January 27th...

I've had so many people say to me that they check my blog for updates all the time so now I'm feeling the pressure to come up with some news to report!!


Well, there isn't too much to report right now ~ just having my chemo - two Fridays (oops I meant Mondays)  in a row and then one week off. This chemo doesn't have the same side effects as my first rounds; hair isn't falling out, no muscle loss yet (actually, maybe that's because I DON'T HAVE ANY MUSCLES LEFT!!) nails seem to be hanging on nicely and only a few days of feeling really horrible and bound to my bed. I still have to take Neupogen injections which help my body to make new white blood cells so that I can get my next chemo and not catch one of the many bugs my children bring home. It works wonders but causes extreme bone pain after a couple of injections so I'm always trying to do the minimal amount of times; just enough to get up my cell count but not enough to start the pain (I equate the pain with bad back labour).

On Feb 1st I go in for surgery to have a port-o-cath placed in my chest. This is a little device that sits under your skin and allows for the chemo to access your body directly rather than having to get set up with an IV every time. I had one put in during my first round of chemo but had it removed during the mastectomy thinking I wouldn't need it anymore (wishful thinking). It really grosses me out because you can feel it under your skin but it doesn't interfere with daily activities and is WAY easier than having a IV. This past Monday I was poked six times before they got the vein - and these nurses are the experts! Anyway, it will be way easier once I have the port.


I haven't been able to start the local hyperthermia with Dr. Parmar yet because I have to get there on the same day as my chemo and so far I haven't been able to get there in time. My chemo always seems to take way longer than it's suppose to. Now, I've decided that I will wait to start the hyperthermia until after after my PET scan which should be in a few weeks. That way we'll have a baseline to monitor how or if it is working. It will also tell us what part of my body we should be focusing it on.


We are still waiting to hear if our extended health is going to cover the $12,400. a month cost for Avastin.


I have a good feeling that this chemotherapy is working so I am very excited and anxious to have my next PET scan. I don't have a date yet but I will update next when I find out when it will be.


Thank you again to everyone who continues to read my blog and everyone who has been donating and supporting the fundraisers. I am constantly overwhelmed with gratitude and continuously wonder what I can possibly do to repay everyone when I am better!

I have a brain CT scheduled for Jan 31.

Monday

I saw Dr. Klimo today and he is going to schedule a PET scan (to monitor the progress of my current treatments)  for soon after my sixth treatemtent which is on Feb 7. He is also going to schedule a brain scan as the PET doesn't do the brain - very stressful to think about but again, it is important to catch it early if it has spread there. I wasn't able to make it to the hyperthermia appointment in Fort Langley as my chemo took way longer than we expected so I will be starting next week after my chemo. I have an appointment with my GP today so he can fill out my long term disability forms for work :o(

I also wanted to say a huge THANK YOU to my sister, Danielle for organzing the raffle and everyone who purchased tickets and helped her sell tickets. Thank you so much, all the financial support makes all this crap a little easier to endure!! Danielle has already contacted the winners but I will post the names on here soon.

This past Monday Darren and I went down to Seattle to meet with one of the doctors at The Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. They are currently running two trials using chemotherapy along with Parp inhibitors. The doctor explained the trials - one is a Phase 1 using an oral parp drug so I would only have to travel to Seattle twice a month. The other is a Phase III and it would require me to be in Seattle on Day 1,4, 8 and 11 of the month long cycle. The Phase III trial is going well and they are just waiting for FDA approval. In the meantime, the trial has been opened up to Stage IV breast cancer patients for compassionate use. The trial would only cover the costs of some of the initial baseline tests and I would be responsible to pay for everything else. Basically, I just wanted to find out what the criteria would be to get accepted into the trial and how long they would be recruiting. The doctor explained that they would probably be accepting new patients for at least six months and I'm still waiting to hear back on an estimate of the cost.

I'm going to continue on the chemo drugs that Dr. Klimo has me on now. Apparently, these drugs will work quite well for a while and then the cancer becomes resistant to it so you need to switch to something else.

This Monday, I have an appointment with Dr. Klimo and then my third chemo session (on these new drugs). Immediately following my chemotherapy in N. Van I will go to Fort Langley to receive my first local hyperthermia treatment.

I just came across this clip again by Kelly Corrigan. I can remember reading this back in May, shortly after I was diagnosed and we had just come back from a short, "preplanned" vacation to Disneyland. I couldn't believe how her words were describing everything I was going through, every thought I was having....

She is a wonderful writer and speaker ~ take a few minutes to watch.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaYUdYErfB4

Happy New Year!

Wishing everyone the very best for 2011 :o)