Northwind's health updates

Welcome to Wondercafe2!

A community where we discuss, share, and have some fun together. Join today and become a part of it!

Register Log in
I am good today. Thanks for asking. I had my first treatment on Friday and it went well. I only felt slightly cruddy one day, Sunday. I met the doctor I'll be working with at the Nanaimo clinic. I like her. I'll meet her every couple of weeks and she will monitor me. Next treatment is Friday. It feels good to be started and to have an idea what I'm facing for treatment. Hopefully the cancer will respond well to the treatment and be vanquished
 
I just read through this thread. What a memory place. Thankfully my treatment has gone well since then. I've got two more chemo treatments left, with the last being on August 30. I've had a follow-up MRI and appointment with the oncologist. I've had a significant therapeutic response to treatment, which is wonderful. I met the radiology oncologist in Victoria this week. She gave me information on what to expect from radiation, including side effects. Because I've had a good response to treatment, and the mass has shrunk, I will have surgery first before radiation. It will be about six weeks after my last chemo treatment. I talked to the surgeon today and he is supportive of what I would like to do. (The part where I have a choice) I will see him face to face in September after my next MRI. Things will hopefully fall in to place then. It will be nice to have a break and we hope to visit friends in Kelowna in September. Looks like I'll be done everything by Christmas. It's a long haul.
 
That IS a long haul for sure. Glad to hear things are proceeding - and the plan makes sense to you :-) Was thinking of you this evening as I watched the sun set over Brentwood Bay - so beautiful!!
 
Carolla said:
That IS a long haul for sure. Glad to hear things are proceeding - and the plan makes sense to you :) Was thinking of you this evening as I watched the sun set over Brentwood Bay - so beautiful!!
Click to expand...

How long are you on the island?
 
Carolla said:
Heading home on Tuesday; don't have a vehicle, so I'm somewhat captive here at Dad's. If I had a car I'd surely boot up island to see you!!
Click to expand...

If I hadn't just gone to Victoria I would have headed your way. Enjoy your visit.
 
Another month and a bit has passed. I've finished chemo and my energy is returning. I recently shared a photo of myself from a couple years ago on FB. It was odd. I look much the same yet if felt like I was looking at a different person. I'll have to reflect on that. Of course a diagnosis and chemo will change a person.

I had both an MRI and CT last week as follow-up. The oncologist phoned me today to say there has been a good treatment response. There have been positive changes in spots on my bones. That is leading them to believe this could be a sign of metastatic disease. I had wondered about that after the last MRI. So, she (oncologist) will be treating me aggressively as if it is metastatic disease. This means I will be prescribed a drug to treat this. It is a bit overwhelming, yet still hopeful. She said this drug is still used in a curative fashion with metastatic disease. So f***. I know of many people living healthy lives with this diagnosis. It's still a lot to swallow.

We are heading to Kelowna this week. It will be nice to get away. I see the surgeon and oncologist at the end of the month. What a journey this is.
 
Northwind said:
Another month and a bit has passed. I've finished chemo and my energy is returning. I recently shared a photo of myself from a couple years ago on FB. It was odd. I look much the same yet if felt like I was looking at a different person. I'll have to reflect on that. Of course a diagnosis and chemo will change a person.

I had both an MRI and CT last week as follow-up. The oncologist phoned me today to say there has been a good treatment response. There have been positive changes in spots on my bones. That is leading them to believe this could be a sign of metastatic disease. I had wondered about that after the last MRI. So, she (oncologist) will be treating me aggressively as if it is metastatic disease. This means I will be prescribed a drug to treat this. It is a bit overwhelming, yet still hopeful. She said this drug is still used in a curative fashion with metastatic disease. So f***. I know of many people living healthy lives with this diagnosis. It's still a lot to swallow.

We are heading to Kelowna this week. It will be nice to get away. I see the surgeon and oncologist at the end of the month. What a journey this is.
Click to expand...
From all your posts, your treatment went well and you seemed to be doing so well through all of it too.
Scary news though, even though it's not really a negative change in your body from the start of all of this. I know I find things like 'coulds' and 'maybes' to be really frustrating when it comes to health stuff.
I hope the new treatment works as well as what you've been experiencing so far.
 
Thank you for the update. You have been educating me about this disease. I really didn't know much about it earlier - just a smattering of isolated bits of factoids. I remain a long way away from Expert status!
 
ChemGal said:
I hope the new treatment works as well as what you've been experiencing so far.
Click to expand...

Thanks. This one will be on the end. There has always been the plan for something at the end because I'm hormone receptive. That's a good thing apparently. It means there's something they can do for treatment. This will be a more aggressive form of treatment apparently.
 
ChemGal said:
From all your posts, your treatment went well and you seemed to be doing so well through all of it too.
Click to expand...


Treatment has gone well. It ain't over yet though. I will continue to put one foot in front of the other through this.

Next step surgery...... after seeing the surgeon and oncologist that is. I suspect there will be another bone scan in my life too
 
This was a week. I had an appointment with the surgeon on Wednesday. That went well. I'm scheduled for surgery on the 17th. I'm ready for it mentally. I know I will get through to the other side and that I will adjust. I'm part of some great FB support groups which are helpful. Who knew FB could be helpful?? :) I also have some real life friends and online friends who have been through this and are supports. Emotionally, I am up and down. I'm reminded of when I had foot surgery 10 years ago. I had some crazy anxiety dreams prior to the surgery. Turns out that's how I processed things and by the time I got to the OR, I was calm and ready. I expect a similar thing will happen this time.

I saw the oncologist yesterday. That appointment went well though was interesting. My scans have been good overall. One concern they have is that there are small areas which have responded to chemo. That could be a sign of metastasis. as a result, she is treating me aggressively, as if there is metastatic disease. I was prescribed a drug that essentially blocks estrogen because the cancer is estrogen receptive. It's good that it's receptive because they have a way to treat that. After my surgery, I will be prescribed a very expensive drug to address the possible metastasis. How expensive you ask? $6000 per month. :oops: Thankfully, both it and the other drug are provided through the Cancer Agency. I do not have to pay for them. I will likely also have to get a bone boosting drug because the drug that addresses the hormone reduces bone density. So, I will be continuing to see the oncologist every few months. She will also be ordering scans for me to monitor what's happening. The appointment was a bit overwhelming. I have looked at the CT, MRI and bone scan reports. They are more hopeful to my untrained eyes. I will be asking about them.

I learned yesterday that the doctor my friend contacted has agreed to take me on. That is a huge relief. I will meet him on the 9th. I plan to take the scan reports with me so I can ask him about them. I'm so thankful this fell into place.

So I continue one day at a time. I don't think this is a death sentence, even though it puts limits on me. Once the expensive drug is preacribed, I will only be able to get it once a month. I will be monitored to see how it is working. Of course too, they do not hand out too much of that drug at once. When they know how I respond, I may be able to get a two month supply. That means my trip across Canada will need to be done in two months. We can make that work.

My hair is growing back. My nails are looking healthier. My energy is returning. Taking life day by day is not a bad way to operate.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top