The lab results from blood tests are flying in. Summary of the latest flurry:
Cancer markers: June 6th vs May 4th –
Calcitonin down 13%. Lower numbers are desirable as they indicate less cancer activity in the thyroid. There is still a long way to go to "normal, " but the physical exam of the same date as the blood test corroborates the improvement: shrinkage of the thyroid mass continuing a favorable trend from a peak of activity on February 27. Nice to have the corroboration and to see steady improvement over time.
CEA up 23%. This is worrisome because it indicates an increase in production of cancer antigens throughout my body.
Liver function: June 14th vs May 16th –
Remains within normal range. I’ll be sprucing up my diet and nutrition to reinforce and maintain improved health of this vital organ.
Red Blood Cells and Hemoglobin: June 14th vs June 6th –
These numbers reflect the degree to which I feel weak and tired: low numbers=low energy; higher numbers=higher energy as the oxygen-carrying capacity of the RBCs improves. For me, both remain low of the normal range, but not as critically as the May 16th tests that triggered the transfusion. Something to watch.
My subjective perspective: I’m holding my own. Sometimes I feel as I imagine a tightrope walker must during a traverse over the abyss: intensely concentrated on remaining
balanced by making minute adjustments to keep progress on track.
When I reach for support I find Michael by my side, and your energy lightening the load and guiding my balance. I am grateful for your presence with me on this journey.
Copyright 2007
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
New Meds
The new medications are taken orally, so we aren’t tied to the Cancer Center’s IV equipment. The regimen is complex and specific, requiring Xeloda be taken at the same time every day, twice each day, with food, on days 1 through 10. Temodar is added on days 10 through 14 taken three hours before or one hour after food once a day. Zofran counteracts nausea and is taken (WITHOUT FAIL!) one hour before the Temodar. I spend a lot of time setting cookie timers, then figuring out what has been timed.
For any given course of chemo, side effects are difficult to anticipate. WITHOUT FAIL is no mere caution. Once I forgot the Zofran and spent the night wrapped around the toilet bowl. That will never happen again. Side effects now are moderate and manageable, though unpleasant. This could change as my body accommodates itself to ongoing treatment. Nevertheless, they are unpleasant. So is the illness.
The results of the transfusion and ProCrit treatment noted in the last blog: RBC up 35%, HGB up 39%, an excellent response that set me up for the subsequent chemotherapy. This rebound speaks well for the status of my immune system: happy news!
The PLEASANT part is waking up each morning, greeting the sunshine of a new day, squeezing Michael’s hand and rejoicing in the gift of time.
Copyright 2007
For any given course of chemo, side effects are difficult to anticipate. WITHOUT FAIL is no mere caution. Once I forgot the Zofran and spent the night wrapped around the toilet bowl. That will never happen again. Side effects now are moderate and manageable, though unpleasant. This could change as my body accommodates itself to ongoing treatment. Nevertheless, they are unpleasant. So is the illness.
The results of the transfusion and ProCrit treatment noted in the last blog: RBC up 35%, HGB up 39%, an excellent response that set me up for the subsequent chemotherapy. This rebound speaks well for the status of my immune system: happy news!
The PLEASANT part is waking up each morning, greeting the sunshine of a new day, squeezing Michael’s hand and rejoicing in the gift of time.
Copyright 2007
Friday, May 18, 2007
Mixed Response
Mixed response is medical-eze for "no clear indicators of treatment efficacy." Recent tests returned offsetting results. In sum:
*Cancer markers May 4th vs April 5th – Calcitonin (thyroid) down 27%. This is promising, indicating less cancer activity from the thyroid. CEA up 6%, a marginal movement, indicating increased overall cancer cell activity in my body. Something to watch.
*Liver function May 16th vs May 4th – all three improved to within normal range. This means my liver is doing its job separating the good stuff from the waste and sending the unwanted on to the next stop out.
*Red blood cell and hemoglobin are markedly down. This is a matter for concern and may indicate suppression of the bone marrow’s ability to generate new RBCs.
Treatment recommendations discussed with our oncologist today:
*Blood transfusion to boost my body’s ability to withstand a course of chemotherapy. We have scheduled this for Monday, May 21.
*Resume chemotherapy using different medications: Xeloda for 14 days supplemented with Temodar days 10 through 14 to begin Tuesday, May 22. Rest for 14 days; resume cycle on day 28.
My subjective perspective: I have been losing ground very gradually during the past four weeks, particularly as to strength, endurance, and stamina. This is disappointing. Nevertheless, I am focusing on retaining gains and moving on to the next step.
We will confer with the medical team at the Issels Treatment Center/Oasis of Hope Hospital to discuss the advisability of concurrent treatments: their vaccine therapy plus the Xeloda/Temodar course of chemotherapy both administered here at home.
Maybe now is the time to dig out those best-of-the-best Seinfeld episodes and generate some giggle time here to loosen things up a bit.
Copyright 2007
*Cancer markers May 4th vs April 5th – Calcitonin (thyroid) down 27%. This is promising, indicating less cancer activity from the thyroid. CEA up 6%, a marginal movement, indicating increased overall cancer cell activity in my body. Something to watch.
