Hello, Fabulous Family and Friends!
Happy Monday! (That’s what we call an oxymoron!) Thought you may like an update:
The laparoscopic right hemicolectomy went well. They took out my right colon (which includes the appendix) my hepatic flexure (the bendy part) and a portion of the transverse colon. So, waaay more than just 8 inches! “You have 5 feet of colon, so there’s plenty left to do what it’s supposed to do,” they said. However, it sounded more like, “Well, you’ve got 3 feet of leg, and we’ll only be taking 1 foot (no pun intended), so you’ll be ok, right?”
Anyway, surgery went well. I was in a lot more pain afterwards than I expected. After three C-sections, I thought this would be a breeze. Nope. When your insides are all cut up: It hurts. Who’d have thought?
Today is 5 weeks post-op. Feeling great, but after I eat, I start hurting some—but ibuprofen works, so I’m good. Oh, by the way, I know that some people were wondering...no, I didn’t have a colostomy bag. They took out the parts that had to come out, sewed the good parts back together, and then literally pushed it back inside. I only have a 3cm scar above my belly button and 3 other <1cm spots where the laparoscopic instruments were put in. Easy breezy.
Cancer was found in the removed tumor and in 1 of the 39 lymph nodes. I was hoping this meant that the cancer was now out and gone, but, unfortunately, that wasn’t so. The lab test on the 13th of this month, showed my tumor marker up again to 377, and an elevated liver test. The CT confirmed all of this. The lesions in my liver have all increased in size and number. Plus, the “spot” in my lung has increased in size.
So, with all that in mind, today I did my first infusion of my second round of chemo. This time, I’m doing FOLFIRI with Avastin (last time it was FOLFOX with Avastin). The difference being they swapped out Oxaliplatin with Irinotecan. The Oxaliplatin caused the cold sensitivity and the neuropathy. And since my neuropathy still hasn’t healed from the last chemo, they switched it up. I am very thankful. No throat closing up because of cold drinks; no hand cramping; no facial muscles contorting into parakeet beaks; and best of all, NO MORE JAZZ HANDS!!! The Irinotecan has its own issues—intestinal distress (that’s putting it mildly)—but there’s drugs for that. Whew! However, I still have to wear the fanny pack for 2-3 days. Bummer! Hate those things. Well, it’s no longer a fanny pack they give you. It’s a bag with a clip that you hang on a belt loop. It’s like walking with a full water bottle attached to your belt loop and we all know how great that works. Really, you should try it. Now run. Yep. It’s that good.
Anyway, this time it’ll only be 8-10 infusions (not 10-12) given every two weeks, with delays if my white blood cell count gets too low. And things have streamlined a bit. Two of the drugs I now get to take in pill form instead of infusion. That saves me an hour of infusion time. Yay!
So, this was not the outcome I had hoped for but I’m thankful to have an option to fight the cancer that’s still inside me. Cancer is bad. Cancer that makes it to your liver is really bad. Once it finds its way there, it’s everywhere. That’s why there’s no “cure”. The chemo kills as much as it can but cancer likes to mutate so it just quietly changes and hides and then reproduces like mad once the chemo stops. That’s “Sarah’s interpretation”. Well, mine has a lot more nastier descriptive words, but you get the point.
As always, I am VERY BLESSED. God has given me another year. I seem to tolerate chemo fairly well. I have a great family. I have the means to afford this mess. The sun comes out even when it’s cold. But greatest of all, there’s our AWESOME, AMAZING, WONDERFUL, FABULOUS, SUPER-FANTASTIC, RAD (if you don’t know what that means, you’re too young!), MIRACULOUS God!!! Even in the worst times, I can see His goodness. I am so very thankful that He has allowed me to know Him! To quote a friend whose husband is now fighting his own battle:
“We know God is on His Throne and know He hears your prayers and His love for us and our family is more than we can even grasp.”
Well put. God’s got a plan and a purpose. I just have to be patient and do my part and make sure I’m learning what I’m supposed to be learning. Rejoicing in the good and pleading for mercy and comfort through the rough spots. All will be well. Especially with such a fabulous group as you all to whine to. You’re incredible!
So, here we go again. Round 2.
Oh yeah, went wig shopping yesterday. Would love to say that it was so much fun and had a great time trying on different styles and colors. Nope. As soon as I asked how it worked and then started walking around to choose my wigs, I cried. All the wigs just reminded me of Carol Burnett Show skits. Thankfully, the employees jumped in and helped me. Found a wig that I think will work. Told them I’d call when I needed it—like when I start looking like a diseased feral cat. Hopefully, it’ll be a while. Last time, I didn’t really start losing my hair until the 4th or 5th infusion. But, I wasn’t supposed to lose my hair either. So maybe my hair really hates chemo and tomorrow I’ll wake up bald. Guess we’ll see! [...]