Ruth Update, February 12, 2008

Dear Friends, Relatives, and Prayer Partners,

 

"Impression:  Continued progression of bony metastatic disease, with new areas of metastasis in the liver and possible metastatic disease in the right neck involving the fossa of Rosenmuller and vallecula.  Direct visualization of these regions may be warranted."

 

In other words, we need to call out the big guns again.  My cancer has spread to more places in my skeleton, has also appeared in my liver, and there are suspicious areas in my neck.  The above quote is the bottom line in the report from the radiologist who read the results of my PET/CT scan which was taken on Saturday.

 

I had a treatment with Aredia today, and saw my oncologist also.  We skipped the Faslodex, as it obviously isn't working.  As she was giving us the bad news, I looked over at Paul, who was looking pretty stricken, and made faces at him to make him smile.  He did, but the smile did not reach his eyes.  I fell apart then.  One can only smile through so much.  The doctor then hugged me, and said, "I think she needs your hug more now," and Paul's arms surrounded me.  I am sure that he had gotten up without her instruction, but I couldn't see.

 

Here's the plan:  my oncologist only had the written report today.  When she gets the actual images, probably tomorrow, she will send them to the hospital to be reviewed by specialists.  She wants to get a sample of my tumors from wherever we can get it without too much invasion.  It will then be tested to see what therapy will be most useful.  There is a drug called Herceptin that is pretty effective, but only on cancers that have receptors for it.  If it will be effective, I will get it.  There are also other drugs I will probably be getting, too, so I will need to get my wig styled.  I was planning to get a haircut, but the heck with that.  There are probably more MRI's and/or CT scans in my future.  The doctor has already ordered a CT scan of my brain, but we will hold off on that for a little while, as we might be able to combine it with another scan.  PET scans apparently don't work well for the brain.

 

I have had some sharp pain in my right wrist occasionally since Sunday.  I mentioned this to my oncologist, and she thinks it is some kind of repetitive stress injury, so I am wearing a brace on my wrist while at the computer.  I have had some problems with wrist aches before, so I have the braces at home and at work.  I am also avoiding knitting and crocheting for a while.  I could use the yarn therapy.  Good thing I have some mysteries to read.  It is also good that I didn't ring handbells yesterday as I had a meeting, and we get next Monday off for the holiday.  The pain occurs when I lift something, and lifting a handbell would be just the thing to set it off.  I hope to be able to ring at Easter.

 

Last week I won a gift card for a spa facial and a one-hour massage.  I can't have the massage because the cancer has fractured one of my ribs.   I have so wanted a real massage all of my adult life, and now that I have the chance, I can't have it.  Also, I must ask my friends to hug me gently. Bummer.  Maybe I can trade it in for a manicure and pedicure.  Maybe I can get a foot massage. 

 

Get your mammograms.  Do your self exams.  Get a massage.

 

Love,

 

Ruth

http://ruthsmusings.blogspot.com