Dec 21

Hey I thought I would update. I am at the hospital. No it isn't anything big. Just been running a fever for the last day. The dr in the er says all the counts look good meaning I can fight my infection. Just waiting to hear from my dr. I don't even think they will give me ant drugs. Just waiting to be released. 3rd round of chemo went well. Last week. I sometimes forget I have cancer and think i can do slot more than I should. I hope everyone enjoys there Christmas. I know I will all my sister are coming.

iT's aLL aBouT nUmbeRs

Hello thought it was about time to update. I have a little time while I am in Phoenix. So thought it would be a good time. I will do a short version for those that don't like to read a long blog. Numbers are down that is good means chemo is working. I just had my third round today. I will be coming back for the fourth round in Jan. So that is the quick version of what is going on.

Longer version warning. The second round I went to Phoenix on Sunday the week of Thanksgiving and come back on Tuesday late afternoon. I saw all the doc's and had an infusion(chemo thur port). I was so tired Wednesday late afternoon, Thursday and Friday. I just laid on the couch at my mom's and visited with family. It was great that the extreme tiredness only lasted 2 1/2 days. That isn't bad. Plus I wasn't tired for the flight home. No other symptoms.

I left this Sunday after church and came out to Phoenix for the third time. Ryan stayed home with the kids the last two visits. He did a great job. He also did a great job on Kamden's hair. Amy cut it short again this last week. So I am curious to get home and see if he could fix her hair this time. Sorry got a little side tracked. Anyway, I saw all my docs and had my third infusion today. Took a two hour nap while I was there in infusion (chemo). I even got in a 30 minute walk. Much easier to get that in when it is warm and you can just walk right out the doors and it is prefect walking weather. It is in the 60's the two times before it was in the 80's also perfect weather. I love all the sunshine. (o.k. got off track again).

Doctor ( new chemo dr.) explained why I am on new drugs instead of keeping me on what I was on the first time I did chemo (Herceptin, Navelbine, Abraxane). This is what I am on now (forgive my spelling, Herceptin, Texol, Carboplatin). He also talked about that he was afraid the chemo wasn't working and we would have to do something else but it is working. We also talked about what he wanted to do the next visit. I will come for 4 days. Monday I will get new scans to check the cancer and have a massage(nice). Then on Tuesday I will see the doctors and Dr. M will talk to me about the scans and what we want to do. Wednesday is shot day and I also am going to try acupuncture for the tiredness and sore back.

He has decided not to do the CA2729. I think that is because I am getting them done with doctor Kris and he was hoping I wouldn't get them and look at them. Anyway he is doing a CA 15.3. I think is is another breast cancer marker number. So the first visit I had a blood draw a week before I received the first chemo. My number was 588
or so. So it probably went up a little in that week before the first round of chemo. Then on the second visit before the second round of chemo it went up to 680 or so. They didn't tell me. He thinks it is because he didn't give me enough of the chemo the first round. He gave me a smaller dose to see how I would do. When I did chemo with the dr.in kennewick he over dosed me the first round. My numbers dropped over 300 points. At this visit before I had the third round the number is high 400's. That was good. We don't have to change chemo that is really good news. The dose is as high as he can give and it seems to be work. yeah!!!

I know that was so long sorry. I want to say thank you to all those who are bringing in meals again. We really appreciate all the help. Thank you to all those who help Ryan out with babysitting while I am gone. It is very helpful and I don't have to worry about them (the kids and Ryan).

Just an update before 2nd round!

We flew back home Tuesday morning of that week and got home Tuesday afternoon. It was so nice to be back home with our kids. 9 days was to long to be away. So you would think that the kids would be so glad we were home and glad to be back with there siblings since they hadn't spent that much time together in that 9 days we were gone. They were happy to see us but the your seating on my side, don't touch me all started on the way home. It is so nice to know that nothing has changed at home.
Thank you to all who helped us out while we were gone. The kids were well taken care of thank you so much.

As you know I had my first round of chemo almost three weeks ago. So it is about time to go back. I leave on Sunday to go back for round two of treatment. Since I have been home there has been a few things going on so I thought I would share them with you. I have to get blood work done twice a week. Blood draw twice a week for coumidin meds, blood panel every Monday for the oncologist. No big deal except for the fact that I can't have this done at the hospital by the aw some chemo nurse. I know go to a lab like everyone else. I know this doesn't sound bad but I now get poked like everyone else instead of having those draws through my port. Again no biggy. Well I have lovely bruises on both arms and the lady on Thursday hit a nerve. Oh my goodness I have never had anyone every hit a nerve while getting blood work. Although after the experience I had at the CTC with blood draws from the port the blood draws in the arm have gone better.

