Hi,
A quick update for you all.
My latest MRI results were presented at the Tumor Board (radiation oncologist/neurosurgeons) meeting last Wednesday. The outcome is that there is some uncertainty about the MRI results. It does not appear to be as "clear cut" as we had hoped. Bottom line....no consensus was found.
The plan...we will wait for 6 weeks and repeat the MRI. It is my hope and belief that there will be nothing there on this repeat MRI. I will keep you all posted.
I will be having my blood work done next week to see how my CA 27-29 is doing. We will also have a complete blood count done next week.
I also go down to Dana Farber on Thursday (4/2) to check in with the breast oncologist (Dr. Lin).
I also began massage and reiki this week. I will have appointments weekly initially and then transition to every other week.
My parents are leaving in less than a week. While I know they have to return to Michigan, I have mixed emotions about them leaving. They have been such a tremendous help and I have really enjoyed their company. It will be another adjustment. I think that we will all go through withdrawl (Khaya and me especially as we are used to spending the most time with them). Darrell's mom will continue to come over to help out on Fridays and once her schedule opens up some, she will add additional days. This will be a huge help for us and will hopefully ease the transition of Mor and Dad leaving.
Well, this is all for tonight. I hope all is well, happy, healthy, and peaceful for you all.
Until next time,
xoxoxxoxo
Lisa
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Please send prayers and positive thoughts our way!
We received news on Thursday (3/12) that it appears that there might be a lesion in my L4 now. There has been some discussion btw. doctors and radiologists about the results. My radiation oncologist (Dr. Nixon) is presenting my case at the tumor boards on Wednesday (3/18) to see what other radiation oncologist and neurosurgeons think. We will go from there. If it appears by consensus that it is cancer-we will need to do the stereotactic radio surgery and a kyphoplasty to the L4. We would not change any other tx at this point (I would not need to begin chemo.-yeah!).
If the team decides that they are unsure, we will wait for 2 months and repeat the MRI. At this point, we will see if it is still there or if it has increased in size. If it is not there, it either means that it was nothing or the tx that I am on now is working to kill the cancer. If it is there or bigger, we will tx with radiation and kyphoplasty then.
You may be wondering how the PET Scan was "clean" but this showed up on the MRI. Well, it is so small that it was not big enough to show up on the PET.
I hope that you all have a wonderful, happy, and fun w/e. It looks like the weather is going to be nicer and mild (40-50's) this w/e so we will try to fit in a walk and bike ride for Alayna.
Take Care,
Lisa
We received news on Thursday (3/12) that it appears that there might be a lesion in my L4 now. There has been some discussion btw. doctors and radiologists about the results. My radiation oncologist (Dr. Nixon) is presenting my case at the tumor boards on Wednesday (3/18) to see what other radiation oncologist and neurosurgeons think. We will go from there. If it appears by consensus that it is cancer-we will need to do the stereotactic radio surgery and a kyphoplasty to the L4. We would not change any other tx at this point (I would not need to begin chemo.-yeah!).
If the team decides that they are unsure, we will wait for 2 months and repeat the MRI. At this point, we will see if it is still there or if it has increased in size. If it is not there, it either means that it was nothing or the tx that I am on now is working to kill the cancer. If it is there or bigger, we will tx with radiation and kyphoplasty then.
You may be wondering how the PET Scan was "clean" but this showed up on the MRI. Well, it is so small that it was not big enough to show up on the PET.
I hope that you all have a wonderful, happy, and fun w/e. It looks like the weather is going to be nicer and mild (40-50's) this w/e so we will try to fit in a walk and bike ride for Alayna.
Take Care,
Lisa
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Monday, March 9, 2009
Hello All,
Been a little while since my last post so here is an update for you all.
First off, I have realized that I have not acknowledged what a loving, caring, supportive, and amazing husband I have. I am so lucky and blessed to have Darrell as my husband and best friend. He has been amazing through thick and thin and good and bad. I know that this has been as much of an emotional/mental roller coaster for Darrell as it has been for me. He has been an amazing pillar of strength for me individually as well as for us as a family. He works very hard at his "paying" job and then works very hard at being such an amazing husband and father. While I often feel and think this way, I have not expressed it enough to him or others how great he truly is (don't want it to go to his head). But in honesty, I don't think I could imagine a better partner to experience this with (but wish we did not need this challenge to acknowledge our love and commitment to one another). Darrell adjusts his work schedule as much as possible to attend important doctor appointments, specialized tests, surgeries, and taking care of us after surgeries. Not a lot of 30 (age at 1st dx) and 33-year-old (age at 2nd dx) men would embrace a challenge with such grace as he has. For this, I am truly grateful.
