The Dets

It's official... I met w/ Dr. Hellerstedt on my Toxic Tuesday and yes, we reviewed the results from my CT Scan last week and the lesions on my liver have significantly decreased!  This obviously means that we're on the right track and my new chemo cocktail is working.  Woohooo!

The following measurements show the lesions have decreased from the CT Scan on 2/8/11 to the Scan taken last week on 3/24/11...

Right Liver Lobe 

From 6.8 x 5.2 cm to 5.1 x 4.2 cm

Left Liver  Lobe

From 6.1 x 4.5 cm to 4.0 x 2.5 cm

Left Lateral Lobe Segment

From 3.5 x 1.2 cm to 0

On top of that, my labs are looking great.  In fact, the 3 markers associated w/ my liver (SGPT/ALT, SGOT/AST & Alkaline phosphatase) which were high at the time of my last CT Scan are ALL back in the normal range.  

I'm extremely excited about the results... I wanted to share the details w/ you when I got them, but I've seriously been passed out since Tuesday.  I'm feeling great today though.  Although I guarantee you there is a nap in my near future!  Naps, naps, naps... I love naps!!

Drum Roll Please...

Well, I don't have all the details yet, BUT I know what's important... my doctor's office called on Friday to let me know that the CT Scan results had come in AND... wait for it... wait for it... drum roll please... the lesions on my liver have significantly decreased since my last scan.  That's what I'm talking about!!  I'll meet w/ Dr. Hellerstedt on Tuesday before my chemo to discuss the results in more detail... until then, I have some more celebrating to do!  It's time to enjoy my Sunday Funday!!!  

Someone Has a Case of the Mondays... or Not?!?

Hope everyone is having a great week so far!  I'm off to a good start... I actually worked a full day in the office today!  A FULL DAY!!  I know, I know, that may not sound like a huge accomplishment, but for me, IT IS!!!  Fatigue has been a HUGE side effect for me lately so it's amazing I lasted a full 8 hrs w/out taking or needing a nap!  Now lets see if I can do it 2 days in a row!! 

This is actually a big week for me... I have a CT Scan (first one since I started my new drugs) scheduled this Thursday.  I have a Drs appt next Tues, the 29th, to discuss the results so I'll be sure to keep you posted on the good news!  ;)

Other than that I'm recovering from a fun filled weekend!  Started out w/ catching up with some Pink Ribbon Cowgirls at our monthly Central Lunch and then spending the rest of the weekend w/ my cousins... we had great bbq at the Sine Di Smokers team tent at the Rodeo Austin BBQ cook off (seriously great bbq AND hospitality!) and on Saturday we had an amazing crawfish boil!  Who knew 70 lbs of crawfish could go so quickly!!  And why does my fun always involve eating... and a lot of it?!? 

Happy Monday to all!  Now, I don't want to sound too annoyingly chipper, but these days are rare for me so I'm running w/ it!!!   It's a great day to what's going to be a great week!  Hell ya!!  Btw, screw you cancer!!  Screeeeeeeeeew you!!!   ;)

The Master Plan

Well, well, well... what exactly is the Master Plan?!?  

Not only did I finish up my 2nd treatment of my new chemo cocktail last week, but Dr. Hellerstedt was excited about the lab results that followed up the first round/cycle of drugs.  At this point we don't have a definite time period of how long these chemo treatments will last, but we will be using the lab results and the CT Scans (scheduled every 6 weeks) to help decide that.  Until then we'll just keep on truckin'... continue chemo (every 3 weeks) until we get the disease under control, then switch to an oral maintenance regime.  And that my friends, is the Master Plan!!  

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!   

Fun?!? Is that you?!?

It just dawned on me that I hadn't made a blog entry this week.  To tell you the truth, I was just flat out exhausted this week!  Not sure if it was a combination of chemo, allergies and quite possibly just catching up from last week's lack of sleep, but I haven't been online much.  Regardless, I'm feeling much better after getting some much needed rest!  Plus, my father in law is doing much better... still chillin' at Seton, but at least he's out of icu and on his way to a full recovery!  Go Mike Go!!!  

As for this week, I of course have my toxic tuesday scheduled as usual... I even have another appt w/ the nurse prac to discuss being put back on the investigative study drug (at a lower dose this time around... anything to avoid the can-sores) and also to go over the results of an mri I had earlier this week.  Have you ever had an mri???  What a crazy little "contraption."  And why is it SO loud???  Well, thank goodness I'm not claustrophobic, but I would have liked a little heads up or quite possibly an explanation of what to expect PRIOR to being thrown right on in there.  Seriously, as I'm laying down about to be crammed in this machine, the tech is shoving ear plugs in my ears, placing a "helmet" on my head (really?!?  a helmet?!?) and yelling at me not to move as I'm being propelled into this capsule.  After 30 minutes, which seemed like an eternity and of course having the worse possible itch on my nose, I was finally out of there!  Whew!  Another test down!  

Other than that, I'm going to enjoy the rest of my weekend!  So far it has been an awesome weekend... yesterday I went to the Jester King Brewery grand opening w/ my favorite Damen twins and a friend of ours and we had a great time!  Great beer, live bluegrass/folk music, classic cars and the Austin Facial Hair Club hosting a facial hair competition... hello, is that fun calling?!?  ;)