If only PET scan results came with an airbag!

I had my last PET/ CT scans of 2013 right after Christmas.  On Monday, December 30, Mark, my mom and I were headed to Dr Laudi's office to get the results.  My mom lives closer to the clinic than we do and got there minutes before us, so we asked her to check me in.  She was still standing in line when we arrived.  We were roomed by a snarky young woman who commented that I was late.  I asked if I had kept Dr. Laudi waiting.  She said no, but I had to be on time, even though Dr. Laudi wasn't.  I laughed.  Snarky always makes me laugh!

After 20 minutes had passed and still no Dr. Laudi, I said "See!  I wasn't late at all."

"You know why he's late, don't you?"  Mark said without looking up from his phone.  "He's looking at the PET results."

"Dragging his feet?" my mom ventured. "Celebrating?  Crying?"

Mark slipped into an Italian accent, "Oh, no, I have killed her!"

Bad taste?  I guess so.  Tempting fate?  Maybe.  But this is a long and winding road and we all were laughing when Dr. Laudi walked in with what appeared to be red eyes. 

"There appears to be progression." he said, signing into the computer and bringing up the scans from 3 months ago, 2 months ago and last week.  Three months ago, the only active area was L4.  Two months ago, L4 was slightly smaller with 2 small spots in my liver.  Last week, the liver spots were nearly gone, L4 was smaller, but there were 2 new spots under my left arm.  I remembered to show Dr. Laudi the rash I have been doctoring in my left antecubital that was thought to be a viral infection, but was spreading.  After some thought, Dr. Laudi wanted to biopsy the skin rash and the lymph nodes under my arm.  One or both could be cancer cells, even though the known cancer cells were being killed by the chemo, these cells could have mutated.  Dr. Laudi hoped if they had the cells were now HER-2 +, because there were some promising new treatments out there. It was possible that my skin rash and lymph nodes were part of an infectious process and not cancer at all.

Here we go...

Skin biopsy time



Emla- a cream that numbs the skin

Skin Rash

Doing the Punch Biopsy

 Dr. Laudi numbs up my skin and takes a small "punch" that looks like a small, pencil eraser-sized sharp cookie-cutter like thing and punches a hole into my skin, taking the skin cells with it and leaving a small hole.  He put 2 stitches into each spot.

The next day



Here I am modeling a Breast Center top 



Lymph node biopsy gear

 During a needle biopsy, an ultrasound technician finds the lymph nodes, then the doctor numbs the area and sticks in a guide needle.  To get the sample, he shoots in a large hypodermic needle and then removes the cells from inside the needle.  It only leaves a small puncture wound that needs a pressure dressing.

Biopsy cells

   




Please aim prayers right here. 
Thank you! 

Halloween and PET/CT scan results

Halloween Day.

Costumes planned.  Party planned.  And a ghostly monster, named Cancer, decides to rear its ugly head... again.

At my appointment this morning, Dr. Laudi said the MRI confirmed that my L4 tumor was bigger and I had 3 small, new tumors in my liver with the largest measuring 7mm and so close to a blood vessel that biopsy is not possible.  We discussed my treatment options.  Without a biopsy, we don't know how the cancer cells may have mutated.  Though my original cancer cells were Estrogen+  Progesterone+  Herceptin-, over time and after exposure to all the drugs and chemos I have had, these can change.  I still have a page-long list of chemo options, some of which can be caustic to skin and tissue if they infiltrate a peripheral IV, so we had long discussion of what to do next.  I feel resistant to getting a central line, like a portacath which is surgically implanted under the skin and threaded into a large blood vessel.  When it needs to be used, it is accessed with a needle and covered with a sterile dressing.  Blood can be drawn from it and fluids and chemo can be infused into it.   In the hospital, we see many kids coming in with these central lines infected.  My mom cautioned me that this is a skewed picture and encouraged me to check into the infection rates.  She said she respected my decision.

For now, I don't want a port.  Plan to start a new chemo on November 18.

I dropped off pictures at the Funeral Home for my Grandma's service next Tuesday.  I picked up last minute costume items and pizza for the party. 

We had a fun night together...



Halloween 2013

Spooky Decorations

Getting ready for Trick-or-Treaters.

Olivia loving a new baby.

Ashley and Amore.

Cancer is frightening, but so are we!



PET/ CT scans and Stress Test

I woke up early this morning and went for my PET scan and a CT scan.  I had a couple hours until my stress test, so I stopped at my parent's house.  My sister, Ashley, had just flown in the night before for our Grandma Joyce's Funeral.  Ashley and her fiance, John, are expecting their first baby in March.  I was excited to see my sister and her growing baby! 

I was having shortness of breath this summer occasionally when I did yard work and Mark mentioned that to Dr. Laudi at my last visit, so he ordered a stress test. 

He asked, "Do you run?" 

I said, "Not unless I have to."

I had dug out my "running shoes."  I showed Ashley and our Mom what I think was old chicken poop- from our visit to Ashley's farm sanctuary in May- still stuck in the tread and grooves on the bottom of my shoes.  We giggled at the thought of me running for 10 minutes on a treadmill.  They offered to come along, so I could pretend to chase them.

Little did I know I would have to run for closer to 15 minutes... without a bra! 

Dr. Laudi called this evening to say the L4 tumor appeared brighter than it did on my last scan just 8 weeks ago.  There were also 3 small spots that weren't on the previous scan.  Was this cancer?  Maybe artifacts?  Dr. Laudi ordered labs to draw tumor markers and an MRI to check.  I had these done this evening.  Now, to wait. 

PET/CT scans

All three girls started school: Natalie 8th grade, Larissa 3rd grade, Olivia preschool.

My PET and CT scans showed no new growth, and the tumor is slightly smaller. The tumor is moving in the right direction and Dr. Laudi likes that it gives us a visual marker to see how this chemo is working.  The plan is to stay on this chemo and do another scan in 8 weeks.


Olivia's pocket is full of candy