A Fever By Any Other Name . . .

is still the same. Since I did a play on Shakespeare "To Port or Not to Port", I thought I would continue the theme!

Since last night, I have had a slight fever. It ranged from 99.5 to 100.6 last night. So I have been taking Tylenol and a half dose of Ibuprofen. Also, my neck and shoulders are achey -my arms have been achey, too, and last week, on one of the days, Imhad a headache all day. The headache is back today. My temp about 15 min ago was 100.3.

In other words, I am having flu-like symptoms.

But, is it because I have picked up some garden variety flu bug? Or, could it mean that the vaccine I had 11 days ago is kicking in and my body is now producing a lot more Herminator-2 cells and they are out fighting the cancer? Or do I have an infection in my open wound - home of Mr. Exu Date?

Lord knows.

I see the wound care nurse tomorrow morning and then about lunchtime, I see my oncologist, Dr. K. I will ask their opinion about whether my wound is infected.

Dr. D. from UW said that when the Herminator-2 cells are activated, I will have flu-like symptoms, which is why I got a fever and chills and achiness after the Herminator-2 infusions and after vaccines. Dr. D. says that thw chills, fever, and achiness are due, NOT to the virus or bacteria causing the illness, but rather to the t-cells that are "cytotoxic", meaning that they are killing the invader cells, like a flu or bacteria bug. That death of the invader cells causes the flu-like symptoms. So, here's hoping that the vaccine has unleashed a new assault on those satellite lesions . . . And other cancer cells throughout my body.

So, I need to rest. Should be easier tomorrow as I don't teach. Today was the first class for Circumpolar Peoples and Climate Change. It went well, I think. But it took a lot of energy. Hanging out in my room watching reruns and resting. Lots of liquids. Still have an appetite. May need more Ibuprofen.

Herminator-2 Cells, Do What You Need To Do!

Okay, after consults with two doctors and my acupuncturist, I have made a treatment decision:

I am not going to do anything for the next two weeks at least.

Yep, do nothing. Let those Herminator-2 cells do their thing, which is kill the cancer.

I saw a radiation oncologist on Tuesday. He saw the tissue necrosis, as well as the weeping and the nodules. When we look at what's going on, we see that the large tumor under my arm has not grown at all. In fact, the tissue around it has necrosis, so we assume that the cancer in the skin is dying. On the other hand, the nodules, which have cancer, seem to be bigger. Is that because the cancer is growing or is it growing because the Herminator-2 cells are in there and causing inflammation? At this point, only time will tell. In the end, he felt that maybe we should hang in there until I see the docs at UW on Sept 16. That way, I stay on the clinical trial, which is a good thing, in the name of furthering understanding of this process. He was fine with waiting two weeks. When I mentioned to him that cancer was on the run, he agreed with me. He also said something that there might be cancer in the fluid leaving the area, which is just what I said in an earlier blog post. So maybe the cancer is on the run.

Then, I saw my acupuncturist. She had just returned the week before from a weekend workshop with her mentor that focused on treating patients with cancer. So she gave me a long long list of dietary changes I can make. I may write it all down sometime, but no time tonight. Then, when she found out that I hadn't had any western medical drugs to treat my cancer, she was excited. She feels we have a good window here to see how Chinese medicine can work with the Herminator-2 cells to fight the cancer. I guess that her mentor uses a series of weekly treatments for cancer patients, so she started me on that treatment. I have appointments with her next week and the week after. So I started to gather food to support this change in diet. I must also not eat sugar or anything with added sugar, white flour, or alcohol. She was excited that I wasn't on any western medicine drugs.

I also saw the wound care nurse about the weeping under my arm, so she put on a waterproof dressing with silver on it to keep it free from infection. I don't have an open wound, per se, but seeping from the skin. The dressing can last two days, so I will see her tomorrow and get another change.

This morning, I saw my regular oncologist and while he couldn't see the armpit, he did see the picture ghat we took on Tuesday. While he is uncomfortable, he will allow me to wait another two weeks and then make a decision then. Maybe we will have a better idea of what's going on.

So, the plan, as I understand it, is to wait. Show Dr. D. the area and see what she says (on Sept 16). Then I will see Dr. K. in Newport, as that is where he will be before he goes on vacation for a week. I will also be in Newport for a work-related meeting.

At this point, I am happy to wait. I have visual proof that there is some death of the cancer there. And my acupuncturist was happy with some of my pulses - they were strong. And I have renewed my commitment to changing my diet and exploring my more spiritual side and changing old patterns.

I will say that I have had a personal challenge recently and I ended up falling into an old pattern. I thought I was justified in my reaction . . . and I think the situation does warrant some kind of response. But then a friend of mine emailed me out of the blue (although we have emailed a few months ago and exchanging strategies for fighting cancer) and he mentioned a concept from a book he has recommended to me and reminded me that we are all part of the energy of life. I read the part of the book he recommended and realized that the person I am angry with is also part of this flow of energy and life and my reaction . . . as well as my not-quite-formed ideas to resolve the situation were created blockages, like knots in the tapestry of life. And that was causing me more stress than I needed at the moment. My acupuncturist had asked whether or not I could let go of the situation and at the time, I was unwilling. But after the email and reading this book ("This Thing Called You" by Ernest Holmes), I realized that I was holding on too tight to my own ego. Once I realized that, I let go and I felt things/energy flowing through me more freely, which made me realize how tightly I was holding onto this issue.

Anyway, this gives me hope that between the Herminator-2 cells and acupuncture, I may soon (in a month or so) have some evidence of the retreat of this cancer. So, wait we will.

More tomorrow on our visit to the State Fair! And I need to post pics.

UW Clinical Trial - Visit 6

I forgot to post about my last visit to UW.  In the end, it was a bit of a bust. I  hadn't read the protocol for awhile.  And, the study staff did not remind me of one important fact:  when I received my t-cells, I could not get Herceptin within six days of my t-cell infusions.  So, last Monday, I got Herceptin.  On Thursday, I informed the UW study group.  They replied that I couldn't get my Herminator-2 cells that day.

Damn.

I kinda kicked myself - but on the other hand, I hadn't read the study protocol in a couple of months.  I also hadn't referred to the calendar of visits they gave me.  They also didn't say anything to me.  I don't, in fact, remember anybody saying that I couldn't take Herceptin when I got my Herminator-2 cells.  And, they didn't remind me that I couldn't last week or during leukapheresis. 

So, a miscommunication on their part. 

But they also said that I would've received the maximum dose of Herminator-2 cells for t-cell infusion #2.  Apparently, the lab is doing a great job in replicating my Herminator-2 cells - either that or I produced a good number of them or some combination of the two. 

So, they expect that I should get the maximum number of cells this week.  Which is about the same amount - or more - than some other people.  And, they could use the cells they made last week for study purposes.

So, all is not loss.

Except that I don't have Herminator-2 cells that my own body produced to kill the cancer.  Crap.

But I will make sure I get all the Herminator-2 cells that I can get this week.

Live and learn, eh?

In the meantime, there are indications that the first infusion of Herminator-2 cells are doing what they need to be doing.  The doctor, Dr. S., said that the swollen lymph nodes under my left armpit might get even more swollen.

They are.  The swelling is red.  I can feel the heat radiating from them.  Dr. S saw this and said that this is the reaction they want:  an inflammatory response, because the Herminator-2 cells were infused in my left arm and they traveled to the left lymph nodes, where they encountered cancer cells.

So, the inflammation (from what I gather) is caused from the Herminator-2 cells fighting the cancer cells that are in my lymph nodes.

Go get 'em.