Update on Me

I have received several requests for information and update on my medical condition.  Sorry I have neglected to do that.  This blog was set up for that very purpose, but with the other crisis in my life, my updates took a back seat as they should.

A CT scan, MRI, and bone scan were all performed a few weeks ago.  Good news from them, the growth has not changed.  That is what my oncologist and I were hoping for.  This type of cancer, especially with it invading bone tissue in my spine, is not expected to shrink.  All we can hope for is containment with the future hope that new drugs are in the pipeline and will be available once this chemo cocktail no longer works.  And unfortunately, that is the nature of this cancer.  The cancer will win at some time, unless a magic pill comes along.

I had chemo treatment #12 yesterday with this second round of drugs (the first group didn't work and there was some change/growth).  For the first time since June, my blood pressure was almost normal.  The visit two weeks ago, and just after John's death, my pressure was off the chart and it really startled me.  Continued high blood pressure can damage internal organs. Thankfully, my friends Paula and Joan were with me for the results from the scans during that visit.  Of course, I had to prepare myself for any news that my doctor might give.  It is just the way you have to live when you have cancer.

The chemo treatment yesterday was a bit scary at the beginning.  I have a port in my upper left chest (you can read my blog entry about getting that put in last March) and when the nurses "hook me up" they have to flush the lines to make sure there is good return and flow through the port.  When she started the hookup, which in itself is painful as they must insert a butterfly needle into the port entry under the skin.  Some people don't have much pain but others do.  I fit in the later category.  Mine hurts.

Anyway, as she was flushing the line, I realized she was not pleased with what was happening.  I don't usually look when they do all these procedures.  It just helps if I don't see it.  I don't look when they take blood, don't look when they start up IVs.....though I didn't have any trouble when John was having his procedures done.  Guess it is just me.  So, I have learned, look away and think about sitting on the beach with a warm, salty breeze blowing on my face.  That works.

But she couldn't get the flush to go into the port.  She could pull it out, but when she changed directions, nothing happened.  She called over another nurse and they started working on me.  By now alarms were going off in my head....what will they have to do, what if they can't get it to go in, will I have to have this port removed and another inserted....YIKES!  Panic.

She kept trying, asking me to raise my arm, cough, take deep breaths.  I told her I had injured my left arm a few weeks ago and it was still sore.  She started feeling my line running under my skin up over the collarbone and then it heads down to my heart.  The line appeared to be kinked there.  She kept working and finally, OUCH, something popped and the flow started.  Guess when I strained my shoulder, it did something to the line, but it was working now.  Whew.....

Dr. Mahajan added another drug to my cocktail today.  It will hopefully help with the queasiness I have been having the first week.  I have something for nausea, but the queasiness and hiccups were becoming more of a problem for me.  So far, it has helped!

So, as of now, I am doing okay and will stay on these meds till they stop working.  I told my doctor I was doing a little financial planning and needed to know a few things.  He told me to expect the best but plan on the worst.

Enough said.  Guess I probably won't run out of money before I run out of life.

Still pulling my wagon.
PCQ