I have also had a CA count done this last week and the number went up about 20 points. I little different from last time. After the first round a chemo last time the number droped over 300 points and the lump in the breast was totally gone. So I am wondering what is going on does the new chemo work, or did they just really over do it last time. I don't know which but that will be one of the first question I ask.

I haven't had any side effects from this round of chemo(which has been awesome) until yesterday. My hair is starting to fall out. I was hoping to get a family picture before I lost my hair again. I think it will be another hat family picture this year. I tried to get an appointment at the picture people but they are gone. I really don't like the Penny's Sears pictures. So my sister has a very cool camera and takes great pictures. So we were hoping to get pictures taking next week while she was here for Thanksgiving. I am not sure my hair will make it that long we will see. Someone likes me in hats. I have to say I like the hats they make life alot easier to get ready for the day. Also another bonus I am not having to shave as often and soon I wont have to shave my legs at all.

It's Me with an update!

Hello again it's me. Lots of updating this week. It's long again if you don't want to hear all the details. I will give you the short of it. I have cancer 5-6cm by 5-6cm on each of my overis. I also have cancer in the lymphnods in my stomach. Which I will tell you now. Yes it looks like I am pregnant just barely but yes it does look like it. Please don't ask me or anyone else if I am pregnant. I am not!!!! I am sure the doctor said it is just the trumors and I am retaining fluids. I will do 6 rounds of chemo one every third week. O.k. only read on for the long version.

We had a nice break of testing and seeing doctors. Thursday was the biopsy and that was it for Thursday. Friday we checked out all the places Ryan use to leave and where his friends use to leave. He lived there for about a year and half sometime after his mission. We also tried to visit a place our friends told us about but there isn't anything there anymore. My mom's brother and his family live down here and we got to have dinner there on Friday night. My uncle, grandpa and Ryan were able to give me a blessing. That was very special.

Saturday we spent the day with Ryan's friend Rusten Treseder. We watched his sons play flag football. They don't do a lot of the full pads down here because of the heat and wearing the gear doesn't work very while. Then we hang out and watched his kids trick or treat. It helped us not miss the kids so much. O.k. who am I kidding we still missed them and probable more, because we couldn't see them and help them get ready. They did have a great time trick or treating who doesn't. Cole was a vampire, Kamden was a kitty and Carter was power rangers. Just a side note Carter has never seen the show power rangers. Last November when we went to Disney World he meet some of them and his cousin loves them so now he loves power rangers. It's funny how kids pick up things from there family and friends.

Sunday we drove to Sedona. Wow that place is beautiful. I know H.F. loves us so much to give us such a beautiful place. It looks like the pictures but it is 100 times better in person. Just my oppion. Then we helped my Aunt with having family dinners on Sundays. It might not last they are probably moving soon. So we stayed busy to help us not be so homesick for our kids.

Today we have kept busy we started at 8 this morning and finished tonight at 6:30. We got the great news we could come home tomorrow. I saw some docs, did blood work, had an echo done and started my first round of chemo.

I will do 6 rounds of chemo and then they will do another PET to make sure I don't need more chemo. He opted not to do surgery because of the meds I am on for the blood clots and for the same reason they didn't take off my boobs. It can come back anywhere. And it did. Oh, I have had a few people ask so here it is. I can't do treatment in town and it really is less convenint in Seattle for me. I fly out of Pasco into pheonix. The have a service that picks you up and take you back to the facility or wherever you would like to go. And I stay the night right in the facility. Which is great I will probably be tired and of course I can't drive after chemo.

The chemo I am on is Carboplatin, Taxotere(simiarly to one I was on Abraxane) and Herceptin still. So it takes about 4 1/2 hours if they are good about changeing everything over quick. So I will come every three weeks and take these IV meds see my docs(all 5 of them and a few more nurses)I will then get treatment(chemo) stay the night and come home after I receive a shot the following day. I should be done with treatment in the middle of Feb if everything goes well. That works so perfect because baseball sign-ups are in Feb and baseball starts in March. I couldn't have timed it better.

I know to long.

