental in BCRC’s efforts to enhance awareness and expand the certified patient navigation, support groups, and education services that BCRC provides for FREE to 2,500 clients throughout Travis and Williamson County.

www.artbraaustin.org

And did I mention that I'm modeling this year?!  Ha, that's right, this is my first year to model in this event and I couldn't be more excited yet nervous and anxious at the same time.  That's why I'd love your support!  This is such a fun event and I'd love to see some familiar faces in the audience.  I hope you can make it... besides the food, drinks, entertainment and raising money for an amazing organization, you'll get to see me modeling a bra that my friend Brandi and I designed and created ourselves.  I don't want to reveal too much at once, but here's a little teaser... the title of our bra is "Reelin' In the Big'uns!"  Ha ha!  You're intrigued aren't ya?!?  Stay tuned and I'll post a sneak peak of the bra and our inspiration behind it before my big modeling debut!  But what are you waiting for?  Order your Art Bra Austin tickets today!  This event will sell out so don't wait till the last minute!

If you're unable to attend, but still want to help out in some way... The 2013 Art Bra Austin models have set the goal to raise $25,000 for the organization that served as our rock throughout our journey with breast cancer. My personal goal is to raise $500.  Whether you have donated to a fundraiser I've participated in in the past or would like to and are able to donate now, your support in helping me raise money for the BCRC means the world to me!  Not only have I seen how beneficial and much needed the services of the BCRC are to their clients, but I've also benefited from these services as well!

So please, join me and help ensure that no one faces breast cancer alone by donating to this amazing organization at Casey's Story & Fundraising Page or by copying and pasting this link...

https://secure.commonground.convio.com/bcrc/signuptofundraiseforartbra2013/project.html?personalFundraisingProjectId=a0iU00000011f8xIAA&showMessage=true

Thanks in advance!!  I hope to see you on May 18th!!

Another Cancer First & A New Drug

I have a lot to catch you up on so let's get started...

Thursday, March 14
I had a PET/CT (2 in 1) scan that we can compare to the PET/CT I had on Jan 28th.  Because I had this 2 in 1 scan, we're able to measure the size of the the lesions on my liver as well as measure the cancer activity. If only my insurance would cover this 2 in 1 scan every time!  Anyway, the results showed there are no new lesions on my liver AND the existing lesions have improved. One of the lesions measured 22.5 and currently measures 15.5 and another lesion measured 19.2 and now measures 11.1.  We couldn't be happier with these results.  Woohoo!  That means the Carbo/Gemzar cocktail is working!  Of course if you're a follower of my blog, you know it can't be that simple!  So here's the deal... The cancer has actually spread to 2 of my lymph nodes. So that means the Carbo/Gemzar isn't working?!?  So do we stay on this cocktail after seeing so much improvement on my liver??  Or switch to something else because of the slight progression of lymph node metastasis???  We ultimately decided to milk this cocktail for all it's worth!  If its working on my liver (which has always been our priority), then let's give it 2 more cycles (6 weeks) and then scan again and see where we are then.  Whew! We have a plan!

Monday, March 18
I'm all ready in the infusion room to get my Carbo/Gem cocktail and everything comes to a screeching halt (you would think that I'd be used to this by now).  My lab work came back and my hemoglobin was so low, Dr H ordered a blood transfusion.  Eek!!  I haven't ever needed a blood transfusion!  My blood work had been on the low side for quite some time, so I wasn't completely blind sided by this.  So anyway, I received my first blood transfusion.  Just as an FYI...  Possible transfusion reactions may include Kidney failure or Anemia, Heart failure, Hepatitis, AIDs, or other infections, and Xanax.  Oh sorry, just to clarify... Xanax is not a possible reaction, but was just on my list of things to refill after being told about the possible reactions.  Anyway, so far so good!  And supposedly this transfusion can help with my energy level.  Ya, I hope whoever donated this blood was an athlete and health nut... Maybe I'll all of a sudden become more motivated to make it into the gym and start eating better.  What!?  There's nothing wrong with a little positive thinking!  Anyway, the cocktail was temporarily put on hold until my blood work bounces back.

Tuesday, March 19
I found out that my tumor marker jumped from 94 on March 6 up to 110. Not a huge deal, but since this tumor marker has been pretty reliable lately, Dr H wanted to test it again on the 21st.

