brain radiation

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Rest and Recovery

I have to update you all because I was in really bad shape in my last post. That was the closest to death I’ve ever been. The chemo therapy elevated my calcium levels so much that it almost killed me.

I came from the hospital and had a home care nurse visit twice a week and a physical therapist visit weekly. My vitals slowly became better and my strength started coming back. I can walk again! I’m not back to where I was. I can walk around inside my house. I can get out of the car and make it inside the grocery store to the wheelchair. Oh, the joy of going to the grocery store again for the first time! I can’t drive and still have to take a lot of breaks. I can’t do steps, but I do see progress!

I made it outside on Halloween and sat around a bonfire with my family! Memories💕. I will include pictures.

I see my oncologist again on the 28th of this month. Until then my plan is to rest and try to recover more.

Thank you all for the love and prayers. They mean so much to me!

Enjoy the holiday season and make lots of wonderful memories!💕

Beyond Time for An Update.
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Beyond Time for An Update.

I have been home a few days now. I’ve spent the last 10 days or so in the hospital. Unknowingly, In the hospital. I honestly thought I had been kidnapped. I know it sounds crazy but it’s not. My Mom and my husband were trying to get me up from my bed at my house. I would vomit every time they tried. I couldn’t speak to them. I couldn’t walk. I was completely unaware. They called an ambulance, if they hadn’t, I wouldn’t be here today. It seems to be the chemo therapy I was on caused Cancer-Related-Hypercalcemia. My calcium levels were so high, I was literally out of my mind. I’ll follow up on this later. Right now I’m just trying to give you an idea of what’s going on.

Though my brain looks better, I’m actually doing worse than I’ve ever been. I now have leptomeningeal metastases which have spread to my meninges and spinal fluid. It can’t get much worse for me. I have two more days of radiation. I don’t know what’s after that. So far I’ve heard there is nothing else to do.

Right now my plan is to rest and get through my last two radiation appointment’s. My doctor has said I can have no visitors until she sees me next week. The least little germ could kill me right now.

I’d love to see you guys, I just can’t. I saw my kiddos the other day, so I have a few pictures. For now that’s really all I know. I have to give this to God right now. I’m serious when I say I can’t even walk alone. My mama and my Javiee have been doing everything for me. Stop and think about that. It’s so hard, but I’m so blessed to have them here right now. I will update you all as soon as I know more. I love you all! Thank you for the love and prayers. Get out and make some memories!💕💕

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Back In The Chemo Chair….An Update

Xeloda has not been good to me.  My tumor markers are higher than they have ever been.  They are sitting at 1613.9.  It’s usually accurate with what’s going on in my body.  70 percent of my bones have been invaded by cancer.  We still are not sure if it’s new cancer in my brain or brain necrosis.  I will have new scans in another month to reevaluate exactly what it is.  If it’s necrosis then we don’t want to go cutting on my brain.  Wait and see.   For now I’m taking Paclitaxel.  I’m doing it once every three weeks.  It can also be given once a week for every three weeks to lessen the side effects.  My oncologist thinks once every three weeks is a better punch.  That’s what I’m doing.  It’s day two and I’m exhausted.  I feel so weak.  It’s actually hard to get out of bed right now.  I’m just dealing with it and resting.  It will be worth the down time if it works.  Some pictures from my first day back in the chemo chair. I’ll go in one day soon for a port.  My arm can’t handle this kind of treatment.  I did it, but my arm was on fire afterward.

We used my arm beacause I don’t have a port. Port surgery is next.
It was an hour and a half treatment. I slept.
My, Javiee, my rock, hanging out with me in the chemo room.

I love you Guys! 💕  Plan something fun for the weekend!  Make some memories and    send me a picture! 💕💕  I’ll do a friends adventure post.  We may have cancer, but we’re still loving life!

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Rising Tumor Markers

I have lived with metastatic breast cancer for five years. Throughout this time my CA 27.2 marker has been an accurate indication of what’s going on inside my body. It’s steadily been on the rise. This month it jumped another 170 units. My hope is that cancer is dying and not growing while I’m on Xeloda. I have a new brain MRI and a chest and abdomen CT scheduled in two weeks. If the tumor in my brain is bigger my only option seems to be surgery. I’ve decided to have the surgery if necessary. But first, I’m going to the beach for a week and I’m going to see Lynyrd Skynyrd the first weekend in September! I’m going to enjoy summer, make some memories and not stress the outcome of my scans. If I have to deal with it I’ll do it in mid September.