*Liver function May 16th vs May 4th – all three improved to within normal range. This means my liver is doing its job separating the good stuff from the waste and sending the unwanted on to the next stop out.
*Red blood cell and hemoglobin are markedly down. This is a matter for concern and may indicate suppression of the bone marrow’s ability to generate new RBCs.
Treatment recommendations discussed with our oncologist today:
*Blood transfusion to boost my body’s ability to withstand a course of chemotherapy. We have scheduled this for Monday, May 21.
*Resume chemotherapy using different medications: Xeloda for 14 days supplemented with Temodar days 10 through 14 to begin Tuesday, May 22. Rest for 14 days; resume cycle on day 28.
My subjective perspective: I have been losing ground very gradually during the past four weeks, particularly as to strength, endurance, and stamina. This is disappointing. Nevertheless, I am focusing on retaining gains and moving on to the next step.
We will confer with the medical team at the Issels Treatment Center/Oasis of Hope Hospital to discuss the advisability of concurrent treatments: their vaccine therapy plus the Xeloda/Temodar course of chemotherapy both administered here at home.
Maybe now is the time to dig out those best-of-the-best Seinfeld episodes and generate some giggle time here to loosen things up a bit.
Copyright 2007
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Happenings
In chronological order: Friday, May 4
Laboratory Bloodwork: Calcitonin (thyroid cancer indicator) and CEA (cancer antigens) plus the periodic complete blood and metabolic scan including liver function indicators. Results due this week.
Needle Biopsy of two nodules in my thyroid. This was done because an earlier test showed activity there plus the until recent continuous rise of Calcitonin. The need to do the biopsy sooner was overshadowed by the urgency of starting an effective treatment to protect my liver from further tumor growth. Results due this week.
That was just the morning!
Emergency Room visit. In late afternoon a surge of pain and pressure unlike anything I have experienced suddenly gripped my lower right abdomen. We are acutely sensitive, despite recent good news, that my liver continues under stress and that we must be alert to symptoms of failure.
To my good fortune and great comfort we found my own internist on duty in the ER. Over the course of the next four hours, one CT scan and the second complete blood work-up of the day he suggested possible causes: gallstones, kidney stones, gall bladder enlargement of unknown cause or simple gas. Now we "wait and see" and track the symptoms, mainly pain. Hard on the nerves, but each episode yields more nuggets of diagnostic usefulness. As a precaution, I stayed overnight at the hospital.
The GOOD NEWS: the CT scan from the ER noted that the liver tumors are still the same size they were on the January 3 CT!
We have much to be thankful for as we await results in your supportive company.
Copyright 2007
Laboratory Bloodwork: Calcitonin (thyroid cancer indicator) and CEA (cancer antigens) plus the periodic complete blood and metabolic scan including liver function indicators. Results due this week.
Needle Biopsy of two nodules in my thyroid. This was done because an earlier test showed activity there plus the until recent continuous rise of Calcitonin. The need to do the biopsy sooner was overshadowed by the urgency of starting an effective treatment to protect my liver from further tumor growth. Results due this week.
That was just the morning!
Emergency Room visit. In late afternoon a surge of pain and pressure unlike anything I have experienced suddenly gripped my lower right abdomen. We are acutely sensitive, despite recent good news, that my liver continues under stress and that we must be alert to symptoms of failure.
To my good fortune and great comfort we found my own internist on duty in the ER. Over the course of the next four hours, one CT scan and the second complete blood work-up of the day he suggested possible causes: gallstones, kidney stones, gall bladder enlargement of unknown cause or simple gas. Now we "wait and see" and track the symptoms, mainly pain. Hard on the nerves, but each episode yields more nuggets of diagnostic usefulness. As a precaution, I stayed overnight at the hospital.
The GOOD NEWS: the CT scan from the ER noted that the liver tumors are still the same size they were on the January 3 CT!
We have much to be thankful for as we await results in your supportive company.
Copyright 2007
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Still Here
Come April and I’m still here! That would have seemed a miracle last Fall with the escalating lab results and the tough news from the doctors. Now the latest results:
Calcitonin marks cancer activity in the thyroid specifically. Its high point for testing to date was recorded on 2-27-07; the next comparable test on 4-05-07 (results were extremely delayed) showed a decline of 9%, the first decline recorded for this test since the diagnosis.
CarcineoEmbryonic Antigen (CEA). This is a non-specific tumor marker indicating my body’s response to level of cancer cell activity. Numbers rise, more cancer cells are being created; numbers decline, fewer cancer cells are being created. Comparing the 2-27-07 test with the 4-05-07 test shows a decline of 20%, again the first decline.
These numbers together with the CT scan comparisons and most recent bloodwork results showing liver function back to normal range are very encouraging. We are guarding against complacency and holding our focus on improving or at least maintaining the present situation.
Thanks beyond measure to Michael for unswerving diligence and skill surfing and analyzing Internet information and resources and spearheading the effort necessary to get us to this point. Many of you have sent caring e-mails and loving messages of encouragement. It has been difficult to respond in a timely manner; you WILL hear from me personally as soon as I am able. With gratitude and blessings for the support, encouragement and positive energy, prayers, thoughts, and confidence from all of you.