Thursday, March 21
Uh oh, tumor marker jumped up to 145.  So maybe it's time to change drugs after all.  Well, for the last 2 years Dr H has been trying to get me into a clinical trial with a drug called TDM1 and for whatever the reason (blood work, insurance or whatever), I never qualified to participate in the trials. Well guess what?!?  This drug was finally approved by the FDA.  The drugs new name is Kadcyla.  Seriously, who comes up with these names?!  But talk about great timing!

Monday, March 25
I started my first dose of TDM1/Kadcyla and I'll have this infusion once every 3 weeks.  I can't say I've ever been more excited about starting a new drug.  It's been out of my reach for 2 years and you have no idea how frustrating it is not having access to your doctor's first drug choice!  I told Dr H's nurse that the only reason my tumor marker started to go up was because when my body found out that TDM1 was approved and we were staying on a cocktail that seemed to be losing momentum, it responded with, "hell no!  I want the drug you've all been raving about!"  The great news is that I'm feeling great and I think we're starting out on this new drug in a good place.  And from what I understand, there are typical chemo side effects that come with this drug, but they should be minimal.  YES!!!

Lovin' my STD

I know, who would have thought I'd be enjoying my STD so much!  I mean, Short Term Disability has really helped me out!  What?!?  What were y'all thinking I meant?  Anyway, I'm thankful to have short term disability because it's making for a nice transition into my "Disability Retirement."  I've been bombarded with paperwork and unfortunately it takes awhile applying for this and that (something you can't do until you officially stop working).  So with my chemo treatments, Drs appointments and dealing with all of this... I feel like I'm still working.   And by the way, I'm not quite sure I like the way Disability Retirement sounds. From here on out we'll just call it Retirement.  Disability Retirement makes it sound like I have a terminal, incurable disease... Oh... Wait...   (Cue the chirping crickets!  Seriously, these crickets need to be on standby at all times!).

So a quick recap on what's been going on with my treatment... My tumor marker has been steadily declining which is great news.  A couple of weeks ago it took a turn and started to go up, but thankfully that didn't last long and it's heading back down in the right direction.  When I started this cocktail my CA27-29 tumor marker was at 462 and as of this week it's down to 96.8. Woohoo!  We're back in the double digits.  Dr. Hellerstedt is trying to get a PET scheduled in the next couple of weeks so we'll have something to compare to the last PET scan I had. I'll keep you posted when I find out more.

Until then, my lab work has been pretty low (WBC, RBC, etc).  I was able to get one of my drugs on Monday, but because my WBC was so low, I was given a WBC booster shot on Mon and Tues and I was back in the infusion room Wed to get the remaining three drugs.  We're also monitoring my hemoglobin which has been low.  There's a chance I'll need a blood transfusion, but I'm waiting till Dr H says I absolutely need it.

Since my schedule has been flipped around and upside down this week, I'm grateful I don't have the stress and pressure of trying to make it into work.   So yes, you could say that I'm loving my STD... Paving the road to a stress free, relaxing Retirement!

(Thanks Baby B for inspiring me to make this blog entry)

Anticlimactic

Going into my PET scan this week I just knew we were going to be getting some ass kickin' results.  Unfortunately, that wasn't the case and the lesions are looking worse than my last PET.  And you know what, this is the first time that this has happened and I'm completely okay with it.

Okay, I know I'm getting some head scratches, confused and puzzled faces and a few "what the hell"s from some of you.  So let me explain...

We're comparing this PET scan with my last PET scan and my last PET scan just so happened to be in July.  Let the record reflect that I've changed chemo cocktails 4 times since then.  4 TIMES!!  Obviously 3 of those cocktails were big flops with me... so you can imagine the lesions getting more and more pissed.  It wasn't until I started this Carbo/Gemzar cocktail that 1. I started feeling better  2. My tumor marker started to go down and 3. We started to see improvements on my CT scans.  Ideally it would have been nice to have a PET right before or at the time I started this new cocktail, but unfortunately insurance doesn't approve PET scans as often as CT scans.  And just as a reminder, PET scans measure cancer activity and CT scans measure the actual size of the lesions.  So there's really no way to compare this weeks PET scan with my last CT.  It would be like comparing apples to oranges.  

So yes, if I had a PET scan in November, we would have been seeing some ass kickin' results.  Dr. H is confident that we're making progress on my current cocktail so we'll keep on truckin' and I'll continue to 1. Feel better  2. See my tumor marker go down and 3. See improvement on future CT AND PET scans.  

Talk about being anticlimactic!  Oh well, I'm back in the infusion room tomorrow.  Whoa wait a second.  What is today?!?  Okay, I'm back in the infusion room on Monday.  Sorry, that's not chemo brain, that's retired brain!  Ha ha!  So even though the results weren't ass kickin', I just know this new cocktail is kickin' some cancer ass!!

