Welcome Summer!!

I know it's been a little quiet here, but things have been not so quiet with me.

Since we were last together.....we shaved my head because the hair was just falling in gobs and looked like straw.  Thankfully I kept my scarves from before, as well as adding a few new including a nice hat ;) 

Should be nice and cool for summer :/

Started Keytruda May 3rd.  Took it with Halaven.  Lasted about 2 hours.  Things started out normal.  Headaches, abdominal pain, fatigue, constipation, you know, the fun stuff.  By the 4th day after, my skin started itching.  Was not too alarmed as that is a possible SE of Keytruda.  By day 5 it was now a visible rash on my stomach.

At day 8, when I went for Halaven only (which ended up including magnesium and potassium), I showed it to the nurse.  We went on it was a reaction to a new pair of leggings I threw on before washing (we've all done it, admit it), and my skin was sensitive to it.  She told me to take Benadryl and use cortisone. Home I went to start the SE all over again.  Now I get to add evening chills to the mix the first night, low stamina, and weak legs.  More fun!

The true fun stuff was coming because my sister came for a visit while Bob went to Florida.  What a fun long weekend!!  We stayed in our PJs one day, watched old movies, went shopping, ate out and just had a great time relaxing together.

Unfortunately my rash only got worse during this time but she was here to help and got to visit Froedert with me.  Now who would want to miss out on that!?  During my hospital visit they told me to try Zyrtec and Pepcid as well as calamine (which I had been using) and Sarna (which my sister suggested).  Finally after two weeks the rash was mostly gone and the itching tolerable.  Went for a nice motorcycle ride one nice day, and the rest of the time I stayed home because of all of our "great" weather that didn't want to leave.  I also went to see Book Club with friends, I would recommend it. Funny.

Ouch.

I went yesterday for my doctor visit and chemo/Keytruda.  My counts were good, yay, I got treatment.  My doctor thinks the rash may be an allergic reaction, boo!  Because of this, I only got Keytruda.  We are going to see if the rash happens again with just one med. Maybe the reaction is from the combination.  If no rash, I will get Halaven next week.  Now we wait and see.  🤞

My summer officially starts tomorrow with the annual gathering of Rhythm Method fans at Immacculate Heart.  And, a Memorial Day visit to The Bunker and their Memorial Day Salute.  I hope everyone has a fantastic holiday weekend, but please take a few minutes to remember the reason for the occasion.  🇺🇸🎗️✝️

On a finally happy note, I'm a grandma!  Meet my four legged granddog, Moose.  A soon to be 200 pound Mastiff.  😳

We will start with the good.  Merck has approved me for Keytruda for a year! 

Woot!!  Saved me a ton of money, and my mind.  I am still going after my insurance company and my Washington (useless) reps to make my voice heard about how ridiculous it is that they deny investigative meds.

Keytruda is given in a drip bag and will last about 30 minutes.  Pretty sure Merck will be studying me as I'm Triple Negative and BRCA2+, just what they want to prove it works for.  We start this on May 3rd after my doc visit.  Will update again after this.

The bad.  I have had two injections of Halaven chemo to start and my side effects have sucked, to put it plainly.  Days 4 and 5 being the worst.  My continued SE have been stomach pains, body aches, headaches, nausea and extreme fatigue.  My new side effect is mouth sores.  If you have ever had canker sores and strep throat together, you know how it feels.  Eating hurts.  They did subside after about a week.  I also got a "magic mouthwash" for the next round.  I lost a few days to sleep, and pretty much couch potatoed for two weeks.  I actually keep up with The Young and The Restless now, lol. 🙄  I am hoping things get better as we get further into treatments.

The Ugly.  My white cell counts have

tanked.  I went from 6.1 to 2.0 in a week.  Pretty sure its going to continue to drop during all this and will again have to miss some treatments here and there.  My potassium and magnesium levels are also tanking.  My last injection also required 2 bags of magnesium, so my session went from 5 minutes to two hours.  And last but certainly not least, my hair is falling out in large quantities, again.  I left Wisconsin with hair, and will return from Florida with none.  Oh well.  Yeah, eyebrows, eyelashes, and nose hairs too.  So, runny eyes and runny nose.  🤔

Ending on a good, the difference between my two weeks of chemo vs my off week is very dramatic.  I actually feel normal during the off week.  And it is welcomed after two weeks of shitshow.  ;)

On my way to Savannah today with the hubby.  Very much looking forward to seeing some old buildings, old trees, and maybe a ghost or two ;)

Until next time...happy spring....finally!!

