03/22/13

Time to continue my story.  Saw Dr Rosen, Oncologist on Aug 3rd.  He explained chemo, 1/3 women have the chemo, go into remission and the cancer does not come back.  Said 2/3 of the patients will be treated 3 or more times as he cancer comes back after remission.  I have had two types of chemo and neither worked very well or at all.  First was carboplatin/taxotere and the second was avastin/doxil.  Now on gemzar and after two treatments my CA125 tumor maker went down 330 points.  Of course the carbo/taxotere worked for three treatments and then quit.  But I was very happy to see the numbers go down, had been waiting for that.  Did lose my hair when on the carboplatin and is now growing back.  Just wore hats and had lots of cute ones.  Co workers kept me supplied.  I now have chemo once a week for three weeks and then a week off.  Have had three treatments and go back on 3/28/13.  I keep thinking this one is going to work.  I pray that God has plans for me to be around a while longer.  Feel good, still working fulltime, sewing, reading, watching TV.  Get lots of rest too.

Went to Denver Co, University of  Colorado Cancer Center on Tues 3/19/13.  Saw a Dr Behbakht.  I am eligible to join a clinical trial but will not change chemo while the gemzar is working.  The Dr said they do not change someone to a clinical trial if a chemo is working.  He also said even tho it looked is if the first two chemo drugs did not work he believes something was working or I would not be here today.  I feel good and am doing well, so something had to have been working, even if just keeping the cancer from growing.  Just need it to shrink.  I really do not want to travel 300 miles one way once a week if I can get out of it.

Had snow yesterday and last night.  Had 4.5 inches.  So pretty.  Had two inches on Mon night and drove 50 miles on ice Tues on way to Denver.  Was nerve racking, but finally ran out of the ice.

Is now time to cut out an outfit for granddaughter Rebekah.  Plus matching outfit for her doll.

I have been trying to figure out how to get into my blog since it was set up.  Sherie helped me figure it out tonight.  So this is my first posting and will be quite long.  2012 was one heck of a year.  The big event was Daniel and Kats wedding in Hawaii and Bob and I were able to go along with Sherie, Richard, Rebekah and Susan.  Flights were long and the flight home was brutal, but the trip was fabulous.  We so enjoyed the ocean and sand, went to North Beach and Sherie, Susan and I climbed Diamond Head.  Was an awesome climb and well worth the energy.  Had the best ever pineapple smoothies when we got back down.  Wedding was simple and beautiful.  Such a handsome couple.  Am so happy for them.

I had been getting nauseous after drinking coffee, before the trip, and the same with the hotel coffee.  Just though it was the brand.  Did not give too much thought to my loss of appetite and no weight loss.  The week after we got home the nauseous was off and on all day.  Went to the DR, given acid meds, did not help.  She ordered an abdominal ultrasound on a Thurs and on Mon told me I need to see a surgeon.  Possible gall bladder.  Was by now so nauseous that she had ordered nausea meds.
Saw surgeon on Mon  6/25/12 and scheduled for surgery on Thurs 6/28/12.  Was in the ER on 6/26/12 as was so very sick.  Nausea meds not helping.  This was miserable.  Went to surgery and if I had only known what really was going on.  When I came to was told I had ovarian cancer and would need to go to Denver for more surgery.  He also drained off a lot of fluid, thus no weight loss. Wow, the big C word.  Very scary.  Went home Fri and just had to have time to deal with this.  Scheduled to go to Dr in Denver on 7/11/12.  He explained the surgery, will be in Swedish Hospital for 4-6 days.  Surgery scheduled for Tues 7/17/12.  Now I am just ready to get this over with.  Surgery went well and hospital stay went well.  Dry mouth from all the meds a major problem but must deal with it.  Came home on Fri 7/20/12 and was so glad to get back into my bed.

Next will visit the Oncologist at Rocky Mt Oncology.  That will be another story.