On the road to recovery

The surgery to remove the chest tumor was yesterday.

The good news is that the surgeon said there was a "plane" of good tissue under the tumor and that cancer was not in the sternum. The other good news is that he was able to pull enough good tissue (I think the TRAM flap from reconstruction) so that the skin graft is only about 3cm in circumference. He thought it would be a lot bigger.

So good news all around. However, the nausea stayed with me until partway through the night. It is a lot better now. Not sure if I will be discharged today or tomorrow although right now, I am already readynto go home. Sometimes talking to strangers about my problems and history is just too exhausting.

Hmm, I think I will change my own dressing in my armpit. The nurses here are busy. I will finish my jello first and then get it all ready.

Thank you all again for your continued support!

Qigong, CT Scans, and Mood

As I mentioned in the post a couple of days ago, I am doing much better, emotionally and mentally. I attribute it to both qigong and the intentional breathing (breath in strength and energy, breathe out pain and sickness and worry).

White crane qigong is partially meant to dispel sadness. It helps your lungs move qi and it also gathers energy to your heart. I think that has really helped my mood. So, even though I had persistent pain yesterday (and it happened again this afternoon although not as bad even though I remembered the nerve pain pills), I could handle it easier. (At the moment, the back of my arm/shoulder is tingling.)

So, I'm good.

I also picked up a copy of my CT scan results. Other than the mass under my armpit and also the one on the right side of my breast bone, no new masses, stable disease in the bones, scarring in the lungs, and some cysts on my liver. I also just confirmed that I don't think the main artery supplying the latissimus muscle is not involved. I think I will have the easier surgery, but I haven't confirmed that with the plastic surgeon yet.

As for the breast bone mass, I don't think the immunotherapy can work on that area as well because the tissue has been compromised by two rounds of radiation. The tissue under my arm is compromised as well, so there's been growth there because the t-cells can't get in there to do their job. We will deal with that breast bone tumor later . . . I'm not too worried as it's growing much more slowly.

Here is a website for the lat flap for any inquiring minds:

Lat Flap

I will have a skin graft from my left thigh - I think that skin graft will cover the donor site, but don't quote me on that.

So, good news overall. Good mood. Good news on the CT scan.

Keeping Busy

It's been a somewhat busy week - but then when are't they?

Eddie had his Science Fair earlier this week. He received a "red ribbon award" for his project, meaning he was in the 2nd highest 25% of his class. He just didn't elaborate very much on his conclusions, which was the main reason he was marked down. But a little birdie told me that one of the judges said that Eddie's project was his favorite. His project was "Game On!" in which he tried to find out which position would give him the fastest time on Mario Kart Double Dash. His results was sitting on an exercise ball, then sitting on a stool, then standing, then lying down.

I've been working on taxes, too, in the evenings. Organizing receipts and creating spreadsheets. Ya wanna know how much I spent on medical expenses? About $7,100. This included deductibles (or out of pocket expenses), what insurance didn't pay for acupuncture, pharmacy, dressings, dental, travel to Seattle, and Chinese herbs and supplements. (Criminy, no wonder I wasn't able to pay down my HELOC very much!)

Last night, I hung out with my volleyball buddies before the game, then I watched the game, and then we hung out some more afterwards. The first evening in a long time when I felt mostly normal and could stay out that late (i.e., 9:30pm). Yay!

It's interesting. As my loyal readers know, I've been feeling very fatigued and also tired of being tired, and maybe discouraged because I could see that the tumors in my left armpit aren't shrinking as fast as I might want them to. I haven't felt really social because of that. However, this week, with the good news on the CT scan, the last Abraxane treatment (and being able to start growing my hair again), the news that I'll be done with the wound in about six weeks, etc., I suddenly feel more social, so I was cheery last night, joking around with my friends, giving them a bad time while they played. Happy to be alive, in other words.