This hat is my new motto.   :)

Welcome to the shitshow of my life.   After an agonizing weekend waiting to see my PET results and talk with the doc,  my appointment finally arrived on Tuesday afternoon.

Before even getting to the hospital,  I got a

letter from my insurance denying the Keytruda.   This is the immunotherapy drug that unmasks the cancer cells and allows my immune system to work on killing them.   Some doctor somewhere browsed my claim and decided because it is experimental with breast cancer they won't let me have it.   I was pissed.   I called the expedited greivence line and of course got some call center, somewhere in the world, who could do nothing for me.   She did get an earful from me asking why they are going to let me die when there is an option to save me....... Stammering and nothing but the stock BS answer. I hate insurance companies that play God.   I am not done with them yet.

At the docs office we discussed this denial,  and he explained he expected this and we will now go to the manufacturer directly.  (He also stated that Humana is one of the worst to deal with,  FYI.) The manufacturer wants their drug out there in any form that it may work.  He assured me we will get it.   In the meantime,  we discussed my new options and the new plan.

We first are doing Halaven (Erbulin) until Keytruda is approved,  then we will do both.   Halaven is administered in a syringe two weeks on,  one week off.   The third dose is given with Keytruda, which is a drip.   The entire process will take, maybe, two hours.   A far cry from the six hours I was doing with the Gemzar/Cisplatin.  A big plus 👍

Side effects-well., they vary but with Halaven my hair is going to thin or go bye

bye 👋   I should be able to handle the rest well.   Fatigue will still be an issue and we are back to low counts.   Boo!  At least Summer is coming..... I think. 🤔  Keytruda could be tricky.   With the unmasking of cells,  it is non-descriminant.   It could start to affect organs, mostly the liver and kidneys,  so they need to be monitored weekly.   Other than that,  it is known to be tolerable.   🤞

Fluid near lung

Friday before the appointment I had a Thurosentisis.  They numb your back with Lidocaine,  then take a needle and suck out fluid,  which I had a lot of.   After a few pokes that almost put me through the roof,  they got half a liter off my left side near the lung.   This will be sent to Foundation One who will hopefully have enough sample to get the genomic breakdown.  If not,  I will go in for a biopsy from my abdomen. Fun, more knives.   One way or another we will have a genomic breakdown to help find what may be the most effective treatment for me personally.   Again,  I swear genetics is going to solve this.

After discussing the plan,  we looked at the pictures.   They are not good.   We are literally back to the start.   We blew past the January PET and are even worse than the October PET.   Always have been an overachiever in some respects.  The black dots are where the cancer is.   Not all of it is, but for sure the chest chain,  and the front blobs are.   Some are my heart and kidneys.   A comparison from the good Jan scan gives an idea where the organs are.  The black in the skeleton is to uniform for it to be in my bones, so we are going with that for now.   The good news is it is still not in any organs.   The next picture is the lit up area in the peritoneum that has grown. 

Jan and Apr

Another Jan and Apr

Oct and Jan

Front belly lit with cancer

I am allowed to still take my CBD and vitamin D,  but all other supplements have to be stopped.   With Keytruda affecting the liver, alcohol is an absolute no.   I have pain meds, Tramodol, when needed for my abdominal pain.

After my appointment we had chemo.   I

Then

finally got into my chair at 4:00.  I have to take dexamethazone for

Now

nausea and then they insert the syringe in my port line.   Five minutes later the line is being flushed, a bandage applied and by 4:35 I was out the door.   A big silver lining.

I don't want to jinx anything but,  I think
my belly does not hurt as much as it did before chemo.   Psychological,  maybe,  maybe not.   We will see after the next dose on Tuesday.All and all we both felt much better after leaving the doctors office.   We do realize that we are in trouble,  and we are all scared,  but we are determined to continue this fight until it is no longer possible.   And we still have options to exhaust if this combo does not work.

We are down,  but we are not out.

Check the boobs!