Here are my recent tumor markers. They seem to be rising since I started Xeloda.

CA 27.2

1311.8 units/mL
Date:
Jun 11, 2018

1141.6 units/mL
Date:
May 11, 2018

1084.6 units/mL
Date:
Mar 16, 201

1037.9 units/mL
Date:
Feb 16, 2018

1057.4 units/mL
Date:
Jan 26, 2018

968.0 units/mL
Date:
Jan 04, 2018 n

263.3 units/mL
Date:
Nov 24, 2017

268.7 units/mL
Date:
Oct 26, 2017

216.2 units/mL
Date:
Aug 11, 2017

232.8 units/mL
Date:
Jul 27, 2017

199.3 units/mL
Date:
Jun 28, 2017

160.1 units/mL
Date:
Jun 01, 2017

Despite all this cancer chaos, I’m still alive, so I’m still smiling. My Javiee and I celebrated another anniversary on June 5th. Here’s a picture….We went to The Conundrum escape room in Asheville. If you haven’t been to an escape room, you should definitely go! We didn’t escape but we had a blast! Here’s our picture…..My precious granddaughter, Evie, had her first birthday! You know a picture is coming!

Thank you all for your love and prayers! I’m sending love to each and everyone of you! It’s summer! Get out and make some memories!💕💕

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New Brain MRI Results

I love my radiation oncologist, Dr. Smathers.   When it comes to living with cancer  the most important things to me are quality of life and honesty.  I don’t want anything sugar coated!  She understands and that’s what she gives me.  I love to see her walk in with a smile.  I didn’t get that last month.  I got it today!  My scans showed nothing new.  It showed the little brain mets were no longer there.  The belief is that Xeloda took care of them.  The tumor in my left frontal lobe has grown 2mm.  Her hope is that Xeloda will reach that tumor and shrink it.  We have a new brain MRI scheduled in two months unless I start having symptoms.  The most common symptoms  would be dizziness, headaches and nausea. That’s the plan as long as I feel good.   If nothing changes on the next scan we will consider adding Methotrexate.   If it continues to grow brain surgery is my other option.   It’s another wait and see.

I give God the glory.  Five tumors gone in a month is amazing.  Thank you all for your love and prayers!  They mean so much to me!💕💕

I’m grateful for another month and for more memories!

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We taught Jax how to play Candy Land.  He won his first game!  I love being a glamma!

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I had another Valentines Day with my sweet Javiee.  This man is my rock!❤️

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T.J. joined ROTC (Air Force).

This has been a month full of memories!  Some deserving a title of their own.  I’ll add them soon!

Until then……Get out and make some memories!💕💕

 

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Wednesday…Mammogram Day..Feb 6, 2013

Tuesday, February 6, 2018 I hit my five year mark. Five years living with metastatic breast cancer. Being diagnosed at Stage 4 means I’d unknowingly been living with cancer for a while. This was just the day I first heard “you have cancer”. I’ve been blessed the last five years with so many memories. Tonight, in reflection, I’m going back to my first ever blog post. I actually started the blog for my sister who lives in North Dakota. It grew into so much more. You all have become a huge part of my life and I’m grateful. 💕💕💕

Tammy Carmona

Today’s Wednesday. I love Wednesday, it’s my favorite day of the week. My Javiee is off on Wednesday, so it’s always a special day for us. We go out to breakfast on Wednesday, then we go shopping and get what we need for the week ahead. I know it sounds pretty simple, but it’s our time and we enjoy every second of it. Today’s a little different. Breakfast and then a mammogram (I found a lump in my left breast). I’m thankful my Javiee is with me for my appointment. I wasn’t really worried, I thought it would be nothing. The lady doing my mammogram was so nice, but when she saw the image and said wait right here a minute while the doctor looks at this, he may want to do an ultrasound , I knew there was a problem. Ten minutes later another lady is doing an ultrasound…

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Brain MRI Results

I’m going to keep this simple for you guys.  I have a new tumor in my brain.  It’s in the superior left cerebellar hemisphere. WBR and the cyber knife took the initial tumor away back in 2016.  This tumor is growing right underneath where the initial tumor was located.  Radiation is not an option for this tumor.  My doctors are getting together Friday with other specialists and going over my charts to figure out what my options may be.   Here’s some good news……

Two rounds of Xeloda cleared my liver!  Those liver mets are gone.  It’s been four months since my previous brain MRI.  Our hope is that this tumor in my brain was bigger and xeloda has shrunk it.  There’s no way to know because my previous brain MRI was clear. Our plan, for now, is to keep taking Xeloda and do a new brain MRI next month.  If the tumor is smaller then we will continue with Xeloda and monthly scans.  If the tumor is the same size or bigger next month the only option will be brain surgery.  That’s the plan right now.  This could change after our meeting Friday.  Another wait and see!