I think between the good news and going to Hawaii . . . I'd have to say that life is good. Thanks to everyone who continues to keep me in their thoughts and prayers!

If There Was a Voice Speaking, I'd say, "It's music to my ears!"

So, what's the equivalent for sight! Maybe a "sight for sore eyes!" But that doesn't seem right.

Ah, what am I talking about? Well, it's the CT scan report, which is as follows:

"CONCLUSION
1. There has been response to this patient's treatment regimen. The pulmonary nodules involving the lingual and left lower lobe are dramatically less pronounced. The irregular and linear type densities which remain may reflect post treatment changes/scarring. The conglomerate adenopathy noted within the left axilla is not completely visualized, however it also appears less prominent. There is a low attenuating structure noted more anteriorly and inferiorly, which may reflect necrosis. In addition, the right peristernal lesion has decreased in size. The small lesion involving segment 5 of the right lobe is also much less prominent.
2. No new nodules, masses or regions of adenopathy are identified.
3. Stable appearance of the sclerotic lesions involving the axial and appendicular skeleton compatible with osseous metastatic involvement."

There's a 4 and 5, having to do with the evidence of surgeries and my P.A.S. port in my arm.

Earlier in the report, it said that "The visualized liver and kidneys appear unremarkable."

Translation: The densities they see in the left lung probably reflect scarring; the lesion under my armpit, the right "peristernal" lesion (i.e., on the right side of my breast bone, near the TRAM flap scar, something in the right lung (which I didn't note before) is also smaller. The lesion that is "anterior and inferior" is a satellite lesion in the armpit, located lower and toward the back looks like "necrosis" (i.e., dead or dying tissue). I do have multiple lesions in my bone marrow, but it appears stable (and probably will never change). Most importantly, no new nodules have been identified.

Cool, eh?

Da da Da da Daaa da . . . Da da Da da Daaaa da!

What in the heck is that title mean? Think dancing, maybe even line dancing. Oh, yeah! It's the beat to the Conga line! (I think!) Where the last syllable is kinda loud, like it pops.

Why am I dancing?

Well, I just got my CEA tumor marker today. Guess what? It was even lower today than last month. It was 3.4 ng/mL. That's less than half of what it was in November. Anything 3.8 or less is considered normal. So, yes, I guess I can be considered normal! (Well, I'll think of myself as more normal when that wound heals and the satellite nodules disappear.)

I had both zometa and Abraxane. Maybe I should say, it's an "A to Z" Day. I also had good blood counts - my hemoglobin was 10.8. My white blood cells counts are about half what they were before starting Abraxane, but still decent.

Anyway, here is the history:

CEA
1/2008 - 1.2 ng/mL
3/2008 - 0.9 ng/mL
6/2008 - 1.0 ng/mL
8/2008 - 1.1 ng/mL (need to double check this number, but it was in that 0.9 to 1.2 range)
9/2008 - 0.5 ng/mL
10/2008 - 0.9 ng/mL
10/31/2008 - 1.2 ng/mL
11/28/2008 - 1.2 ng/mL
12/30/2008 - 1.1 ng/mL
3/2/2009 - 1.4 ng/mL
4/8/2009 - 1.6 ng/mL
5/5/2009 - 1.9 ng/mL
6/4/2009 - 3.0 ng/mL
7/2/2009 - 3.7 ng/mL
8/3/2009 - 4.2 ng/mL
8/31/2009 - 5.1 ng/mL
10/2/2009 - 5.7 ng/mL (or was it 5.8?)
11/2/2009 - 7.6 ng/mL
11/30/2009 - 10.5 ng/mL
12/28/2009 - 13.2 ng/mL
3/8/2010 - 22.9 ng/mL
4/22/2010 - 28.9 ng/mL
6/7/2010 - 46.3 ng/mL
7/19/2010 - 44.3 ng/mL
8/19/2010 - 50.9 ng/mL
10/05/2010 - 41.6 ng/mL
11/04/2010 - 7.1 ng/mL
12/03/2010 - 3.4 ng/mL

It hasn't been this low since before July 2009 - almost 18 months! Wanna join me for a Conga line? Da da Da da Daaa da . . . Da da Da da Daaa da!