Well I have some bad news.  My stomach pain was worsening so I was able to get the onc to see me.  He ordered the PET to be moved up.  I did it yesterday.

I was suppose to have chemo today, but the nurse couldn't do it until the doc cleared it.  Well you guessed it, no chemo.

I don't have any other results, nor have I seen the results but, talked to the doc on the phone and I have basically a 100% progression.  All the beautiful scans I had last time are wiped out.  The areas are somewhat new, there still is no organ involvement which is good.  My colon is being rather pesky, which is the result of the progression and it being pressed on.  A common occurrence with this kind of mets.

I go tomorrow for a thurosentisis, where they numb you and withdraw fluid.  That fluid is looked and and verified to be malignant.  They will then send it to FoundationOne for genomics.

In the meantime.  I am going to be put on Keytruda.  It is an immunotherapy drug and has shown positive results for Triple Negative cancer.

Basically my cancer cells are masking and the chemo can't see them.  This drug, unmasks them so my own immmune system can go fight them.

Let's hope THIS is the one that works!

After my appt Tuesday I will post more.

Bummer.

Spring has Sprung!!

I know I'm long overdue for an update but, well, there just isn't much new to tell you.  I have been bouncing between chemo treatments and living life the best I can.

Since Januarys PET scan I have done 4 treatments of chemo, traveling back and forth from Florida to do so (thank you Frontier and Allegient for your cheap airfare!!).  Bob and Lola stayed and enjoyed the warmth until our mid February return, brats.

My days after chemo consist of the couch and TV.  My excitement is watching the stock market whiplash around.  🤣🤣  About the 4th or 5th day I finally feel somewhat normal and get back to life.  Most all my visits, lunches, chore days, etc are all done the second week after chemo.  If you want to meet up, that's the time 👍  Between the fatigue, and flu-like symptoms from chemo and the bone pain from the Neulasta shot, I'm a mess otherwise.

I hope everyone got a chance to enjoy St.

Patty's day.  I opted to skip this year since the flu has been so bad.  I still am avoiding closed spaces as much as I can, with a venture into them occasionally.  Come on warm days and open patios!!

My counts are much better now that I am getting the Neulasta shot.  I actually have made it up to 4.0.  Woohoo!  1.90 to 7.80 is normal range.  A far cry from my .4 low.

I have been having some stomach pain(ish) the last couple of weeks.  Comes and goes, but with a stomach type cancer it is nerve wracking.  I can never have a simple stomach ache or headache again without my mind psyching me out.  I have a new PET scheduled for April 18.  Hopefully, things settle down and the scan is stable or clearer.   🤞  Should we get continued

improvement, my doc has actually talked about maintenance chemo.  I soooo am hoping for this.  A once a month infusion would be so welcome to give me many more days of feeling good over feeling bad.  I know I will never be treatment free again, but this would be a welcome compromise.

During this chemo I have been able to keep my hair, but it is thinning, and those darn eyebrows are disappearing again.  :/  I have gained back weight since my low, probably a little too much :)  Funny thing is, my doc is actually happy about my good appetite, lol.

I have started back with mentoring in an indirect way.  A woman I don't personally know but from the internet, is dealing with TN cancer.  We chat often when she starts to freak out about things.  Makes me realize I'm ready to get back in the groove of mentoring.  I stopped at my Stage 4 diagnosis to deal with my own fears.  I think, hopefully, I have them back under some control.  I will never be worry free, and I know that someday (hopefully far, far from now) my luck will run out.  But for now, I'm dealing with things the best I can.

My oldest daughter and son in law, have become new home owners.  So exciting!  I get to help them move, and move in.  Home ownership is such an exciting and scary move for a young couple.  I remember our first home we bought in Milwaukee back in 1989.  My sister in law walked around with a (very big) video camera and filmed the house.  Sent us the video in PA where we were stationed in the Army.  We proceeded to go back and forth on fax machines (with the long sheets of roll paper), at a Kinkos store, signing papers.  Moved back to WI, 8 1/2 months pregnant, to a home we never even walked through.  My how times, technology, and home prices have changed.

I don't know about the rest of you, but, I am ready for Farmer's markets, festivals, bon fires, motorcycle rides, sunshine, and the beauty of Wisconsin in Spring and Summer.