Update from Pheonix

So we are still here in Phoenix. My mom is always pushing me to update. I will give the quick update and for those that want more information can continue reading on for the longer version. On Tuesday I was told I have blood clots. On Wednesday we were told by the oncologist that I have a cancerous tumor on my ovaries. O.k. that is the short of it.

I will now give you a little more information for those of you who want the details. We flew to Phoenix on Sunday and we were picked up in a limo and escort to a room like a hotel room inside the Cancer Treatment Center.

Monday Morning we had visits with all of my nurses and some of the doctors. They also did a blood draw on Mon. That was pretty much it we were busy with appointment from 10 to 4pm on Monday.

Tuesday I had a PET scan and an CAT scan of my body. That was it for appointments on Tuesday. We were just about to leave the facility when one of the nurses called our room and said they needed to admit me right away into inpatient. So we went down to the second floor and I was admitted into inpatient. I still didn't really know what was going on. Finally one of the nurse told us I was there because of a blood clot. They wanted to monitor me and teach me how to give myself injections for the blood clots. We were also told I have a mass, a tumor, something on my ovaries. No one would really tell us about what this was all about. We were taught how to give the shot or injection and told that I would have to do those everyday for 6 months. I was released the next afternoon.

On Wednesday after noon we meet with the nurse and then the oncologist. He informed us that my CA2729 was just above 700 and that I have cancer on my ovaries. He scheduled a blood draw for the CA (blood count#) for ovarian cancer. He also scheduled a biopsy for the next day.

Thursday I had a CAT scan guided pelvic biopsy. They didn't put me out and I made it through. Yeah!

Now we are waiting for the results of the biopsy so the Doc and us can decide on a treatment plan. We will see the doctor on Monday hopefully with the result from the biopsy and a treatment plan.

So we are here in Goodyear, AZ missing our kids but grateful they have very kind people taking care of them. Thank you so much to those that are helping take care of them. We miss them alot. This is our first time away from our kids over night. We are also very thankful to know where the cancer is and to be able to treat it. Remember Heavenly Father never gives us more than we can handle. I know I would not trade me life for anyone else.

I will update again when we know more.

More Great News!

So I had a bone scan last week and I got the results last firday they found nothing. So that is great news.

We have decided to get a second oppion which in around about way is taking us to Phoenix, AZ. Phoenix you ask why Phoenix? Well we wanted to get a second oppion so we got a suggestion from one of my chemo nurses and she suggested Seattle Cancer Center Alliance in Seattle. She also made two suggestion of doctors to see. I called and the one name I could remember was not seeing new patients. So they asked me to look at the list of about 20 other names and get back to them on two names and they would see what they could do.

In the mean time I saw Dr. Kris who recomended Cancer Center of America, because they do more taking care of the whole body. Which I thought sounded better. So I called them. They have a facility in Seattle but I guess they only see out paitents and don't diagnoise there. So they asked if I could come to Phoenix and they would pay for the flight for Ryan and I and the room for the first visit. We decided to go to get a second oppion. They will pay for Ryan to come with me the first time. After that they just pay for a flight for me to come and I would have to pay for food and room. So I would stay with some relatives hopefully that live close. So we will see what they find. I am hoping I can do treatment in Seattle.


I have also made an appointment in Seattle at the Seattle Cancer Center Alliance with Dr. Ellis that was my second choice. I will see her on Monday the 16th.

Oh, and I have to do another sameless plug for the fun run on Novemember 7th at Howard Ammon Park.

Also a really big thanks to those of you helping with the fun run and helping me while we are away.

Fab News!

Still no one can tell me that I am sick with cancer. Both test came back with nothing. So they will continue to do test but we will wait a while. I will see the doctor again in a month. Until then we will continue with Herceptin and blood work every other week and enjoying life with my family.

I am staying very busy with the my kids and enjoying every minute of it. Thanks for the messages they are very uplifting.

What's UP!!

O.k. so my mom said I need to blog that she has people asking her how I am all the time. So I thought I would do a little updating. Probably no one is readying anymore but just in case their are a few of you out there I will update you.

I am putting on a 3rd annual Rochelle Schultz Bassett Fun Run to raise money for the Cancer Center's Fund for Thermal Imaging(instead of a mammogram). We are doing it on November 7th. We decided to go back to the originally month of November. Anyway if you look two post down it will give all the information. That is the one they did in April so the date is different but all the other info is the same.