Copyright 2007
Calcitonin marks cancer activity in the thyroid specifically. Its high point for testing to date was recorded on 2-27-07; the next comparable test on 4-05-07 (results were extremely delayed) showed a decline of 9%, the first decline recorded for this test since the diagnosis.
CarcineoEmbryonic Antigen (CEA). This is a non-specific tumor marker indicating my body’s response to level of cancer cell activity. Numbers rise, more cancer cells are being created; numbers decline, fewer cancer cells are being created. Comparing the 2-27-07 test with the 4-05-07 test shows a decline of 20%, again the first decline.
These numbers together with the CT scan comparisons and most recent bloodwork results showing liver function back to normal range are very encouraging. We are guarding against complacency and holding our focus on improving or at least maintaining the present situation.
Thanks beyond measure to Michael for unswerving diligence and skill surfing and analyzing Internet information and resources and spearheading the effort necessary to get us to this point. Many of you have sent caring e-mails and loving messages of encouragement. It has been difficult to respond in a timely manner; you WILL hear from me personally as soon as I am able. With gratitude and blessings for the support, encouragement and positive energy, prayers, thoughts, and confidence from all of you.
Copyright 2007
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Treatment Review
We met with our oncologist today to review treatment status following a month of alternative/complementary treatment at Oasis of Hope Hospital in Tijuana, Mexico which followed six weeks of chemotherapy here in Virginia.
He confirmed the radiologist’s report of no change in tumor size between the 3 January and 23 March CT scans. I saw the images myself. In a review conducted last Friday (March 30) of the 20 February CT, the radiologist now reports no change from 3 January. A stable condition has been achieved. Whether this occurred because of the initial course of chemotherapy (Jan 18 – Feb 20) or from the alternative/complementary treatment (March 1 – March 28), each conducted independently without other concurrent treatment, it is now difficult to determine.
Other factors taken into account in choosing the next treatment step:
My reports of how I feel: greater stamina, greater strength (less fatigue), improved digestion, improved pain management (no longer require narcotic pain medication), clearer thinking.
Physical examination: liver is softer when palpated and size is unchanged.
Of concern is that two measures of cancer activity related to the thyroid continue to increase. We are taking an UltraSound of my thyroid to see if it can be biopsied and identified or eliminated as the primary site. This may give us a different selection of treatment options in the future.
For the meantime, we will carry on, with our oncologist’s blessing, what we have been doing: administering vaccines made from my own blood, the at-home continuation of the alternative treatment begun in Mexico. This technique is under study by US governmental health agencies and is thoroughly familiar to our oncologist.
We are learning to live with uncertainty and ambiguity. But doesn’t that define life?
Copyright 2007
He confirmed the radiologist’s report of no change in tumor size between the 3 January and 23 March CT scans. I saw the images myself. In a review conducted last Friday (March 30) of the 20 February CT, the radiologist now reports no change from 3 January. A stable condition has been achieved. Whether this occurred because of the initial course of chemotherapy (Jan 18 – Feb 20) or from the alternative/complementary treatment (March 1 – March 28), each conducted independently without other concurrent treatment, it is now difficult to determine.
Other factors taken into account in choosing the next treatment step:
My reports of how I feel: greater stamina, greater strength (less fatigue), improved digestion, improved pain management (no longer require narcotic pain medication), clearer thinking.
Physical examination: liver is softer when palpated and size is unchanged.
Of concern is that two measures of cancer activity related to the thyroid continue to increase. We are taking an UltraSound of my thyroid to see if it can be biopsied and identified or eliminated as the primary site. This may give us a different selection of treatment options in the future.
For the meantime, we will carry on, with our oncologist’s blessing, what we have been doing: administering vaccines made from my own blood, the at-home continuation of the alternative treatment begun in Mexico. This technique is under study by US governmental health agencies and is thoroughly familiar to our oncologist.
We are learning to live with uncertainty and ambiguity. But doesn’t that define life?
Copyright 2007
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
Treatment Results
The radiologist’s report of the 23 March 2007 CT scan from Oasis of Hope Hospital has been translated from Spanish to English now. The results were compared with the CT scan taken 3 January 2007 and show no change in the liver tumor size. This is an improvement because the midpoint CT scan of 20 February 2007 showed a growth in tumor size as noted in a previous blog posting.
The most recent blood tests of 22 March 2007 also show liver enzyme levels have returned to normal range for the first time since last Fall. These levels were the very first indication that something was wrong and led to further testing revealing the existence of cancer.
We meet with the oncologist this week. He will review the results from Oasis of Hope Hospital and we will discuss with him what he recommends as a next step in treatment.
Copyright 2007
The most recent blood tests of 22 March 2007 also show liver enzyme levels have returned to normal range for the first time since last Fall. These levels were the very first indication that something was wrong and led to further testing revealing the existence of cancer.
This CT confirmed again no tumors on my pancreas.
We meet with the oncologist this week. He will review the results from Oasis of Hope Hospital and we will discuss with him what he recommends as a next step in treatment.
More later.
Copyright 2007
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