Thank you to everyone who continue to check in on Bob and me.  We are hanging in there.

Happy Easter to everyone.  May you enjoy family, friends, and faith.  It all keeps me going. 

Check your boobies folks!!

I'll be back with PET results soon.

Spring is 53 days away and the days are getting longer!

Well I promised an update as things newsworthy happened, so here goes.

Christmas was awesome having my kids home if only for a little while.  New Year was spent on Main street in Daytona Beach with a light jacket......be jealous.  Temps were in the 50s to 60s, which was way better than Wisconsin's single digits.

I have spent many days traveling back and forth for treatment and doctor appointments.  The last was a return for a PET scan to see if the treatments are working.  To say my family was nervous is an understatement.  Nail biting commenced.

I am happy and excited to report that not only is it working but the cancer is decreasing in all areas!!  There is visible and substantial changes in scans from Oct to Jan.  My doc is very happy with the results.

The report is a bunch of gobbledegook, but the one thing understandable is the many times the word decreased is used.  I have added the pictures from the scan in hopes some of you or all of you can see the difference.

In this photo the left was last scan, right new scan.  Looking left at the right lower neck to mid chest you see black spots, those are enlarged cancerous nodes.  In the new scan looking at the same area you don't see them as much.  (the other black is my organs).

In this scan on the left you see a very bright spot in the middle, on the second it is much deminished.

And again the bright spots are gone or much smaller.

And finally, if you look at the pic on the left, there is visible fluid build up on the left side by the ribs.  On the right, it is gone.

So the quick version is, it's decreasing and no organ involvement anywhere.

I have a change to treatment based on my last three months results.  I will continue with the same chemo.  My treatments go from 2 weeks on Thursdays, one week off; to every two weeks on Thursdays, mostly.  I will be getting a neulasta shot every day after chemo to help keep my counts up.  Hopefully the side effects will be tolerable with only a few days down with chemo blahs.

I will also be able to get out in crowds and with more people very soon without great fear of getting sick.  I am going to wait until flu season is almost over....ya sickies.  My next few months will involve; The Price is Right in Milwaukee

with Emily, Florida a little more, Finding Neverland play with Bob and who knows what else.  St Patty's is not far away and I hope to be participating in the festivities.

I will be the smiling one.

💜💜💜

I cannot thank you all enough for your words of 

encouragement and prayers. 

💜💜💜

It. Is. Working.

Merry Christmas and
Happy New Year!!


Stopping in for a short and sweet quick update.  Apparently my last post released a small shit storm since it wasn't all pink ribbons and butterflies.  So I'm back with some decent news and a butterfly or two.  ;)

I have had two infusions since my shitty one.  The constipation that was horrendous has been kept ahead of with meds.  The staff finally informed me that the antinausea med Zofran (which I get a bunch of) can do this, so we are now in Major prevention mode ;)

The fatigue that was near dibilitating was not present either.  I actually was up and moving, getting things done and ready for the holidays.  Felt good to be productive.  Even got the dog poop up, now the snow can cover the rest of the winter 💩😆🤣

My counts went from .99 to 3.93 to .8 again.  Anything below 1.0 is usually a no go on chemo, but my onc has been great working with my anxiety of non-treatment.  We have done all three of these, the last being a lowered dose.  I have to remain vigilant on avoiding those that are ill.  🐛

My PET scan to check my progress is scheduled for January 23.  My onc appt is the 25th.  🤞🤞🤞🤞  I am looking for worst case, stabilization, best case shrinkage or gone.  ☝️👼👣

I have also gone back to seeing a breast cancer counselor/shrink, one appt only so far, but someone to talk to that is removed from the situation and and can just hear me out no matter what I have to say.  Its a good thing.

My new title is a Metavivor. METAvivor designed a base ribbon of green and teal to represent metastasis. Green represents the triumph of spring over winter, life over death, and symbolizes renewal, hope, and immortality while teal symbolizes healing and spirituality. The thin pink ribbon overlay signifies that the metastatic cancer originated in the breast. 
So while the pink is there, it is a mix of other colors too.  Thankfully, black is not one ;)

My kiddies are all home for a few days as

we celebrate Christmas, always a great time.  I love having family around.   I also am still going to spend a few days with my sister and her family before heading off to see my Florida friends.  Looking forward to it all!!

Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone.  Let's make 2018 a fabulous one!!!!

p.s.  Check your boobies!!!

Well, this is long overdue.  My level of desire to write has been pretty much nil until today.  I keep trying to think of what and how to write and nothing comes to mind.  So, I will sit here and do my best.

First, this is the scan that shows my metastatic cancer (or mets) to my peritoneum.  Don't have a fancy writable pad yet, maybe for Christmas, so I will do my best to describe.  The first, with the finger is where they believe some cancerous fluid could be from the blockage by the nodes in my chest.  The second is looking up from my feet, and the yellow (not along my spine) is what lit up on my PET scan as the cancerous fibers in my peritoneum.  The last is just so you can see what it looks like when you get a PET, full body.

I have had three treatments so far.  First one was Gemzar/Carboplatin and boy did it kick me.  My ANC (absolute neutrophil count, the one they watch for treatment) went from 5.03, within low normal range, to .6 in one week, well below.  Unfortunately, that meant no further treatment.  I had to go for three weeks with no treatment which was psychologically almost too much for me.  Knowing this beast is in me and doing nothing is hard.  My onc assured me the carbo was still working and this was not unusual since he gave me the max dose.  Now he knows that won't work and will adjust.

My next appointment, I was finally able to get Gemzar only.  I'm sure its thanks to the new wrap my Franklin friends gave me, which match my leggings perfectly!!

With my counts still low at .99, this was a compromise since I said I wasn't leaving without treatment.  Who would have seen someone begging for chemo.........During this visit we also decided to change to a new chemo, Cisplatin, at my next combo.  With the carbo so hard on my counts, the hope is this will be a little easier and enable treatments to remain steady.  Gemzar was pretty easy.  No side effects, not even nausea, which was great.  I actually felt okay and able to get out and get Christmas shopping done, as well as decorating the house.  Bob and I also made a quick, long weekend trip to Florida.  It was a much needed get away for the two of us to reset and relax.

Upon our return it was time to see the doc again.  Fingers crossed the numbers are good after 2 weeks off.  With a 1.3 count, I get chemo.  The new one, Gemzar/Cisplatin.  Little did I know, I have gone from a 3 or 4 hour treatment time to 6, yes SIX hours!  When I come in I have 2 hours of fluids, 30 minutes of premeds, one hour of Cisplatin, one hour of Gemzar, and a finish of 2 hours of fluids.  The need for all the fluids is to flush my kidneys since Cisplatin is hard on those.  Tuesday afternoon, done.

Thanksgiving with the family was a nice small quiet gathering.  Yummy food and good company.  Thankful to have my kids with me and enjoying each other's company for a long weekend.  My girls and I even  went to to see Coco on Thanksgiving.  What a fun movie!  Take the kids or grandkids, it's vibrant Disney!

Monday, BAM!  What a wall I hit.   By Monday afternoon, moving was a chore.  Whether it is white or red cells low I have no idea and am sure I will see in my next blood tests, but there was nothing I could do to get better.  Tuesday, a happy day, my birthday.  53!  Unfortunately, still completely dragging from chemo, moving again a chore.  I forced myself to shower and dress to be presentable, makeup not included.  I was also "showered"....😂😂😂, get it, showered and showered....moving on.....with flowers, gifts and well wishes from family and friends, and am greatful for those that remembered this big day.  Again, my Franklin family remembers me, they are a special group ;)  Each birthday a gift now.  Dinner out with the in laws was nice at Cafe Centraal, and a small cheat enjoying a nice hot chocolate from Collectiva, thanks to Emily.  Day complete.

Wednesday, still feeling lethargic, my bowels decide to stop working properly.  While this is a very sensitive category of discussion, it's a VERY important one.  The body is an amazing mechanism when working properly.  When not, ugh!  No amount of food, liquid, or medicine was working, for days.  If any of you have had this difficulty you completely understand.  If you haven't, don't.  Drink water, eat fruit and fiber.  Never let this happen to you.  It's miserable!  My body felt like it just simply shut down.  I couldn't sleep, eat, or get comfortable.  This is also a problem with stomach Mets.  The possibility of blockages is real and frightening.  Thankfully, things improved.

