Journal
I saw Dr Ali today. As you know last March we had to switch my medication after 3 years on Ibrance. Unfortunately, cancer is smart and learns to find ways around medication. She said this could happen every three years or so, some cancer could show up, and we will have to switch my medication. My Pet scan in March showed 5 small spots of cancer on my bones. A few were not even a tumor yet, rather “cancer cell activity”. One spot was on my jaw, three were on my vertebrae, and one on my femur. I had a PET scan in September which showed that 2 of the 5 spots were gone and had shown “fully healed response with scaring sclerosis”. That is a good thing, it means where their used to be cancer it has filled in with scar tissue. I only had three very small spots left on my vertebrae and jaw. They were half the size of what they once were. The new medication she put me on took some time to get use to. I had a summer riddled with side effects until my body could get use to it. It was not easy. In August, I started to feel much better. All my previous treatments since diagnosis cause you to gain weight. This one does not. I have been eating less and making better choices. Since August, I have lost a 43 pounds. She thinks I will still lose more. My goal is to be down another 30 pounds by June. That will put me back at the ever elusive high school weight. I know I will reach my goal. I have also had a low hemoglobin since starting this medication.
Over Christmas break, I was having acid reflux. It made me anxious enough to go to the ER for fear I was having a heart attack. After many tests, they discovered I was fine. They did a CT scan from my neck to pelvis. After some Prilosec, I was as good as new. When I saw Dr Ali today she was ecstatic with my weight loss and my appearance. She said it is the best I have ever looked. They ran my normal panel of blood work. All of it came back great, even my hemoglobin. I was very surprised by that. Again, another sign I am doing great! I honestly feel the best I have in over 10 years. She had yet another surprise for me. The CT scan I had in December, (at my ER visit from my heart attack scare) was to check my chest and heart. I did not know they also sent it out to have my bones looked at. She wanted to wait until today to tell me. The CT scan showed that I have no cancer! While my jaw was not included in that CT scan, she said that it is probably gone due to the other responses. Ali told me she has never had a patient respond this well to medication over and over. Moreover, she has never had anyone respond this well to the current medication I am on. She believes this mediation works better for me even over Ibrance, adding that this cocktail could work years longer than Ibrance. I'm scheduled for a PET scan next month. It was a blessing in disguise that I had to go the ER, because I got the CT scan surprise. I’m usually filled with fear when I have a PET scan, but now I am not. Dr Ali said my prognosis is fantastic and that I am her hero. We hugged tight and celebrated. I thank God every day that she is my Oncologist and friend.
I am elated, feeling so wonderful inside and out. I feel like me again for the first time in years. Imagine how amazing it will be if I can do that trail for the gourd breaking cancer vaccine as well. It COULD be the 1-2 punch that could keep cancer from ever coming back. Just waiting for the FDA to approve it one last time. I leave for Arizona a week from Sunday. This is just the news I needed before I go have fun. It is time to celebrate!
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