Lois & Clark Forums Forums General Discussion Off Topic Some Scary News

It sounds like you're over the worst of it. Thanks for sharing the good news.

Joy,
Lynn

Excellent!

So glad this ordeal is almost over!

I have finished the radiation treatments. The only thing left is waiting for the genetic analysis of the tumor. If it is the kind that is likely to recur in ten years or so, that means chemo. If not I'm home free except for periodic monitoring. I'll let you know, but as of now, I'm cancer free. It's a wonderful feeling.

Mazel tov! And may the results of the genetic analysis prove as good.

Joy,
Lynn

That's good news! Let's hope it stays away.

Awesome--wonderful, Nan . Keep us posted...great news!
Laura

So glad to hear about your progress and hoping for the best test results.

Wonderful news! Fingers crossed for the best possible test results!

YAY! That's wonderful news! Hoping for the best results in all tests.

Hope all's well.

Nan,

I just saw this thread and I couldn't scroll fast enough to get to each update. It sounds like you've come through with flying colors, which is wonderful to hear. Please continue to keep us all posted!

Latest update:

I saw my medical oncologist today. The news is mixed.

As far as anyone knows, the cancer is gone. However ...

Even though the lymph nodes are clear and the edges of the excised tumor were clean, the doctor says it was an aggressive tumor that had been growing for about 6 months. In that time there is the possibility that a few cells may have spun off into the bloodstream.

To combat this, I must have chemotherapy every three weeks for the next six months to catch any such hypothetical cells and kill them. It won't be fun, but if I don't, there is a good chance the thing will reappear in my brain, liver, lungs or kidneys. If I do the chem, the chances are excellent that I will live out the rest of my normal lifespan without a reappearance. Since I am not a fool, I will do the chemo.

This means, of course, that I am going to lose my hair for a time. <sigh> I look like an alien from Star Trek without my hair. However, it will grow back.

So, looking for the silver lining, since I was having my hairdresser slowly lighten my hair color anyway, so that the roots won't show as much when they grow out, I bought a very stylish ash-blond wig this afternoon, and when I am over the chemo, and my hair grows back enough, I'll have Kelsie match the wig's color, and no one will know the difference except my family.

Anyway, that's the news. It's going to be a pain in the butt for another six months, but I'm going to live. That makes it worth while.

Hello Nan,

I'm sorry to hear that the next half year will be challenging, but thank God that the long term prospects are so good, especially considering that not too long ago you were wondering whether there even would be any "long term" for you at all.

Joy,
Lynn

Thanks so much for the update, Nan. We'll be thinking about you and always sending really good, positive thoughts your way.

A close family member of ours has gone through chemo twice in the last few years. She--besides loosing her hair--had very minimal side effects, and overall, has felt pretty good during the process. I'll hope for you the same.

In the long run, it sounds like things will be ok. That's wonderful news .
Laura

Thanks for the update, Nan. Sorry you have to go through this, but it's good that the doctors are being so proactive on making sure this won't come back. Like LMA's family member above, one of my aunts had to undergo chemo this past year and her side effects were minimal - hair loss and tiredness were her only complaints.

The wig and dye job sounds like a wonderful idea. I'm glad the overall prognosis sounds good!

Keep your spirits up, Nan. You'll get through this and be stronger than ever.

Sorry about your hair, but I suppose it's a lot better than the alternatives. Hope all goes well.

The latest update.

My medical oncologist says that some of the cancer cells managed to leak into the bloodstream during the 6 months the thing was growing. I had a chemo treatment just about 4 weeks ago that put me in the hospital for 3 days. I had a roaring case of sepsis and they had to culture the bug since nothing seemed to work to stop it. Treatment required that I come back for IV antibiotics for 11 days delivered via a pic line to deliver IV antibiotics directly to my bloodstream since the bacterium in question was immune to everything else.

By the way, the doctor says that what happened to me was not unusual, but he couldn't really warn me because reactions are highly individual. On the good side, he says the inflammatory markers are now way down, which shows that the chemo was very effective and knocked the stray cancer cells back on their heels. The remaining chemo treatments are to make sure we get the ones that are still twitching. He expects me to make a full recovery. He tells me some doctors treat their patients' cancers gently, and many of them spread as a result rather than disappear. He, on the other hand, makes you feel miserable (which I do) but he kills the cancer cells. I guess setting the hare's foot against the goose giblets, I'll take his method.

We completed the antibiotics, and then I had my second chemo treatment last Tuesday. I have 4 more to go, every three weeks. Yay.

No infection accompanied this one. It has, however effected my blood cell count and clotting factors, not to mention my immune system. Think the boy in the bubble. My fingernails look white and I'm trying to eat food with a lot of iron in it to compensate. Also the shakiness when I try to walk is something to see to be believed. I'm trying to tough it out because I have no wish for a blood transfusion. Call me paranoid. The way my luck has been running, I would get the blood from someone with HIV who has not progressed past the short interval where the disease is not detectable in the bloodstream. No thanks.

I have about a week until my blood cell count begins to rise again. Until then I have to stay away from anyone sneezing, sniffling or coughing, or take the risk of pneumonia, which I would rather not have. The prospect of another hospital stay holds no appeal for me.

My hair has predictably started to fall out and I am wearing my wig or a nightcap full time. Nobody but nobody is going to see me without hair. Period.

And by the way, I do look like an alien from Star Trek. Nobody gets pictures.

/hugs Nan/

Thanks for sharing. It does sound like it's a positive total, though!

Michael

Nan...

I'm so sorry to hear that there have been bumps in the road, but--like Michael pointed out--the long run outcome does sound good.

It's a hard road to be traveling now, but with time, this will hopefully all be a long-ago memory.

Thinking about you--you're handling this great!!!
Laura

And thanks for letting us know!