If you don't want to read all the details about what has been going on the last few months I will give a quick update and for those that want to know I little more I will then go into more detail. The quick version. My counts as of Tuesday are 300 normal is 0 -40. I have had lots of scans and testing done they still can't find where it is at but there is cancer somewhere they say.

Now for the more detailed version. My CA2729 counts have been on the raise since November of last year. They were still in the normal range until I think it was March they went a little above. No one was to alarmed because they were low enough I guess. The numbers kept going up about 6 to 8 points every two weeks. Then in Aug they jump 30 points then in Sept they jumped up to 179 and then this last week it is 300.

Along with the numbers I have been sent to do lots of testing through out the summer and even more the last month. I have had 2 MRI's brain, 2 MRI's Spine, MRI Breasts, CAT pelvic and Spine I think that was what the CAT was for, Pap, colonoscopy, endoscopy, breast ultra sound, special blood test, thermal imaging, mammogram (yes that was my fist one).

Then another mammogram for a needle biopsy meaning I sat in the mamo machine well they found the right spot to put a needle in then they took me in to do the biopsy guided by the needle. They ended up cutting me open for the biopsy(I was very shocked when I took the badge off), The dr. that did the biopsy said she that there was cancer in the breast because what she took out was grity and lots of blood. Cancer needs blood. The results on the biopsy were negative no cancer. That was last week.

Went back to Dr.Rado's office last week. They wanted to do more testing because we still can't find the cancer. MRI of the spine and brain. I wont hear back on that until my Doctors appointment on Monday.

The special blood test I took was to see if I was producing cancer fighting antibodies. I got the results back on that this week. My numbers were normal but with further looking into that. They lab in Boston says that is not so good. It means my body isn't fight off the cancer. That is why I don't have an increased cancer antibodies count.

Just to let you know I am feeling great if my body would just follow suit that would be great. I am not sick until someone can tell me I am sick.

I think that is all. I will try to update again on Monday. I wish I was updating that I am still cancer free a little more than a year after my brain tumor.

P.S. Thanks so much for the help with babysitting and the fun run.

Good News

I got a call back later this afternoon. The scan is clean. Yah!

Two MRI"s, bloodwork and PET scan

Well it has been awhile. I have had a few people ask why I am not updating. I am not sure why I haven't. Today I thought I would let you know what has been going on lately. I am feeling good. The natural meds I am on for the thyroid seems to be working well. I am not so tired all the time as long as I don't forget to take them.

I can't say I am back to normal. I don't think I will ever be my normal again. So I am trying to adjust to a slower pace of life(enjoying the little things like tickling my kids) and a not so good memory. Life hasn't been so forgiving of the bad memory but I am told the forgetful memory is normal for alot of people. But to go from a memory that could remember all my appointment, kids appointment, activities and Ryan's without a calendar and now having to look at my calendar multiple times a day and still forget activities. For example Cole has piano every Wednesday at 3 and has all year. Yet the last two weeks before spring break at about 3:30 or later I remembered I forgot to take Cole to his lessons. This is a more common occurrence at my house lately. One of the best is Kamden has had dance for at 4 on Monday's and Cole had a game on Monday the week before spring break. I thought I had done so good. I had gotten Cole from school. Made dinner and feed my kids and got Cole's to his baseball game at 4pm. About 1/2 hour later I remembered I forgot to take Kamden to dance. Which remember we have had every Monday since school has started. O.k. I am sure you get the picture.

I can't remember if I post this or not. So I will do it and hopefully I am not repeating myself. My hip had been aching and so Dr. Rado's office ordered an MRI of my hips and also one of my head. Just checking things out. The results on the brain was a clean scan. The scan on the hips found early avascular necrosis on the left(11x20mm) and right femoral head(small than the left side). For those of you like me what is that. Very basic terms it means the blood vessel that comes up through the hip bone socket is dead. Which is causing the bone to dye. This disease comes from steroid use. The doctor doesn't think I had enough steroid with treatments to cause this. But we all know I am kind of the 1% when it comes to things.

Over the last two months my CA2729 count has gone up. It was 20 something I think 29 in February and at my last blood work it was 49(last Tuesday). As Dr.Kris pointed out it is almost 50% increase. But also 0-40 is normal. I have also been having some pain in my ribs. So Dr. Rado's office order a PET scan which I had last Thursday. The lady the did the scan said I should have results by Monday. Monday no results, Tuesday no results. Tuesday night Mitra's nurse called the hospital. They said oh we only have one guy reading the scans so he said he would put in on the top and do it first thing this morning so we will see hopefully today we will have the results.