Unprecedented? Then again, maybe not.

Today, as I received my Abraxane infusion, the nurse and I chatted about my low CEA numbers. It eventually came out that they usually do not see (or maybe have never seen) anyone respond as well to the Abraxane treatment as I have. They haven't seen the CEA drop so quickly in just one month. We talked about how my incredible response is more than likely related to the UW immunotherapy and that the two therapies are working really well together.

Shall I saw it is unprecedented? Maybe not. Maybe in the context of my town, but the UW doctors did say that patients in the same trial as me tended to have results like mine - that after immunotherapy, the standard treatments all of a sudden start working really really well.

And, then again, maybe not. A good friend of mine told me today that he put my name into a reiki prayer pool this past month. I know a lot of people in my community and all over Alaska are praying for me. Other people are sending me prayers, blessings, good energy. My family takes care of the housework so that I have more energy to devote to healing or resting. My medical care team, including my acupuncturist and my therapist and the wound nurse and the infusion nurses, give me great care. My colleagues at work support me. My friends give me good advice. Other cancer bloggers are great role models for how to live life and how to handle side effects and also for their sheer perseverance to live.

I have also made changes. I have limited if not almost completely eliminated dairy and white flour from my diet. I am still trying to eliminate sugar. I don't drink alcohol as often. I try to practice qigong. I wake up each morning and try to decide that it will be a good day, even if that's not how I'm feeling, but by reminding myself of what I am grateful for, it gets easier to make that choice. I try ask myself every morning, "Would I rather spend my day pissy? Or sad? Or silly and happy?" I have repriortized work duties and how I choose to spend my time. I endeavor to be as stress-free as possible and part of that means not taking things personally or acting defensively with difficult people and reacting in a more mature, calm, deliberate way, rather than reacting rashly. I accept help when it's offered and then I try to "pay it forward".

I think that all of these things have culminated in my current, happy state of affairs: dropping tumor markers, shrinking and disappearing tumors. And, the realization that I have a wonderful, beautiful support system. There have been reports by other doctors and practitioners of Chinese medicine of people who were able to turn their cancer prognoses around. There are reports of cancer spontaneously disappearing. I have tried to learn as much about what these patients do and what kind of medical care they seek because the people who came before me have set these precedents. So, no, it's not unprecedented. I have role models to follow. I have great friends who give great advice. But even if it isn't unprecedented, it's still great news!

Thank you everyone! Every little bit helps!

My State of Mind These Last Few Days

How am I feeling these days? In a word - happy. In love with life!

When I look back at the last few months, I see just how much my physical symptoms and side effects impacted my sense of well-being.

First, beginning around my birthday in July, I had an "inflammatory flare" in my left armpit due to the t-cell infusions and Herceptin. This inflammation caused a lot of pain and I ended up on pain pills for several weeks. So, I either felt pain, or some slight nausea and dizziness and fatigue from the pain meds.

Then, I had withdrawal symptoms from the pain meds - about late August.

Then, I ended up with an open skin wound. Got the news of disease progression and discussions with doctors about next steps. The whole area is still swollen and somewhat painful, not as bad as in July/August.

Then, I ended up with an infection in the wound and it started to grow. Fever, chills, and/or nausea/fatigue from the antibiotics. That was late September into early October. More discussions about what was going on - worry that I'd be hospitalized, worried if I should start treatment while still fighting an infection, placement of the P.A.S. port, starting a new treatment, learning about side effects.

Whew. A LOT was going on. In one sense, it was like I was a ball in a pinball machine, bouncing from one symptom and side effect to the next.

