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Well, hello!  Cycle #2 of Ixempra was 4 days ago.  This cycle is already proving to be better than #1.  Day 4 of cycle #1 consisted of an emergency trip to the clinic for an infusion of IV fluids.  Then, for the following four consecutive and highly inconvenient days I had to make a trip to the clinic to receive injections of Neupogen for low white blood cell counts.  I felt like you-know-what, and I allowed myself to get dehydrated by not eating much or adequately drinking ... which then made me feel even worse, i.e. lightheaded and weak(er).  This time I've willed myself to eat and drink, even though my appetite is poor and I don't thirst much.  Although ... me thinks it's not all in my head or my will, for that matter.

My doctor used the phrase "tumor burden," which I understand to be the body being overwhelmed with the cancer inside, thus causing my many symptoms.  I believe it played a large part in my body's struggle to handle the first cycle of chemotherapy.  What I was experiencing were the effects of chemo ON TOP OF the effects of cancer.

Amazingly, I could sense some improvement in my chest pressure/pain less than two weeks after my first Ixempra infusion.  Could it possibly be??  Talk about HOPE!  Slowly I was able to eat a little more, and gradually I increased my activity level as well.  In the past I've referred to myself as the Energizer bunny, because I seem to just keep going and going.  I keep getting clear messages that God isn't finished with me yet.  Is this, perhaps, another one of those times?  Guess I may be getting ahead of myself.  In any event, if I AM the Energizer bunny, I'm on a sluggish, "low-battery" pace!

Dr. C was thrilled to hear of my improvements.  When I communicated my surprise at how quickly Ixempra seemed to work, she said she was not surprised.  That when it works, it works quickly.  Woohooooo!

My labs were good to go.  Go on to cycle #2, that is.  The only lab value that wasn't available yet was my tumor marker, the CA 15-3.  I was so anxious to see how far down that baby had moved!  Dr. C assured me she would message me when the result was in.  The message arrived just before dinner.  I quickly opened it, but the results weren't what I had hoped for.  In fact, it was shocking.  I was crushed, and not just in spirit.  I felt an immediate drop, a heaviness, in my chest.  Tears welled up.  It was 47, up from 28.  It hit me hard, I suppose, because I expected it to have gone down (at least a little!)  I'm thinking, how could this be?  Am I really feeling better?

The message containing the tumor marker result also came with an explanation from Dr. C.  She explained that an elevation sometimes happens after an initial chemo infusion.  I desperately clung to that!  And then I hit the internet, of course.  It turns out that what she said was true ... imagine that!  I was, however, more pleased with the more in-depth discussions online than the doctor's one sentence.  But such is the nature of "messaging" as opposed to a face-to-face conversation.  What I found was that the level could go up if a cancer is "very sensitive" to a certain chemotherapy treatment.  The chemo causes many cancer cells to die and release large amounts of the marker into the blood, which will raise the level of the tumor marker for a short time.  Now we're talking!!

The plan is to re-check the CA 15-3 in a few weeks.  If still elevated, I'll be scanned (with the usual CT's of chest, abdomen and pelvis.)  But hopefully, prayerfully, the tumor marker level will correlate more closely to how I'm feeling, which is not too shabby.  Prayers are working, I truly believe that ... I'd like to see some objective evidence of it, as well, in the form of improved scans and labs.  No matter what happens, I know I and my family are in God's hands.

ADDENDUM:  I feel the need to clarify "not too shabby."  In this case, it's a very relative term!  I am home all day, and I feel a sense of accomplishment when I complete even the menial of tasks, such as paying a bill.  Or making a phone call.  Or bathing.  Or going through mail.  One recent day I moved a few photo albums from my bedroom onto the bookshelf in another room.  Wowza!  I missed church Sunday because I wore myself out taking a shower.  (Note to self:  Next week, shower the night before church.)  I now only take pain medication at bedtime.  I now only take nausea medication about once a day.  I am proud of myself when I have a "normal" poop.  I am even happier when I poop every day.  These are improvements, people!  Ahh, the little things.