Hey everybody! A quick update/praise for today. My new oncologist I met with last month ordered to get me a cancer antigen test before every chemo from that point on. The cancer antigen test (or also known as a tumor marker) is used to help assess the progression of the cancer or whether or not treatment is working. This test is done through a blood draw. The first one I had was done on March 7th, when I was diagnosed with stage 4. The normal value is less than 39.0 U/mL. My first result was 257.6. I didn’t have this test done before my first chemo, so my next wasn’t until April 9th after my second chemo. I remember getting those results and seeing the number had gone up and feeling the life drain from my body. The result had jumped up to 342.7. I felt defeated because the number needed to be going down. Now, it’s impossible to know without the number from the first chemo whether or not that number actually went up or if it went down since it had been over a month since the test had been done. It’s completely possible the number was much higher, but there’s not way of knowing. But in that moment, I felt so discouraged and immediately assumed the worst.

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However, whatever the reason for the higher result, here’s the good news: I got my results back from the antigen test done this Monday and the value was 140.2! So, not only significantly lower that the last one, but now also lower than the baseline! This is SUPER exciting news as it is a good indicator that the treatment is working and we are trending in the right direction. The number is still high, but we’re on the right track. The bigger indicator of working treatment will be all of the scans I have coming up over the next 2 weeks and how my lesions/tumors are actually looking.

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This is much needed good news and encouragement. Today is the point post chemo that my body really starts to go downhill and today my body is very exhausted. However, now seeing that the treatment is working, allows me to rest easier knowing that this isn’t all for nothing. God has been so good and gracious to me throughout this entire process and these results are evidence of His healing power through this treatment. My biggest prayer (and I’ll admit some anxiety) is that all of my scans will reflect this and that I can eventually reach a status of remission. I know reaching remission in stage 4 is difficult, but it IS possible. Please pray that these treatments will continue to work and that this cancer would be destroyed. Thank you all for your constant prayers and encouragement. God continues to be glorified through this trial and has revealed so much of Himself in this time. To God be the glory❤️