But now? Now, I am settling into a kind of routine again. Side effects are predictable. Side effects are doable - just fatigue and hair loss. My work is going well - when I'm there. I have a plan of sorts. I know what will happen in the next few months. There's evidence that the treatment is working. Mount Herminator is now a witch's cauldron. I don't have to lift my arm up constantly anymore. I can sleep on my left side again.

My heart, my soul, my mind - all feel lighter; I feel happier. A big weight has lifted. I guess because for the first time since I found out that the cancer had gone into my left lung 18 months ago, I am finally responding to treatment (t-cell therapy combined with Abraxane).

I wish to give a huge thank you to everyone who has helped me over the past six or so months. From my family who takes care of me daily, to my chauffeurs to Seattle and in Seattle, to the people who donated funds so I can make the trips, to my medical team who takes care of me, to my friends who keep me amused and entertained, to all the many people who keep me in their thoughts, prayers, who send me blessings and positive energy and little gifts. Thank you all! I have a huge wonderful support system and I can't thank you enough. Because, you see, you help me. I am doing so well because of you.

Cancer's on the run, baby. Time to celebrate!

Everyday Happenings

I really don't have any news to share. Which is a good thing. It just means that I'm living my life, going to work (where I'm getting caught up on a variety of tasks), taking Eddie to and picking him up from school, hanging out with his class on a fieldtrip (in the rain and hail!), hanging out with friends, enjoying life. You know, all the mundane daily life sorts of things.

It's a nice place to be.

Nothing profound to say. There's a couple more ideas from Dragonfly Eyes but I haven't really taken those ideas from the back burner into my consciousness, so they are still there percolating. I'm scheming for ways to find more time for writing. I'm getting an urge to write more. To finally dig into some of the research that I and the King Island place names crew created.

So, it's a good thing. It's a good life. And, it's sunny today, for which I'm thankful!

Enjoy!

Refinance update

I ended up getting a new appraisal, since my new lender wasn't able to get hold of the other appraiser. I got the appraised value today - and it was higher than the other one, so now I'm going to be well within the range for a refinance.

Whew.

This means that once the underwriters get to the application, then the refinance will go through and I should save at least $300/month.

Cool.

A day for really good news. And, I got to hang out with Scott.

Now, I need to pay bills and pack for the hospital.

I'll be back in touch after the surgery!

Holiday Bazaar and Other News

As you may or may not know, my dad and mom and I spent our day at the holiday bazaar on Saturday. No one bought our beaded stuff, but my mom was able to sell some of her crocheted items. So, it was a success and it was fun. I figured if I didn't sell what I made, I could give it away as Christmas gifts. So . . . not a wasted effort.

I see Dr. K, my oncologist, tomorrow, my acupuncturist on Wednesday, and then Z-Day is on Friday (when I get Zometa and Zoladex). Last year, my bilateral mastectomy was on Nov 16 and I think I found out on Nov 21 that the pathologist found cancer cells throughout the tissue on the cancerous right side. I was still recovering from surgery on Turkey Day - I was still nauseous from the anesthesia and the morphine. I'm looking forward to a better one this year!

I continue to have decent energy and last night, I slept really well, too. Things are going well with Scott - we've been able to work through some issues fairly well, I think. My family's okay. We'll have 15 people - maybe 17 - at my sister's house on Thursday. Should be fun!

This week at work I hope to finish making changes to the placenames spreadsheet and to make revisions to a paper. Next week, I want to tackle submitting the article I just wrote to a journal. I contacted Polar Geography, but they haven't responded. Time to go to Plan C. It's week 8 for Fall Term - two more weeks of classes and then Finals Week.

Life is good! I really have no complaints.

