Friday was my 6th of eight infusions. It was Taxol again, but this time I was a little more ready for it so I'm hoping to avoid the "hit-by-a-truck" sensation. Of course that means that the alternative is drug induced oblivion, but I think I'll take it.
I think things are going well. I'll be meeting with my surgeon in the next week or so. When I last met with my oncologist she said that this was the first time that she could honestly say that she couldn't feel the tumor at all. That doesn't mean that it's gone, just that it can't be detected without an ultrasound or MRI. Considering it was approximately the size of a golf ball when we started all this, I guess that's good. I'm not sure if it will change future treatment plans (surgery and radiation), but it has to be good that the cancer cells have responded so well to the chemo.
More good news is that my Dermatomyositis seems to finally be responding. My hands look better than they have in a year. I don't think they'll ever be the same, but considering that two weeks ago the skin was peeling off in layers, I suppose I'll take them as they are and be content.
In the beginning, my doctors all kept saying that they were certain that the Cancer had jumpstarted the Dermatomyositis and with the Cancer gone, there would be nothing to drive the Dermatomyositis so it would just go away. I wasn't convinced and after 10 weeks of chemo, even they were starting to say that the two conditions might not be related at all, but finally after the 5th round of chemo, things started looking different and for the first time, I have a little hope that Cancer treatment really will take care of both conditions. I guess we really won't know for sure until I'm officially declared Cancer free, but I'm definitely more hopeful than I have been in the past and that is huge because the Dermatomyositis was horrible. Though it would not be the same for everyone, in my case, it was worse than the Cancer.
So even though I'm not really going to be done with Cancer treatment until probably October or November, at least the chemo part is almost done. Two treatments left, and counting.
3 comments:
Marie, Thanks for stopping by my blog. Gosh, you've been through alot! I hope and pray the chemo will work for both your conditions and that soon you will be cancer free. Good Luck.
Marie,
Steve was up that way today and had lunch with Neil. He told me you had cancer and of course that was about it. Neil said you had a blog so I looked you up and read your story. I remember the last time we saw you, you were trying to figure out about your skin stuff, so crazy where it has gone sorry we haven't kept in better touch. Our prayers will be with you guys too and hope that soon you will be cancer free and feeling much better. Lily looks like a spitting image of Elijah so cute.
I like your "countdown." It helps so much to mark things off. I'm pretty sure I said this before, but I'm so IMPRESSED with you.
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