Today was treatment day. Heading into it I had a feeling that the tumors, all of them, were all bigger and was right. I definitely have a third tumor and possibly a forth in my neck. The large tumor is 8.5cm x 7cm and the smallest is 3cm x 3cm. I can't remember the middle ones measurements - kind of like middle children get forgotten.
Once we measured them we talked about thoughts on what is most likely going to happen at my next appointment after scans in three weeks. Most likely we will switch treatments to a PD-1 inhibitor drug. Most likely it is Keytruda, but that will be something decided at the next appointment with my medical oncologist. They said that if it does start to grow fast before the next appointment to call as we will possibly scan sooner than the three weeks. I wouldn't be able to start the new treatment for another 4 weeks regardless. This is because the clinical trial I am on needs biopsies done 4 weeks after final injection and I can't be on any new/other drugs.
I had a feeling going into the appointment this is what the outcome would be and I also knew there were more tumors as I could feel them so I wasn't surprised or shocked. It is just what it is. I feel comfortable with moving away from the clinical trial. It has helped to make things stay localized and not spread, but we need it to do more. So we shall see if that was my last injection or not. It was a tender one if it was!
I have been up at Huntsman a bunch lately because my dear melanoma friend Mandy has been admitted for the past 6 days. She was having terrible and sharp pains in her back and lungs and her leg (she has lymphoma due to groin lymph nodes having melanoma and are enlarged) continued to be painful and bothersome. After being there for two days they realized an infection was starting and forming an abcess deep in her thigh. They drained that and turns out it was staph. She had a fever for two days straight and it finally broke last night. She will have to stay in the hospital until she finishes the IV antibiotics needed for the infection and until they can control her pain (which isn't really happening sadly) I'm happy I have been able to be there for her as I know what it is like to be in there for multiple days. It is hard to be alone up there, you start to get into your head and then it takes over. You begin to wonder how you got there and how this is your life. How am I really a cancer patient? How am I this sick?! It is a vicious cycle so I was happy to help break it up and brighten her spirits when I could. It was also good to just hang out with her cause we don't do that much since she doesn't feel good most of the time. She started Keytruda a week ago, so we will be on the same treatment again if I begin that.
On better news, I leave for my cross country trip tomorrow! First stop NYC! I had a flight credit (thank you back surgery) that needed to be used by 12/15/15 so I seized the moment and am going to be on my way! I will be there 3ish days and then head to California to see my best friend and her cute family for another 3ish days. It is definitely a weird trip to back for, going to cold and the beach on the same trip! I plan to do all sorts of touristy things when I get to NYC and really hoping I feel ok after todays treatment. Even if I feel semicrappy it will be fun to see the city all decked out for Christmas. In California I will be able to see my Goddaughters first dance recital! How amazing is that? I can't wait.
Here's to one day at time, for now and always.
xoxox
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