Fun Run

Just thought some of you might be interested.

2nd Annual Rochelle Schultz Bassett Fun Run/Walk on Saturday, April 11th. This race is a fund raiser for The Tri-City Cancer Center in honor of Rochelle Bassett who was diagnosed with Stage 4 Breast Cancer in 2007. The race will be held at Howard Amon Park with race start at the Lee Blvd. Boat Dock near the round-about. 5 K runners will head north, and the mile runners/walkers will head south. All the money raised will be donated to the Tri-City Cancer Center. Race begins at 9AM.


Cost: $10/individual and $25/family. Donations are welcomed. (Checks to Tri-City Cancer Center or TCCC)

Prizes: Top over all runners, male, and female. Ribbons of age groups both male and female for 5K Runners. All 1 mile finishers (kids) will receive an Easter Egg full of surprises from the Easter Bunny. There will also be drawings for prizes (adults).

Registration: 8-8:45 AM only morning of race

Race Director: Megan 509-266-4420 (home) or 509-845-0772 (cell).

First Five......

The first FIVE people to respond to this post will get something made by me! My choice. For you.This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:1- I make no guarantees that you will like what I make!2- What I create will be just for you.3- It'll be done this year. (might be a little while)4- You have no clue what it's going to be.It may be a story. It may be poetry, shoes, bags, or a little invention of my own! I may draw or paint something. I may bake you something and mail it to you. Who knows? Not you, that's for sure!5- I reserve the right to do something extremely strange. Believe me... it may blow your mind!The catch? Oh, the catch is that you must repost this on your blog and offer the same to the first 5 people who do the same on your blog. The first 5 people to do so and leave a comment telling me they did win a FAB-U-LOUS homemade gift by me! Oh, and be sure to post a picture of what you win when you get it!Sounds like fun, right? So, let's play!

Great News!

O.k. I put something in the last post I didn't mean to post on this blog. I was a little worked up and it went on a family blog. I forgot to edit it out. The part about suing the hospital or the reader's of the images. Again sorry that was in there.

I had a doctor's appointment with Dr. Rado today. I was a little weird but we made it through. He thinks that the scan didn't look bad but that we need to keep a careful watch. So I will continue to get blood work once a month and scans every couple of months. I asked if we were going to keep up the three month visits. He said two months he thinks for now.

He gave me standing orders for Blood work and Herceptin every other week. Zometa once a month. He also gave me orders for an echo (heart test), MRI for my head and MRI for my hip and pelvis. I have been having some pain in my hip area so we are just going to check it out.

I am not sure if I put it in the last post but I am doing really well. I feel better than I have for a while. I expect to continue to increase my energy and stregth as time goes on. Thanks for all the words of encouragement. It is nice to have such good friends. Thank you!

CAT SCAN

Two weeks ago I had a CAT scan. I don't think I am going to do the CAT scan again. I have done it three times and each time I do it the side effects get worse. This time I was throwing up and also coming out the other end (sorry grose I know). Anyway I was then sick the rest of the day. Like in bed not feeling well. So I talked with one of the chemo nurses she says just tell the docs you are allergic to the scan or the drink that goes with the scan.

I then had a doctor Kris appointment on Tuesday this week and he went over the results with me. It seems the techs that read my pictures missed a spot on the last PET. I guess this CAT scan they found a spot on my liver. But when they look back at the PET from three months ago I guess they can see the spot there too and just didn't notice then. I was really upset and thought I am going to have to sue them this time. I can't let them do this again. Then Dr. Kris said that the spot hasn't grown in three months so it probly isn't cancer. It is probably just scar tissue or something like that. There are some other question about the results that I need to talk to Dr. Rado about this next week. Thing like there are places not healing and they have found more little spots. Let me go back a little bit the spot they found on my liver is only 3.5mm. The other spots are smaller. 3.5mm is very small so I am not so worried that they are anything.

This week when I went in for Herceptin I had a blood draw done for my CA count. It came back 31 which is a jump up from 23 in October I can't remember what Novemembers was it was one lower or higher than 23. Anyway it isn't above the 0 - 40 range but I am still a little concerned. They told my numbers go up a down. I just haven't expereince that. I had a brain tumor last time they told me that.