Feeling Good

I have been taking all my new meds for over a week now and have had no side effects! YEAH

Just the past couple of days I've noticed fatigue starting again, but hopefully it won't get as bad as with the Taxotere. My "week off" of the chemo pills starts Wednesday, so just 3 more days of that.

I am still feeling mostly no pain, but have occasional achiness in a couple places. It's not enough to even want any pain medication.

Since the last update, I've been back to the doctor's office for the follow-up for the clinical trial. Very routine and more bloodwork. I go back again this Wednesday for the same all over again.

I'm nervous about my next dose of Zometa that I will get on Dec. 3. I told my oncologist how bad I felt and she has given instructions to give the next dose over 30 minutes with fluids. She said that should help. I just couldn't function the day after the first dose. It was all I could do to walk across the room and I had no appetite, plus I had chills for about 24 hours. I was glad Mom was here.....she had to take Gunner to school because I couldn't. It was just really weird because when I had the side effects, they didn't start until about 18 hours after the dose.

Well that's all about me.

Please pray for my friends from Oklahoma who are participating in the 3-day 60 mile Susan G. Komen walk in California this weekend! They raised $20,000 for breast cancer research. I pray they all have a safe walk and safe trips home to their families. I pray that they have no injuries and sleep well in their tents after their long days. I love you guys!

A new phase has begun!

So, since my last post, I have had the bone scan and received the results. Nothing different than what the PET scan showed. The PET is actually more sensitive and showed more spots than the bone scan. I consider this GOOD because that means nothing additional to worry about. OOPS! I'm not supposed to be worrying......Philippians 4:6 "Be anxious for nothing........."

Anyway, I also decided to consent to the clinical study. I have been back to the doctor's office twice. On Monday, I met with the Clinical Research Coordinator (here on out CRC) and signed all the paperwork. Then we went to the lab for bloodwork and then I had an EKG. These were needed to assess my eligibility to actually participate in the study.

Today, I went back. I had to have blood drawn again, then meet with CRC again and my doctor for another physical exam. I also had to fill out paperwork regarding how I actually felt. Last, I received the trial drug that I will take. As I mentioned in the last post, I will not know if I received the actual medication or a placebo (neither will my doctor or the CRC) Mom and Brandon tagged along and although we were there almost 2 hours they both did great! Brandon entertained everyone (of course) but lightened the day for several people. Sometimes an oncologist's office can be kinda grim. Afterwards we went out for lunch.

I was instructed to start all the medications this afternoon and finish the second dose this evening. Then, tomorrow, I will take according to the schedule for morning and evening. For the first two weeks of my 3-week cycle, I will take 19 pills for my chemo, targeted therapy and the trial drug. In addition, I will take my vitamins and other supplements that I choose to take. That's another 6 pills. The third week of the cycle I do not take the chemo which is 10 pills per day. Some are small enough I can handle 2-3 at a time, but some are "horse" pills that I have to take individually! My oncologist asked again today if I was OK swallowing all the pills. I pointed to Brandon and told her I had no problem! She said that was good motivation! :-)

For the first 3-week cycle, I have to go visit my oncologist each week. Then it will be once every 3 weeks during the study.

I just made my pill diary to keep up with everything because it is very important that I take these meds on a daily basis and at about the same time each day.

So being the good patient that I am, I have taken the meds (about 2 hours ago) and so far, no nausea! As long as that continues, I think the rest will be OK. The new chemo is not supposed to cause as much fatigue as my old one. :)

Thanks for the prayers! And just keep praying not only for physical healing, but mental strength. Satan is pounding my brain to try to drive in negative thoughts. The mental battle is still the hardest for me!

The Results Are in..............

Yesterday, I received my test results from last week. It is a mixed outcome.

First, the cancer in my liver is no longer detectable! Praise God! The report actually says, "Numerous hypermetabolic lesions previously identified throughout the liver are no longer evident..." That is the most awesome news! I knew I was feeling much better. My oncologist and nurse were very pleased with this news.

Second, there is now evidence of cancer in my skeleton. Three places in my spine, my right femur and another place on my left side. I am scheduled for a bone scan on Friday.

Third, the tumor in my breast measured 2.1 x 3.0 x 4.4 cm. It's getting smaller too! :)

So, with this news, my chemotheraphy changes. I will now take it in pill form. The chemotherapy drug is Xeloda. I will also take Tykerb, which is a targeted therapy drug (it works different than the Herceptin I was on). I will take the Xeloda twice a day for 2 weeks, have a week off, then start the cycle again. The Tykerb I will take everyday. Doesn't sound too bad til you find out how many pills are in a dose......5 each time for each drug!! So the weeks I'm taking both, I will be swallowing 15 pills a day for chemo and targeted therapy. In addition, I will still be taking my vitamin supplements and additional B6 and L-Lysine.

I am also still going to go to the hospital every 4 weeks for a drug, Zometa. It is a drug that reduces bone destruction and must be given intravenously (they will use my port). The drip only takes 15 minutes, so that's a lot less time than before. I got the first dose yesterday and I feel yucky today. They told me the first dose will make me achy, fever & chills, fatigued. They got that right. (That's why I didn't get the blog updated a soon as I had hoped to). It's now been over 24 hours since I finished receiving it and am starting to feel much better.

I will also go to the hospital for bloodwork every 4 weeks starting Nov 18. This is just routine to check how I'm doing on all these drugs.

Lastly, I was also asked to consider being in a clinical research study for another drug/placebo to take along with the above. I have to make a decision by tomorrow on that. It will require additional blood work and testing. It is a double-blind placebo controlled study, so I wouldn't know which I would be receiving and neither would my doctor. I am waiting for a call back from the doctor's office now to answer some questions. I do not start the oral chemotherapy drugs until I make this decision because of the requirements of the study.

So, in a nutshell, I'm very happy with what we found out! I'm concerned that the cancer has now metastacized in my bones, but my oncologist is very positive about being able to treat it since it was found early.

I still ask for your prayers and remind you that I am still in no pain and mostly feel great (other than today). Once I start the new chemo regimen, well, we'll see what happens. The most common side effect of these drugs is diarrhea and nausea. Fatigue is not supposed to be as great a factor as with the Taxotere that I will no longer take.

Until my next update, remember God is always good! :)

(This one's for you Jeff!)

Psalm 103:1-5 (NIV)

Praise the Lord, O my soul;

all my inmost being, praise

his holy name.

Praise the Lord, O my soul,

and forget not all his

benefits--

who forgives all your sins

and heals all your diseases,

who redeems your life from the

pit

and crowns you with love

and compassion,

who satisfies your desires with

good things

so that your youth is renewed

like the eagle's.