conflicting info...

soooo...

i just got the report from my latest MRI...
it sez that my tumor is "stable"... it means that the thing hasn't grown since the last MRI.

it means that the current regimen seems to be working.

(although when comparing to older MRI's, it is nearly TWICE the size it was in earlier pictures.)

the doc in charge of my current treatment has been, and continues to say...that the current meds are all that are really available for my tumor.

upon emailing the report from this MRI to my previous brain doc at UCSF, her reply was that she agreed with the current plan, but in the event this regimen ceased to control growth.. there were "a number of other drugs to try".. not discounting the possiblity of another round of radiation...which was previously decribed to me as a one time deal.. based on the total measure of radiation recieved...

sooooo... my treatment options went from zero to several choices/combinations.

crap.

don't get me wrong.. its good news.. just confusing.

like an old wooden roller coaster... up and down and bumpy the whole way through.
(sigh)

hello again...

Just blogging real quick to tell everyone all is well.

I just came home from Avastin treatment this morning, the second Avastin treatment since my brief stay at the local hospital for a bout with (of-?) cellulitis. (think boxing)

The POS pharmacy connected to the treatment clinic dropped the ball completely AGAIN and made me late AGAIN for a wound care appt scheduled for directly after the chemo appt.

Sufficiently late to require rescheduling for a different day. What a bunch of losers. Critical you say? Maybe so, but this is the second time and these morons are supposed to be professionals.

Anyway...Doc Onc (onc-ologist) sez a-o.k. for resuming Temodar.. leg looks good, blood work looks good, YOU look good... so there.
All systems go. A good thing right? Should mean keepin' me alive a little while longer right?
I hope so.

Today's Avastin hit me early. Made me feel tired already... woozy even while still in the chair gettin' juiced, so i ain't looking forward to next week's Temodar gauntlet.

Today i met a woman with a fairly new cancer diagnosis. Today was her first chemo treatment and she is scheduled to start radiation too... Ick. Radiation alone kiked my ass and doing i.v. chemo and full dose radiation at the same time will undoubtedly be gruesome. I refrained from telling her so. I reassured her that although she faced a horrific diagnosis, and that treatment would be at times unpleasant, that she would be o.k. That like me, she was being allowed a little more time with kids, (she has three) and that was a blessing. Her daughter, also driving her to and from doc appoints, treatments etc, is the same age as Miranda, within a few months.

When I left she was continuing her injection, and would be doing so for several more hours. Afterwards she was hoping to catch the bus to her radiation treatment.
Braver than I. Braver than I.

Anyhow... I think i'm gonna be more tired than usual from treatment in coming weeks, but other than that I'm good...
Soo, if I'm AWOL from blog for a bit, or otherwise slow to respond, I'm likely snoozin' someplace sleepin' it off.

Hope all is well for everyone....
For now, I'm Hangin' in there~!


Cliff

I Wanna new drug ~!

Despite a harrowing, harrowing start outta the gate, I made to Avastin treatment this morning.




My weight is up to 228 again, which pisses me off. Damn steroids are gonna kill me if the gdamn tumor doesn't. Up 30 lbs in 3-4 months. sonofaB.




I am hoping that I get the results from the chemo and avastin so I can reduce or quit the decadron. It is admittedly by all accounts a nasty nasty drug. It ravages my body relentlessly, physically, emotionally, you name it. There are few if any alternatives.



Local oncologist says o.k. to start oral chemo today. It was mailed to me weeks ago prior to my vacation in I.C.U. at the local "hospital", then delayed at the advice of the same oncologist to ensure my body was strong enuf to handle it. Both Avastin and Tremadol have been reported as well received, so I am hopeful.



Avastin and steroids are pushing my blood pressure up to a point where it needs to be managed by yet another drug. ho-hum.



Mariah came home from Bball game with wounds.... I love it. Battle-scars. Drew a foul or two too... No sissy laa-laa girls here... From young age, I taught her how to throw a punch the right way... and that she can defend herself when she has to. I explained that she can always choose to walk away from affray, and she ever strikes first I will own her ASS. She seems to have that judgement well balanced. Just edgy enuf to keep the other girls wondering how far she will go...

I am stoked.