I have chosen to not worry about this.  I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing and see what next month brings.  What does worrying help anyway?  Tomorrow I’m going to pick up my sweet little Jaxon and we are going to watch T.J. wrestle.

I love you guys! Get out and make some memories! 💕💕💕

My song for the day….Click here. 😂

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My hair after WBR

I’ve had so many people ask me about my hair after doing whole brain radiation.  Hair is so important to most people, it defines you.  I have always had a head full of blonde curly hair.  Those days are gone!  I started losing my hair the second week of WBR.  Instead of waiting for it to fall out I shaved my head.  About three months after WBR it started growing back.  I was so excited!!  About six months later I realized it wasn’t going to come back completely.  I had what I called a “nohawk”.  My hair grew in on the sides and on the back of my head but not on the top.  My oncology radiologist said the radiation skims the top of the head and it may not grow back there.  A year later and no hair is growing on top of my head.  This is what it looks like…….

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I don’t think it’s ever going to grow back on top.  I just keep shaving my head.  I honestly don’t mind being bald.  That’s the least of my worries!  95% of the time I walk around bald and happy to be alive!  I have beautiful wigs and  I wear them if I go somewhere special with my Javiee,   My favorite….

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Here’s a picture of my cousin Teressa and I.  If you see me out and about it’s usually like this…..bald.  I’ve embraced my baldness!

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That’s my hair story.  Thank you guys for all the love you send my way!  I love you all!!! Now get out and make some memories!

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Brain MRI Results

I have to tell you I was anxious while waiting for these results.  I spent last summer doing brain radiation and I was really excited to get out and make some memories this summer! I’m so happy to say my MRI came back stable!  There’s nothing new!  Thank you all for your love, good vibes and prayers!  I feel so blessed to have you all in my life!💕

So what’s next for me?  Mexico!  I was going no matter what my results were.  I’m just happy they were good and I can go worry free!  My Javiee has worked day and night to make this trip possible.  I’m so ready to spend some quality time with him and meet his family!  It’s been a long time coming!

Get out and make some memories! 💕💕💕 I love you guys!

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Tumor Markers

There are a lot of different opinions when it comes to tumor markers.  My first oncologist tracked my markers and believed that they gave her an idea of how my treatments were working.  My new oncologist doesn’t worry about them as much.  I feel like I’m one of the lucky ones that can follow tumor markers.  When taxol failed my tumor makers rose.  We changed treatment and they dropped.  The same goes with Femara.  I went to Ibrance and my tumor markers climbed to 694 (CA 15-3) and 410 (CA 27-29).  My markers have never been so high!  We changed my treatment to Afinitor and they dropped.  I’m at 189 now.   That’s still not a good number.  I want to see it under 30 again.  For now I’m grateful to see such a big drop!

I’m scheduled for a new bone and pet scan the first week in February.  I have a lot of pain in my lower spine and my neck.  I know there was progression when I was on Ibrance.  The question is how much.  Back to waiting!

Until then I’ll keep taking my pain meds and enjoy some time with my Javiee (he’s off for a few weeks!). T.J. is keeping me busy with wrestling matches.  I walk into a match with no energy and leave as the cheering mom.  He’s doing really well.  I won’t miss a match even if I have to drive an hour to get there.  I’m just so thankful to be here to see him participate.  There’s no way I would miss one!

Ok, one more story to share!  My favorite Christmas song is The Christmas Shoes.  I play it every Christmas.  This year for Christmas Kori gave me Christmas shoes and had the song playing when I opened them.  I cried and cried.  It was a special Christmas full of special gifts but this one made my heart smile.  I know this song will always make Kori think of me.  Memories, the only thing that will outlive us!  Get out and make some!  I love you guys!!💕💕

 

I have to include a picture from Christmas!

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