Big News

Yes, I have some big news to share!  This was a difficult decision to make, but I know it was the right decision to make. I've worked for the Travis County District Attorney's office for 11 years now and I've been extremely fortunate to have continued working since being diagnosed.  However when I found out that Travis County has a Disability Retirement... Well, I decided to retire!  I'm now planning to focus all that time and energy I was putting into work, into my health, feeling better and enjoying life!  And talk about an awesome way to kick off my retirement... I just spent a fun, relaxing weekend with family and friends.  Not too shabby if my complaints for the weekend are being sore from fly fishing and not being able to find an arrowhead... even though my mom and cousin were picking them up left and right (insert eye roll).  So yes, life is good and I'm ready to get out there and enjoy it (After I recover from chemo, of course).  I mean who knew I'd be retiring at 34?!  How exciting is that?!?  Too bad I had to get cancer to do it (insert Debbie Downer music), but you know what, it is what it is.

I don't know why I, or anyone else for that matter, has gotten this horrible disease. I've had my ups and downs, but thankfully at this time we're on the right track. My tumor marker has continued to go down on this Carbo/Gemzar cocktail and next week I'll have a PET scan, so yes, I'll be anxiously awaiting those results.  In the meantime I'm going to rest up after chemo this week and after that... get ready world!  I've got some living it up to do!

So a few quick stories...

You won't believe who I was sitting next to in the infusion room today and I have a witness to prove it (thanks again Angela). But I was sitting next to Charles Barkley!!  Maybe he's friends with this "Michael Jordan!"  Check this out...  Michael Jordan Nike Commercial

And I have to admit this, but at 7:30 this morning I got on I35 and saw the backed up traffic of so many Austinites trying to get to work.  I thought to myself... SUCKERS!!!  I'm retired!!  What, what!  Doing a little retirement dance in my car.  Oh... Wait... I'm on my way to my Oncologist's office to have Chemo...

Austinites going to work 1 - Casey 0

Oh well, at least a good song was on!  So don't worry, the dance party continued all the way to Tx Oncology!  I couldn't let a good song go to waste!  Yes, I was "that person" dancing in their car. If you saw me... You're welcome for making your day!  ;)

Take it easy my blog friends!  I'll keep you posted when I get my PET scan results and I'll try to keep you posted on my life as a retiree!!

We ran into this Hebronville Hottie!  Love ya Normita and loved the Hebronville tour!  

Could It Be

I can't believe it!  Not only did my CT scan results come back in record breaking time, but I have some AMAZING news to share... of the 3 lesions on my liver, the larger lesion is now half the size it was and the 2 smaller lesions are 30-40% smaller then what they were.  Could it be... could we have found a cocktail that works?! 

 

Take that, Cancer!!!!

Better

I knoooooooooooow!  It's been awhile! 

So let me catch you up to speed!  Over the last 5 weeks I've been on a Carboplatin/Gemzar/Herceptin cocktail (for those of you who talk "cancer" and "cancer treatments").  I get infusions once a week for 2 weeks and then I'm off a week.  I was pulled from the clinical trial I was on and started this new treatment for a couple of reasons...

1.  My tumor marker was increasing

2.  I started having that pain in my right side (what I sometimes refer to as the liver quiver) and

3.  The CT scan ultimately showed that the lesions on my liver were increasing in size (which explains 1 & 2)

Since I have started this newer cocktail, my tumor markers have steadily decreased AND I no longer have the pain in my right side.  These are both AWESOME signs that this cocktail is working!  Or at least it's doing a hell of a lot better than the last couple of cocktails I've tried!  Now, you all know about my "love/hate relationship" w/ my tumor markers (I mean "60% of the time, it works every time"), but for the last couple of months they have surprisingly been spot on compared to my physical well being.  I'm scheduled for a CT scan next week so I won't know for sure what's going on until then.

Unfortunately, I've experienced some pretty rough side effects with this newer cocktail so I wasn't able to fully enjoy my Thanksgiving week w/ family in town.  This newer cocktail originally included Tykerb (an oral drug that I've previously taken), but for some reason the side effects this time around were unbearable.  Thankfully we've worked out the kinks and Dr. H pulled the Tykerb from the cocktail and I'm FINALLY feeling better.  I can't say I'm feeling great, but better is good!

So here's to a better tomorrow... and a better CT next week.  I'll keep you posted w/ the results...