O.K. now about medical stuff....
I am healing well after my surgery and feeling really well with a little fatigue. I have my post-op doctor's appointment tomorrow. Will find out the pathology tomorrow but am thinking that no news is good news. The exploratory portion of the surgery went well and we were told that everything looked really good with the exception of endometriosis. I am experiencing frequent hot flashes and night sweats...they are miserable but tolerable. Hopefully they will someday go away (have been told it may take years or they may never go away...here's hoping they go away and sooner than later).
So, you guys are never going to believe this but we finally received the HERMARK results. Here's the BUT...the results unfortunately have not provided any more clarity for us. The results came back EQUIVOCAL. Yep, I am equally HER2 (+) and HER2 (-). This puts both us and my health care professionals in a uncertain position on how to appropriately treat me. We are connecting with Dana Farber and my original doctor in N. VA to see what their opinion is. This is not common unfortunately. I would have really appreciated the results to be more cut and dry.
Last Thursday, I had a PET Scan. We received the results during treatment last Friday. The PET Scan looked really good. My oncologist believes that the PET Scan no longer shows the 4 additional lesions and the uptake that shows up in the L5 could be dead tissue. This is really positive because it looks like a pretty "clean" PET Scan, which leaves us extremely hopeful and optimistic that we are on the "right" track for treatment and complete healing.
I also had an MRI (for the L5) on Friday before tx. Unfortunately, the MRI was done incorrectly and I have to have it re-done tomorrow. Will keep you all posted.
This past w/e was beautiful here. Weather was in 50-60's. Today was snowy and I realized how ready I really am for spring.
Well this is all for today. I will work on filling you all in on my new acupuncturist and Dr. Emonds (orthomolecular medicine) and anything else I remember to share.
Hope all is well, happy, and healthy with you all.
Take Care,
xoxoxoxo
Lisa
Been a little while since my last post so here is an update for you all.
First off, I have realized that I have not acknowledged what a loving, caring, supportive, and amazing husband I have. I am so lucky and blessed to have Darrell as my husband and best friend. He has been amazing through thick and thin and good and bad. I know that this has been as much of an emotional/mental roller coaster for Darrell as it has been for me. He has been an amazing pillar of strength for me individually as well as for us as a family. He works very hard at his "paying" job and then works very hard at being such an amazing husband and father. While I often feel and think this way, I have not expressed it enough to him or others how great he truly is (don't want it to go to his head). But in honesty, I don't think I could imagine a better partner to experience this with (but wish we did not need this challenge to acknowledge our love and commitment to one another). Darrell adjusts his work schedule as much as possible to attend important doctor appointments, specialized tests, surgeries, and taking care of us after surgeries. Not a lot of 30 (age at 1st dx) and 33-year-old (age at 2nd dx) men would embrace a challenge with such grace as he has. For this, I am truly grateful.
O.K. now about medical stuff....
I am healing well after my surgery and feeling really well with a little fatigue. I have my post-op doctor's appointment tomorrow. Will find out the pathology tomorrow but am thinking that no news is good news. The exploratory portion of the surgery went well and we were told that everything looked really good with the exception of endometriosis. I am experiencing frequent hot flashes and night sweats...they are miserable but tolerable. Hopefully they will someday go away (have been told it may take years or they may never go away...here's hoping they go away and sooner than later).
So, you guys are never going to believe this but we finally received the HERMARK results. Here's the BUT...the results unfortunately have not provided any more clarity for us. The results came back EQUIVOCAL. Yep, I am equally HER2 (+) and HER2 (-). This puts both us and my health care professionals in a uncertain position on how to appropriately treat me. We are connecting with Dana Farber and my original doctor in N. VA to see what their opinion is. This is not common unfortunately. I would have really appreciated the results to be more cut and dry.
Last Thursday, I had a PET Scan. We received the results during treatment last Friday. The PET Scan looked really good. My oncologist believes that the PET Scan no longer shows the 4 additional lesions and the uptake that shows up in the L5 could be dead tissue. This is really positive because it looks like a pretty "clean" PET Scan, which leaves us extremely hopeful and optimistic that we are on the "right" track for treatment and complete healing.
I also had an MRI (for the L5) on Friday before tx. Unfortunately, the MRI was done incorrectly and I have to have it re-done tomorrow. Will keep you all posted.
This past w/e was beautiful here. Weather was in 50-60's. Today was snowy and I realized how ready I really am for spring.
Well this is all for today. I will work on filling you all in on my new acupuncturist and Dr. Emonds (orthomolecular medicine) and anything else I remember to share.
Hope all is well, happy, and healthy with you all.
Take Care,
xoxoxoxo
Lisa
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