Great news today

I had my PET scan yesterday. It was a little like a CT scan and a little like an MRI. I was shot with a syringe of radioactive isotopes, "relaxed" for an hour as they made their way around my body, and then spent another 45 minutes in the machine being slowly scanned from eyes to thighs.

Today I had my appointment with Dr. Lu, my oncologist, to find out the results. I had wound myself up so tightly I forgot to take the notebook I have been using to capture what everyone tells me or asks me to do about this disease. So I can't tell you exact numbers but... In Dr. Lu's words, "The tumor shrank significantly and the brightness of the cancer (how it was lit up by the isotopes) was significantly diminished."

So, he had called Dr. Aye yesterday to share the news and Dr. Aye says I am a candidate for the surgery to remove the portion of my lung that contains the cancer! Dr. Lu told me to be sure and call Dr. Aye to set up a consultation for next week.

Because the surgery may not be until the end of the month, evidently Dr. Aye is going on vacation, Dr. Lu suggested we think about doing another round of chemo. There is always a chance the tumor could re-grow. For us there was nothing to think about; we would rather be safe than sorry. Dr. Lu tried to fit me in this afternoon, but the chemo infusion center was booked solid so instead I will have a new chemo therapy regimine tomorrow morning.

As we were driving home Dr. Aye's office called us. We will travel to Seattle to see him at Swedish hospital next Tuesday to talk about the specifics of the surgery.

I know many of you have been praying and sending good thoughts for me. I appreciate them all and I believe they helped make a difference. I hope you will continue. Because the chemo has worked so well and I am going to have the operation, Dr. Lu says there's a very good chance I can be cured of the lung cancer. I hope you will continue to help me achieve that result!

Chemo 2 and thanks giving

Wow.... it took me a little by surprise how hard chemo 2 was. I think in the back of my mind I thought it would be easier - like when you have had some practice, the task goes better, or smoother or something. I was just knocked off my feet. Still, it was easier than many people experience and for that I am grateful. I just was not prepared to be so very tired or to take so long for the shakes and wobbliness to go away.
Thank you to everyone who texted and sent cards... little boosts everyday made a BIG difference.

Today is the start of week three and I feel good.

As this holiday approaches, I hope you find a lot in your lives to be grateful for and to give thanks for.
1. I am grateful for family and for all the joy they have brought me over the years. My husband is a saint and without his good cheer, coaching, and help I would not be able to get through this.
2. I am thankful for good work to do. Our jobs in education are so important and so meaningful. And I am grateful for the blessing of being able to work with amazing, talented, caring people. Some I just get to watch and marvel at fro afar and some I work closely with. My office mates, from Chuck to Brenda make my life so much richer. The teachers I have the priviledge to know and associate with make me smile, warm my heart, and really give purpose to what I do (hopefully again soon).
4. The many, many survivors of this nasty disease in all it's forms, deserve special thanks. It is like that saying, "walking on the shoulders of giants". I did not realize just how many people in our system have been through cancer. The stories they share, the tips they lend; all of it helps to give confidence and to make the journey bearable and better in many ways.
If you know one of them, please think about saying thank you for what they have done and continue to do.

I have my PET Scan on Tuesday. Please pray this tumor has shrunk, if you are so inclined. Then on Wednesday Dr. Lu, Mark and I will talk about the next step. We hope the tumor shrinks enough to do surgery... removing the lung hinges on that. Now that I feel better, I will try to stay a little more current with this blog. I love your comments and I am sorry I took so long writing this time.

I give thanks for you every single day, I really do. I am so grateful for the support and the keeping in touch and for all your good wishes. I hope for you all that Thursday is restful, fun, and filled with even more reasons to be thankful !

Chemo number 2

  This is the chair that Kathy sat in (for 4.5 hours)



  This is the machine that delivered the chemo to Kathy who sat in the chair.


  This is some of the chemo meds/infusium delivered by the machine that stood by the chair that Kathy sat in.


  This is the port that made it easy to put the infusion straight into the blood as delivered by the machine that stood by the chair that Kathy sat in.


  This is Muriel, who monitors the meds moving through the port, delivered by the machine that stands by the chair that Kathy sits in.. She's been with me through it all so far! Love her.

Treatment 2 went amazingly well!  We appreciate your texts, your cards (more on that in a later post).
And most of all your prayers and good wishes!

Hair Cut and wig

  This is Kurt, who cut my hair last Wednesday.  Notice the smiley faces covering the mirror - I was not Brave Heart that day. Anton, Kurt's father, is fro Austria. It was he who taught Kurt about wig-making, and Anton looks right out of the Heidi movie; he didn't wear lederhosen, but you could easily picture him in them. And he still  had a beautiful accent.

Kurt and his father run Anton's Hair Company. Primarily, they do cranial prothesis' (wigs) for chemo patients. We had quite a talk the day he cut my hair. The history of how far we have come dealing with chemo and how a patient feels about him/herself affects the road to recovery is fascinating. My sister, who took me - I'd NEVER been able to do this alone - have totally admiration these two men for their commitment to people like me and Lori Sportelli. Two women came I to make appointments while we were there and at least another called.

And yet, Kurt worked into the night so we could get on the road as  early as possible Thursday and I would not have to wait for the mail to deliver me back my hair (and piece of my identity). Angels on earth these guys are!!