It's now Thursday and things are "moving" in the right direction ;)  Live and learn with these meds.  I have also gained a new sensation that I need to bring up with the doc.  This entire morning I felt as though I wanted to crawl out of my skin.  Jittery is an understatement, and yet still feeling lethargic.  Imagine wanting to jump out of your own skin, but too weak to even give it a try.  Nice combination, not.  Finally by the late afternoon, I'm starting to feel good again and just in time for a girlfriend weekend in the Dells.  Fingers crossed it stays that way all weekend.

All of this is so hard to deal with.  Between chemicals making me sick, my body fighting, and the psychological effects it can become overwhelming.  Doing normal, simple life events becomes taxing.  I find I have become very quiet, withdrawn, and retrospective.  All very unusual for me.  I find myself thinking of my parents and wishing they were here to help me.  They had both been through what I am going through.  I could really use their shoulder right now.  I also lost a cousin this week.  I never even knew she too was fighting cancer.  I wish I had.  We were not close, but we were family, in the same shitty spot.  Again, the retrospective parts of my life popping in and out.  I will always remember her laugh and smile, she was a very sweet woman.  Loved by many.  RIP Marcia.

Christmas is upon us all and my house has been decorated for a couple of weeks now.  My menagerie is back and I love them.  I guess it's the kid in me and my love of toys.  The Hallmark Channel is also a constant on my TV, and why not.  It's all Christmas, and always a happy ending.  A good combination for anyone :)

Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year.  I will be headed back to Georgia and my sister's family Christmas Day, then will spend the New Year in Florida.  I can't seem to stomach the cold and dark anymore, it's depressing.  I will return for my treatments but need the sun, the relative warmth, and my friends ;)

When I return in January I will be getting my next scan to see how the chemo is working.  I pray, ALL the time, that I get the miracle and it is gone and stays that way.  It is the thing that keeps me fighting and putting up with all this crap.  :)  😇

Well, I'm back (I'm back in the saddle again....👀)

Took a 4 month hiatus to enjoy life and we begin again.

Last I left you, we had been told my cancer had returned and we went to many different appointments for results to confirm and plan for those results.  Well results are starting to come in.

Monday I had my port put in.  Fentanyl again, I see how people get hooked to that.  You are still conscience, but just don't care about anything.  Although afterward, and a few days later, it really hurt; that doctor really worked to get my port in.  Good news, its smaller and less protruding than the last one.  It's a friend for life so the less it is bothersome, the better.

Also a little good news on Monday, my test results were posted for the brain scan and......the brain scan is clear :)

Tuesday bright and early the PET scan.  Radioactive dye entering my veins, I get to sit still for an hour and listen to music.  Got reaquainted with the good music I have and relaxed for awhile.  Then the PET scan.  Good thing I'm only slightly claustrophobic.  Half an hour later and I'm cut loose.  My doctor appointment having been canceled waiting on results, I have time to be normal again and get the days chores done since it is only 10:00 a.m.

Tuesday afternoon, the bad news.  The cancer is a return of my breast cancer.  It is more because of the triple negative than the Inflammatory.  They have also sent the tissue out to genomics (genetics) to be tested to see if they can pinpoint what is going wrong with my DNA, which little sucker is being a bastard.  If they find something specific, they can treat it very specific.  If not, we continue with our plan.

Good news again, the cancer is not in my organs.  It is in my peritoneum, and a couple of lymph nodes in my chest.  The plan is to contain it there and kill it.  Back to killing the beast.

All this was received through a phone call.  Sitting for two days waiting to get to the doctor was agony.  All the fears, all the unanswered questions, all the unverified research, all the thoughts slip in and out with no definite answers.  Agony.

Thursday morning comes and we get our answers.  We start chemo today with my new pick of poison Gemzar (short name), then an old friend that wipes me out for a few days Carboplatin.  Next Thursday its only Gemzar.  Then I'm off the following week.  Then it starts all over.  When does it

end?  It is the song that never ends, it goes on and on my friends.

To say I'm not sad, scared to terrified, frustrated, angry and stunned would be just a lie.  I really believed when they said I was cancer free that I was.  I believe now, that was not the case.  It just gave me a nice summer break to get out and do things with my husband, family and friends.  Not to say I still won't, it will just be back to a limited basis based on counts, and how I feel.  You all know I'm on Facebook, email, and text.  Don't be shy.   And certainly ask questions if you have them.

