A Treatment Plateau?

In the last week or so, I began to think that I've reached a treatment plateau. I say this because in the last couple of weeks I have had some new satellite lesions that have cropped up around the wound and they don't seem to be shrinking or disappearing. In fact, a couple seem bigger, but that may be due to inflammation (which can be a good thing - a sign that my immune system is sending Herminator-2 cells there to do battle). I think it is inflammation because my whole shoulder joint is feeling tight and swollen and is becoming more achey. But maybe the satellite lesions are bigger because they are growing - we just don't know for sure. In the end, the dramatic changes and reductions in the tumors that I had in October and into November seem to be slowing down. Darnit!

I think I'm reaching a plateau with Abraxane because I don't have as many white blood cells - the total numbers of white blood cells is about 1/3 (or a bit more) than what they were before I started Abraxane. So there are less Herminator-2 cells running around killing the cancer cells. I had one idea which I brought to my doc's office, which was to let me go off Abraxane for a few weeks and allow the Herminator-2 cells to grow again. But as my oncologist's nurse practitioner staed, we don't know that that would work, so I risk tumor progression whereas we do know Abraxane is working at some level.

Then, to top it off, my side effects, which were relatively minor to begin with (digestive issues, acne) seem to be getting worse. The fatigue is about the same and of course I'm still bald. But the constipation seems to be lasting longer, and over the last week, my kidneys were achey, which tells me that my body is finding harder to flush the toxic chemicals out of my body. The herbs are helping - my acupuncturist put me on a new one last week, but it took me a couple of days to figure out the best way to take it. She said not to take it in capsule form, but to either swallow the powder with warm water or to steep it as a tea over night. By the time I got into a new habit with steeping it overnight, I was constipated. My face has also been breaking out quite consistently in the last week.

So, I'm already thinking of what to do next or one option is to add something to my treatment regimen in addition to the Abraxane. The UW Tumor Vaccine Group has another clinical trial for skin mets, which combines Abraxane with Imiquomod, which is an ointment that has been used with melanoma (I think). I don't want to travel to Seattle, however. I would have to be in Seattle for the first treatment for at least a week. I can't afford that right now.

Dr. D. from UW did say that Dr. K would be able to administer Imiquomod here as it is an FDA approved drug. I see Dr. K next week, so my plan is to have him call Dr. D and see if maybe I could add this to my regimen. That is, of course, if he agrees that the satellite lesions are not disappearing.

I also see the surgeon and the wound care nurse tomorrow. I will say that the overall wound is healing, slowly but surely, it's just the satellite tumors that are worrying me. Maybe the surgeon or the nurse have some ideas . . .

It could be that I'm already becoming tired of Abraxane. I am starting to get tired of being bald and the acne and the digestive issues are annoying This Friday, I will have finished three cycles of Abraxane. I will be halfway done. I think the weekly schlep to get an infusion is getting to me - even though the nurses are great. But I get tired, both literally and figuratively, of not sleeping. I think that as long as I had such an impressive response, the side effects seemed minimal, but as they get a little bit worse and I'm not responding like I was, it's getting old.

I also admit that the work stress has been greater lately - trying to put in an application for release time, a grant proposal, and changes to an article, not to mention teaching the class, grading papers, and now recommendation letters, etc. - it's been a really busy few weeks. Productive, but stressful because of deadlines. I wanted to get another grant proposal out this week, but it's not working out that way. I think it's time to lower my expectations and take a break for a couple of weeks. The point is that the work stress may be contributing to my decreased response with Abraxane.

And, there's financial stress. I keep getting statements from Samaritan Health Services - even though I've met my out-of-pocket maximum, their billing office has consistently forgotten to post an insurance adjustment on my account, so each month, I get bills for $100 or $200 or $300. This means I have to call them, tell them they are missing an adjustment, and verify that I don't owe them money. To top it off, I had my teeth cleaned a few weeks ago; usually insurance pays for this, but it turns out that my dental insurance will only pay a maximum amount each year. I reached that maximum after my crown this summer, so after the fact, I found out that I owed $200 for a teeth cleaning. So, I paid that bill, which meant less for Christmas spending. I also admit to spending more than intended for Christmas . . . so money is tight. I haven't been extravagant. I bought some presents for the Giving Tree tags. I also went to the coast for the night last weekend. I didn't spend much there, but I guess it all adds up. A couple of months ago, I think I figured out that I've spent about $5,000 in medical expenses this year. My $1,000 out of pocket, plus the trips to Seattle (even though I got about $1500 in donations, I probably spent maybe an additional $750 or so), plus over $1,000 in dental, plus acupuncture, wound care dressings, herbs and supplements and mileage. It all adds up.

Okay, enough whining. Time to live in the moment and enjoy the holiday. Let go of stress. I need my immune system to be working at an optimal level. Stress doesn't help!