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...

Deja Vu

Wednesday night I woke up at 2:30 in the morning with a pain in my right side (yep, that would be my liver).  Before I knew it I was laying there with tears streaming down my face... not because the pain was that bad, but it was the helplessness that I was feeling.  The sense of defeat.  I knew this was a sign that my chemo cocktail was not doing what it was supposed to be doing and every time I have to change drugs I experience this sense of feeling defeated.  

I was able to get in for a CT scan on Thursday and the results are in... sure enough, the 3 existing lesions on my liver have gotten bigger.  Thankfully there aren't any new lesions and thankfully my lab work couldn't be better, but this does mean that we'll need to change up my chemo cocktail... Again!  

I'll meet with Dr. H on Monday to discuss what my options are.  Hmmm, talk about deja vu!

National Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day

Because this is breast cancer awareness month, I've been putting a lot of thought into "what exactly does that mean."  Yes, it has been confirmed... we are in fact aware that breast cancer exists.  But what else?  What can we learn from this?  When I was diagnosed I had no idea what metastatic breast cancer was.  The last 2 years have been quite a learning experience for me so I thought I'd use this opportunity to share a few things I've learned along the way.  And what do you know, October 13th just so happens to be National Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day.

 

So lets get our learn on...

 

The Metastatic Breast Cancer Network (MBCN) is a national, independent, non-profit, patient advocacy group dedicated to the unique concerns of the women and men living with metastatic breast cancer.  If you get a chance, please check out their website.  There are some interesting and eye opening articles and stories of those living with metastatic breast cancer.  Of course I know we all have crazy, busy schedules, so from their website I pulled the 13 facts everyone should know about metastatic breast cancer...

 

13 Facts Everyone Should Know about Metastatic Breast Cancer

1. No one dies from breast cancer that remains in the breast. Metastasis occurs when cancerous cells travel to a vital organ and that is what threatens life.

 2. Metastasis refers to the spread of cancer to different parts of the body, typically the bones, liver, lungs and brain.

 3. An estimated 155,000 Americans are currently living with metastatic breast cancer. Metastatic breast cancer accounts for approximately 40,000 deaths annually in the U.S.

 4. Treatment for metastatic breast cancer is lifelong and focuses on control of the disease and quality of life.

 5. About 6% to 10% of people are Stage IV from their initial diagnosis.

 6. Early detection does not guarantee a cure. Metastatic breast cancer can occur 5, 10 or 15 years after a person’s original diagnosis and successful treatment checkups and annual mammograms.

 7. 20% to 30% of people initially diagnosed with early stage disease will develop metastatic breast cancer.

 8. Young people, as well as men, can be diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer.

 9. Like early stage breast cancer, there are different types of metastatic breast cancer.

 10. Treatment choices are guided by breast cancer type, location and extent of metastasis in the body, previous treatments and other factors.

 11. Metastatic breast cancer is not an automatic death sentence. Although most people will ultimately die of their disease, some will live long and productive lives.

 12. There are no definitive prognostic statistics for metastatic breast cancer. Every patient and their disease is unique.

 13. To learn more about National Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day on October 13 and to access resources specifically for people living with metastatic breast cancer and their caregivers, visit http://mbcn.org/