My nurse from the oncologist's office called today with the CTscan results. There is no discernable change from the last scan. With my CA125 elevated to 1250 the last time, this is very good news. It is likely the CA125 was affected by the discomfort and irritation from the food posioning incident.
The CTscan results keep me on the patupilone course which is a good thing. Although the side effects are increasing and keeping me laying low, the patupilone keeps me from jumping back to the carboplatin/taxol regimen. Think February. If the patupilone continues to work for me, it gives me that much more time away from the nasty stuff and a better chance it will work for me next time.
We are all doing well. Madeline and Richie returned home last night from a motorcycle show in Alabama. Charlie won two trophies at a Tae Kwon Do tournament on Saturday. In spite of the cancer, we continue to live a normal life and it is important that we work toward that because this is our life.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Monday, October 13, 2008
Well, didn't Roseanne Rosanandana used to say, "If it isn't one thing, it's another."
This morning dawned just beautifully. I think. I wasn't actually awake until 8am, but it was beautiful when I woke up. Madeline was sleeping, Charlie slowly waking up, Richie making plans for a bike ride and I was enjoying reading the paper.
I took Charlie to his religious ed class and ran to the grocery store for a few things. Charlie and I were home an hour later and Madeline met us at the door. Richie had a bike accident and was at the emergency room! Ugh! When will the madness end? The good news is he will be fine. He has a couple of stitches, a badly dislocated middle finger and some scrapes and bruises.
We are all tired and trying to destress, but alive and healthy (relatively speaking.) I hope for a better week this week.
Maggie
This morning dawned just beautifully. I think. I wasn't actually awake until 8am, but it was beautiful when I woke up. Madeline was sleeping, Charlie slowly waking up, Richie making plans for a bike ride and I was enjoying reading the paper.
I took Charlie to his religious ed class and ran to the grocery store for a few things. Charlie and I were home an hour later and Madeline met us at the door. Richie had a bike accident and was at the emergency room! Ugh! When will the madness end? The good news is he will be fine. He has a couple of stitches, a badly dislocated middle finger and some scrapes and bruises.
We are all tired and trying to destress, but alive and healthy (relatively speaking.) I hope for a better week this week.
Maggie
Thursday, October 9, 2008
No news is good news
I am home from St. Louis. The visit with the oncologist was a good one. No setback because of the food poisoning incident last week. There is no significant change - which is good - and although the CA125 results are not in yet, I feel good.
I have a sick child home today and she really wants her Mama to stay close and take good care of her and I am so happy to oblige.
Maggie
I have a sick child home today and she really wants her Mama to stay close and take good care of her and I am so happy to oblige.
Maggie
Monday, October 6, 2008
It's Always Something
As is life isn't interesting enough, we had another adventure last week. On Tuesday, I began to feel sick about midday. By 3pm I was in the emergency room of our local hospital with severe pain in my lower back and abdomen. After a few doses of pain medication, the pain receded but what remained was a fever of about 1o2.
After consultation between the doctor and my oncologist, it was decided that I should stay overnight. That overnight stay was eventually extended and I wasn't released until Friday morning. It turns out that I had food poisoning. I hope to never experience that again. The pain was awful and it really set me back in terms of stamina and energy. Some good things came out of the visit. I now have the ear of two area doctors, an oncologist and an internist. I really liked both of them. I also had a PICC line inserted. This is a 'peripherally inserted central catheter.' I had really been hoping to avoid having this or a port inserted. It is hard to put into words, but I felt like putting something like this in would change the face of the cancer for me. In some ways it has and in other ways it is the best thing I could have done at this time. I can have blood drawn and medicine administered without having a new IV started for each incident. In short, it will give my veins a rest.
My mom and Kaki arrived for a weekend visit on Friday and we had a wonderful time. I have spent the weekend sitting and visiting and am all the better for it. Mom and I leave tomorrow after I have blood drawn, for St. Louis. I have another chemo treatment on Wednesday at 11am and should be home by the end of the day - keep your fingers crossed and send out a prayer. There is always the chance that the oncologist might decide I am not healthy enough for the chemo.
That would make me sad.
Love to all,
Maggie
After consultation between the doctor and my oncologist, it was decided that I should stay overnight. That overnight stay was eventually extended and I wasn't released until Friday morning. It turns out that I had food poisoning. I hope to never experience that again. The pain was awful and it really set me back in terms of stamina and energy. Some good things came out of the visit. I now have the ear of two area doctors, an oncologist and an internist. I really liked both of them. I also had a PICC line inserted. This is a 'peripherally inserted central catheter.' I had really been hoping to avoid having this or a port inserted. It is hard to put into words, but I felt like putting something like this in would change the face of the cancer for me. In some ways it has and in other ways it is the best thing I could have done at this time. I can have blood drawn and medicine administered without having a new IV started for each incident. In short, it will give my veins a rest.
My mom and Kaki arrived for a weekend visit on Friday and we had a wonderful time. I have spent the weekend sitting and visiting and am all the better for it. Mom and I leave tomorrow after I have blood drawn, for St. Louis. I have another chemo treatment on Wednesday at 11am and should be home by the end of the day - keep your fingers crossed and send out a prayer. There is always the chance that the oncologist might decide I am not healthy enough for the chemo.
That would make me sad.
Love to all,
Maggie
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