The CP is my safety net, and I know some people will need to see be wear it - but Mark and I are kind of liking the buzz cut. I now understand why so many guys do it. I never wear a hat around the house, although I never go out without one...yet.  I've about decided I may adopt a Camille Cosby, Sinead O'Connor look - big fat Alicia Keyes ethnic earrings, scarves, and buzz cut even when the chemo lets the hair grow back.

Maybe

Thank you again. I never grow tired of your comments, your texts, and all your prayers and karmic wishes are soo, so appreciated. Love to you all!

finishing up the first chemo

Michele had asked if she could be with me on the first chemo treatment and I jumped at the offer. It would be impossible foe me to describe this woman with any kind of accuracy; she is strong, big-hearted, generous, honest, ... get a writers dictionary and look for great character traits and it still probably wouldn't do her justice. She is one of the true blessings that came into my life because Chuck took a chance on me and gave me this job I have loved.

Michele picked me up at 8:45 for the 9:15 chemo appointment. We packed up her car and headed out. We got to the roundabout on Clearwater when I got a phone call that the appointment was being delayed until 11:00. Any of you who know me are probably glad you were not in that car at that point. But one of Dr. Lu's patients was put in the hospital and he needed to be with them before he saw me. With Michele's calming presence, I was able to see it really wasn't that big a deal for me, and it likely was for the other person.

So sweet Michele drove us around and we ended up taking a lovely walk in Columbia Park, which was spectacularly decked out in fall leaves. The river itself was smooth and beautiful. It was peaceful and calming.



We met with Dr. Lu for awhile and them went down and got all hooked up and the chemo started. It is a really efficient and not at all unpleasant. About that time my sweet friend Deb Fancher (also an extraordinary person with limitless cheer and heart) came by.

  Because I am bossy by nature, I asked them to turn some of your photos and sayings and quotes into a framed piece I can look at every day. They worked like happy children and it was balm to my soul... made me just relax.
Here is what they came up with. I hope many of you recognize pieces of your support here.



We have enough for almost another (that is a hint not to stop sending the inspirational sayings - they matter to me, I feed off of them!)

1st Chemo and it went amazingly well!

  This is me, obviously, in my chemo chair, which felt a little like a throne. I sat here for probably 5 hours today. It reclined and was actually pretty comfortable.

  This is the chemo machine. It pumped 5 anti-nausea drugs into my blood through the port and boy did they work well. I didn't have even the teeniest bit of nausea all day and even yet tonight!
Then it spent 4 hours pumping two cancer fighting drugs through the port into my bloodstream. The port work wonderfully and we are counting on those drugs to start shrinking that tumor today.  Martha Sandusky told me to think of the chemo as a "Cancer Killing Potion" so we are!

I had incredible company with me today and I will blog about that tomorrow. It was honestly a wonderful, wonderful day but I am starting to fade and think it is time to get in bed.

  But I didn't want to end with-out a big thank you to my friend Pete and his beautiful daughter McKenna. Aren't those terrific smiles? They brought us a fresh baked pasta dish, salad (I may have just gotten my vegetable quota in today!), Texas Toast, and Pumpkin cookies for dessert.
Thanks to them I am going to bed with a full stomach and an even fuller heart.

Chemo starts Wednesday!!

 This is my totally awesome husband and Laila, who did our chemo education today. she was sweet and very, very helpful.
Let me back up a bit:
Dr. Lu had talked with the Trios Tumor Board Tuesday, but there was no clear consensus about the treatment, so he contacted Dr. Aye, at Swedish, who took my case to the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance Tumor Board on Friday; that board consists of experts from Swedish, Virginia Mason, Fred Hutch, and U of W. Dr. Aye called me Friday night about 6:00 to explain what they decided, then he and Dr. Lu talked on Saturday, and Dr. Lu and Laila explained/clarified our new plan to us today.

I am going to do 2 rounds of 2 drug chemo. I will have a 4.5 hour infusion on Wednesday and then another in three weeks. At the end of the 6 week period I will have my CT&PET scans repeated. If the tumor has shrunk, I will go to Swedish to remove the left side of my lung. Radiation can make the surgery more risky, so we will do radiation on the center of my chest, where those 2 lymph nodes contained cancer, after the surgery. And probably another round of chemo, just to be sure.

One of the drugs is going to try and make me sick, which we cannot allow it to do that. I can't lose any more weight. The doc is giving me 3 drugs to fight nausea and I am going to have to "cowboy up", like Dave Phillips says, and develop some mental strength. and not let me head make me feel sick.

I also need to each at least 40 grams of protein a day, drink 2-3 liters of water, and get down at least 3 servings of fruits and vegetables. For the very first time in my life a doctor has said "Eat as much as you can, as many calories as you can manage". If you have a good protein shake recipe or a good nutrition bar you would recommend, please let me know. He and Laila said not to worry about how many carbs I take in because my body will use them up fighting the cancer! I so wish chocolate was a carb... sigh

The chemo education was interesting, so I may share more...I will be home from Wednesday through the weekend and probably only work part-time next week. If you have a question, don't hesitate to ask.

Thank you again for all your support. Mark and I are thrilled to finally be getting this started. We know what we need to do and we are going to do everything we can to make a good outcome. We are so very thankful for all that you have done on our behalf to help ensure that happens, too!