I'm happy. Can you tell? ; )

Continued Great Tumor Marker News

First, the tumor marker update:

CA 15-3 was 15.3!!! Here's the history:

Anything below 31 is considered "normal"
Sept 2007 - 23 U/mL
Jan 2008 - 31 U/mL
Mar 2008 - 36 U/mL
June 2008 - 23 U/mL (started radiation that month)
Aug 2008 - 18 U/mL
Sept 2008 - 14.5 U/mL YAAAAAAY!!!
Oct 2008 - 19.6 U/mL
Oct 31 2008 - 15.3 U/mL

The CEA was 1.2 - still well below suspect levels. 3.8 and under is normal. Here's the history:

1/2008 - 1.2 ng/mL
3/2008 - 0.9 ng/mL
6/2008 - 1.0 ng/mL
8/2008 - 1.1 ng/mL (need to double check this number, but it was in that 0.9 to 1.2 range)
9/2008 - 0.5 ng/mL
10/2008 - 0.9 ng/mL
10/31/2008 - 1.2 ng/mL

Cool, huh?

A Nice Chat With My Oncologist

My oncologist called me Sunday afternoon to talk about the CT scan and how the wound was healing and, I guess, just to assess where I'm at in all of my treatments.

He asked how the wound was healing and whether or not I saw any signs of cancer in the skin. I reported that the wound was healing pretty well and I didn't see any signs of cancer (I double-checked this morning).

I then asked if he'd had a chance to compare the CT scan from Feb and the one from Aug and he said he did and there was definitely no signs of any new spots on my bones. He mentioned again that a couple of them were bigger, but that it could be because they are healing. I need to ask him more about what that means- the biological process behind it.

I told him about the Zometa side effects I experienced (only a few hours of fever/flu-like symptoms) and he said that that was typical, but shouldn't be quite as bad the next time. He said that Zometa should certainly help the bones.

I asked where the rib fractures were and he mentioned that they were in the 4th, 5th and 6th ribs.

Then, I asked his opinion on how he thought I was doing. He said that he was actually quite pleased. He admitted that he'd been afraid that while we were busy trying to eradicate the cancer in my skin, that the cancer would crop out somewhere else. So, the fact that it didn't made him happy.

So, overall, it was a good report and a good chat. I promised him that I would not dive for any more volleyballs for awhile! He chuckled at that.

I figured it's always a good thing for an oncologist to laugh.

Tumor Marker Update

Last week, when I had my monthly Zoladex injection to shut down my ovary production, I asked the nurse to draw blood for lab tests, specifically tumor markers. I got the results today . . .

and my CA15-3 was only 23!! In the normal range (0-31 U/mL)!! This was what it was in September, before I was diagnosed. Here is what the levels were over the past 9 months:

9/2007 - 23 U/mL
1/2008 - 31 U/mL
3/2008 - 36 U/mL
6/2008 - 23 U/mL

It's going down again!

As I noted before (see my earlier post), they're not exactly sure what this measures. Here is the disclaimer on the lab report: " . . . Serial testing for patient CA 15-3 values should be used in conjunction with other clinical methods for monitoring breast cancer. Elevations may be found in patients with non-malignant disease. CA 15-3 values should not be interpreted as absolute evidence for the presence or absence of ??" (page was cut off).

Even with that disclaimer, I'm celebrating. It's going down. Radiation and chemo are working!

The normal range for the CEA tumor marker test is <3.8 ng/mL. My CEA test was as follows:

1/2008 - 1.2 ng/mL
3/2008 - 0.9 ng/mL
6/2008 - 1.0 ng/mL

So, it's still in the normal range. Good news!

Finally. I needed to know that everything I'm doing is accomplishing something!

Finally! Some Good News!

I just found out that NSF released the next year's funding on the grant having to do with Alaska Native Corporations. (I was in Portland for this project two weeks ago.) The release of funds is a bit early, but it will be a huge relief because now I have funds to get to Alaska sometime this summer or early fall in order to do some research, I will have funds to hire a grad student to help me out with this project some, and I will be able to use the summer salary funds in the grant that will relieve some financial pressure this summer.

Whew! I really needed some good news.