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.

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!

Sharing My Family Vacation!!!!!!!! …………………………………………………………………………………… We just spent a week in North Myrtle Beach as a family. It was the best trip ever! 
 I was worried if we would even make it there. My arm was in severe pain and I was doing radiation treatments until the morning we left. I was in radiation at 8 am and we were on the road soon after. Thank you mama for driving! My oncologist prescribed me steroids and morphine to keep the pain flare ups away, it worked! Thank you Dr. Smathers! You know I adore you! The afternoon before we left I was going to let T.J. drive me around town ( He got his learners permit!!). My car wouldn’t start. I was devastated because it was after hours and no shop was open. A few years ago we went on a Little Pink Houses of Hope beach trip. I ended up in the hospital with brain mets. We planned a trip to the beach at Bear Island the next year and I ended up in the hospital with treatment induced diabetes. Was it going to be my car this time? I asked God “Why can my family not have a beach trip without something happening.” My Javiee happened to be at Auto Zone when I called to tell him the car wouldn’t start. He met a mechanic that said he would come to my house and look at it. He came out and put a new starter on my car and didn’t even try to overcharge us! Change of perspective……”Thank you God for letting this happen before we left on our trip and for putting that mechanic there”. I knew this trip was blessed! Here are some pictures……
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That’s my Javiee and I with our grand babies. Then my son, Kori, his wife, Emily, and our grand babies. Then my sweet mom and I. The next one is my oldest son, his wife, me, my mom and my youngest son.

 

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My grandbabies at the beach. My mom and I with T.J. at one of his favorite places. That’s me. Then my daughter in law, Emily, my mom and me again.

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That’s my mom and I, My Javiee and I, My youngest, T.J and I, My oldest, Kori, and I. Then Kori and I with my grandbabies.

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My grandbabies! I love being a glamma! That’s Jax and I at the pool. Then my favorite! This little lady has sas!

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My mom and granddaughter. My daughter in law, Emily. My oldest and youngest boys. My grandbabies at the beach. My mom and I in a shark head. My guys going on a helicopter ride

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That’s my Javiee and I on date night in a helicopter. I love this man!

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For our last laugh we stopped at Dicks. The food was horrible but it was so much fun to laugh at each other.

I love you all💕 Thank you for your love and support!   Summers almost over!  Get out and make some memories! 💕💕

Tracking My Rising Tumor Markers

I’ve lived with metastatic breast cancer for over four years now.  My CA-15-3 has always indicated when something was awry.  It was 22.8 in December 2015.  In June of 2016 it jumped to 169.8. For this reason we started checking my tumor markers monthly.  I’ll share from that point on below:

July 2016                  267.6   This is when we found brain mets.

August 2016            565.0

October 2016          694.0

November 2016     691.5

January 2017          167.0  This was after WBR/Cyber Knife.

February 2017        132.2

March 2017             159.2

April 2017                172.2

May 2017                  183.0

We weren’t concerned with the first rise.  It can happen for many reasons.  After two more months of higher numbers we decided it’s time to do scans.  I had a chest and abdomen CT Wednesday (results next week).  I also have a brain MRI scheduled for the first week in June.  It’s another wait and see!  I have to tell you I Feel Good!!  I go on that.  It may sound strange but I don’t even worry about results anymore.  I just get on with life until result day arrives.  Life has been good to me lately!  Wait until I share what I was blessed with this week (for those that don’t follow me on social media)!!!!!!!  That will be my next post. Until then I’m sending you all love!!!!💕💕

Get out and make some memories!!!!!!

 

New Scan Results

My latest scans showed progression to my ribs, spine and pelvis while I was on Ibrance.  I have multiple new pelvic and femoral lesions.  My spine has many new lesions (T5, T7, T8 and T12).  The good news is there was no new growth in my organs and the tumor in my lung is 2 cm smaller. My tumor markers are also still dropping.  I’m at 132 now!😀

I have a lot of pain in my hip.  My oncologist was concerned and thought I may need a pin in my hip. He referred me to an  orthopaedic oncologist, Dr.Gajewski, I loved him!  He’s a great addition to my team.  After x-rays and an exam he said no pin!  The pain is muscle and nerve pain from my spine.  I aggravate it by driving a five speed.  I guess it’s time to get another car.  He also said yoga will help.  Time to start a yoga class!

As of February 8th I have lived with metastatic breast cancer for 4 years.  Though I’m sure I had it years before I was diagnosed.  I find it sad that I was told I didn’t need a mammogram until I was 40.  I can’t help thinking at 35 I would have caught it before it spread.  It is what it is.  I’m thankful for the past four years.  Even during treatment, my days have been filled with memories.  I’ve had more time with my family.  I’ve watched T.J. grow into a young man.  So many special people have come into my life the past four years.  I am so grateful.  Let’s not forget….I became a glamma!  I’m so in love with little Jaxon.  He is perfect.  In May I will be a glamma again!  To a precious little girl.  I hope she looks just like me!!😂

Living with metastatic breast cancer isn’t easy, but I’m living!  That’s all that really matters. Get out and make some memories!  I love you all!💕💕

 

Look at my new wig my sweet Javiee bought me.  I love it!  My hair is beginning to come back on the sides.  The top is still bald.  I call it a nohawk.

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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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Time for a little happy dance!

The results from my CT and Bone Scan Came back clean!  They show nothing!  I can’t even begin to tell you how relieved I am!  I was sick with worry.  I don’t think there will ever be a time that having new scans done doesn’t stress me.  The results are like a verdict to me.  Am I gonna live or die this year?  It’s horrible! People tell me to relax.  We could all be hit by a car tomorrow.  It’s true, we could.  The difference for me is that I’m not standing on the side of the road.  I’m standing right in the middle waiting for that car to hit me. It’s not an easy way to live! For now I am so thankful to have clean scans!  This has been the hardest year of my life and it ends on Feb the 6th.  I’m ready for my new year!

I’m almost two weeks post op from my final reconstruction surgery.  I’m feeling good and so happy that I did it!  I will do a blog post with pictures soon.  I’ve been so stressed with tumor markers, scans and recovery that I just haven’t felt like doing it!

Here’s another reason for a happy dance!  My little one was inducted to the National Honor Society this week.  He did such a good job giving his speech!  I’m so proud of him!Image