For now, I have lots of learning to do about how to eat REALLY healthy, stay away from sugar, alcohol, and any of those yummy bad and/or fried foods.  Broccoli, Asparagus, Lemons, Fruit, vegetables, and limited lean meats will be my new friends.  Yum 😏  I also have all those someday projects at home, its someday.

I am prepared to do whatever it takes to fight this fucker.  I will look at traditional medicine, alternative medicine, supplements, and second and third opinions (which is in the works, with the docs blessing and help). 

I still am planning to meet my grandchildren, and in order to do so I'm gonna have the fight of my life.  I am going to have some pretty down days, and I'm going to have some pretty up days.  Mostly I just want to continue to live as normal as possible with poison helping along the way.  I remain ever hopeful. 

I will continue to keep you posted as things come up, or I simply feel like writing.  I like to do this to help inform, as well as keep a journal so I can look back and remember what I've been through.  I also want it to  journal for someone else that may be looking for some answers.

Florida in Winter is on semi-hold for now, but you know if I can, I will.  My friends will miss me :)

Four months out and here we are.........

The last four months have been a

whirlwind.  I finished my chemo pills and active treatment June 14th.  After a few weeks to recoup I started traveling again.

In that time I have been back to Florida for a few "just us" vacations, one including a Jason Aldean concert.  Traveled to Sturgis for a great time with good friends, old and new, and added Las Vegas in the mix.  A beautiful wedding with my daughter and

son-in-law. A final trip to Florida for Biketoberfest with friends and back to Wisconsin we came for my regular follow up CT scan.

 
Well, the fun stopped there.  Anxious over some rib pain I have been experiencing, a call was put in to request immediate results instead of waiting for the next days appointment.   No call.  :/  Determined to enjoy an evening of fundraising for ABCD, I went about my business and even was surprised by my daughters and Mother-in-law in attendance.  What a fun night, and about as far out of my comfort zone as I've been in some time.

Up for my appointment bright and early we head out for whatever news is waiting for us.  The news is not good.  There are several areas of concern.  One is my rib area as suspected, the other is the peritoneum or the pouch that encapsulates all the organs.  It is thick in the CT scan and was not before.

Back on the merry go round we go.  As always with Froedert its a fast moving get it done kind of place.  I am immediately schedules for a Thurosentisis (a withdrawal of fluid from my rib area with a small tube inserted and the fluid sucked out where the fluid was seen on the CT scan).  We have two hours to blow until that appointment, so back to our little shrine we go.  Pray, cry, and pray again.

Back at Radiology and in for the Thurosentesis, surprised in looking at the ultrasound to locate a fluid pocket, there is not enough fluid to safely take out.  Hallelujah!  A small positive.  The area seems to have become smaller on its own, so it appears, therefore unlikely it is cancerous.  Fingers crossed. 

Back to the oncologist to try and scrape some good news out of the day.  He says we will proceed with the Brain MRI on Friday, the port installation on Monday, the PET scan (if they can get approval after an initial denial) on Tuesday or Wednesday, then chemo begins again on Thursday.  In the mean time we are to have the peritoneal biopsied, with an ultrasound and needle biopsy similar to what was done when they originally were testing for the breast cancer in my lymph nodes.  This will indicate if the cells are cancerous.

Friday arrives and off we go to spend the day at Froedert.  First up, radiology and the attempt at an ultrasound.  No go, a CT will be used instead.  I'm rolled off to CT and get a very nice sedative, fentinol my new fav,  while the doc pokes my belly....multiple times.   Hopefully he got what is needed or we will have to try laproscopically next week.  Straight from CT to MRI and the 30 minute brain scan.  Found out I'm definitely allergic to the dye and puked in a dish.  I did give them warning ;)

Now we wait.  We will have more answers by Thursday.   Unfortunately, this is going to be a tough battle.  I know virtually nothing about a prognosis as things change daily on cancer care.  I know that I have started to contact women that have this and are living with it.  That, and knowledge, is power.

Lord knows, I wish this was a better update.  I will be continuing my blog now with this next chapter.

Prayers accepted and welcomed.