Monday I saw the oncologist. She told us the second tumor marker was lower, the bone density test was normal, and the CT scan showed no spread and the tumor was smaller. Then she told us that it is very rare for pancreatic tumors to decrease. They are happy if they can just hold them at the same size. Prayer Warriors you are doing a great job. She thinks I am anemic and suggested I have a couple of units of blood.
Tuesday I had chemo. I was nauseated before I got there. They took my blood pressure and it was 99/67, not good. That also explained being so tired. I slept the whole time of chemo, I've never done that before. The transfusion will take 5 hours, so an appointment was made for Wednesday. Later we got a call, my hemoglobin is low, but too high for a transfusion. They balance side effects I am having with possible side effects of a transfusion. So the appointment was canceled.
Wednesday was a pretty good day. I went shopping with Marty and didn't fall down in a faint. The nausea was very slight. I had hope for a good week.
Thursday, nausea and so very weak and tired. I could hardly walk down the hall. I was holding on to everything to stay upright. I slept all day long until Pat and Kirsten came by to eat supper with me. I watched them eat the lovely Greek food they had brought and ate my stand by, peanut butter.
Today I have slept nearly all day. I just can't stay awake. But around 5:00 I felt awake and a little stronger. I haven't done my regular walking in a month, only Kaiser halls and shopping on Wednesday. So today I walked for 15 minutes, again holding onto furniture and walls. I know I have to walk, but it is so hard.
I am trying to eat something even if it tastes awful. I am losing weight again and that is dangerous. Since I can't stand chocolate anymore it is hard to get extra calories. Marty treats me like a toddler and says no you can't get down until you eat X more bites. So I try to eat.
These side effects are not as awful as some I have had. But they seem to make me more cranky and bitchy. I go to bed tired and I get up tired. I dread food. But I am not in pain other than my old lady joints. I will just sleep and try to eat and maybe at some point I will pep up again.
Showing posts with label tumor marker. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tumor marker. Show all posts
Friday, October 30, 2015
Monday, August 31, 2015
Health Update
We got back from Louisville on Wednesday, August 19. I was fine on Thursday, still pumped up from all the goings on in Louisville. I crashed on Friday, and slept most of that day and Saturday. Sunday I was still very tired, but almost back to my normal level.
Monday I had lab work and also saw a different oncologist. My oncologist had a family emergency and was off this week. The new doctor was nice, and explained some things we had never thought to ask. I have chemo brain and Marty gets overwhelmed sometimes with all we are told.
The doctor told me when I was diagnosed with cancer the tumor marker ( a blood test that checks the protein the tumor puts out ) was over 1000. You want low numbers. He said the one a few weeks ago was only a little over 100. Very impressive he thought. Again we were reminded this is only a clue to how I am doing. He showed us the graph on the tests and it looks like a nose dive from October to August. Very very happy on this one.
Tuesday I had chemo. It went well, no surprises with vitals going crazy. There has been light nausea, but controlled by meds. I also have been tired all week and having trouble sleeping. So am I tired from the chemo, or from not sleeping? Am I not sleeping because of the chemo? We will never know. As I say, I have no endings.
Sunday was a big day. The longish drive to church. The church service, then we had a church lunch to kick off the new year in the educational program. I was tired. But we weren't done yet. Marty had a quick meeting with his committee on the renovations. I said I would rest in the car. Well, that didn't work out.
One of our members, another Janet, brings an older member, Annabelle, to church each Sunday. Janet was in Marty's meeting and her teenage son was keeping Annabelle company. They were talking about TV, the early years. I hung out with them and we talked about me seeing jet planes as a child and it being a huge deal. Annabelle talked about going to the airport just to watch planes taking off or landing. I said I took my first graders on a field trip to the airport. It was a big deal. We discussed other things we old people remember. I told him how big the first cell phones were. I am sure Janet's son was convinced we were older than God.
Today was lab work again. Tuesday chemo if the all was OK.
I have felt pretty good this past week. As I said I have been tired with some nausea. But I have been able to cook, and wash dishes. I have walked my 30 minutes everyday. I am not terribly active but I am not sitting back and giving up. Tuesday I will begin my 12th month since the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. I have made it this long because of prayer warriors, wonderful Kaiser care, Marty, Erik, family, church family, and my incredible friends. I plan to stick around much longer.
Monday I had lab work and also saw a different oncologist. My oncologist had a family emergency and was off this week. The new doctor was nice, and explained some things we had never thought to ask. I have chemo brain and Marty gets overwhelmed sometimes with all we are told.
The doctor told me when I was diagnosed with cancer the tumor marker ( a blood test that checks the protein the tumor puts out ) was over 1000. You want low numbers. He said the one a few weeks ago was only a little over 100. Very impressive he thought. Again we were reminded this is only a clue to how I am doing. He showed us the graph on the tests and it looks like a nose dive from October to August. Very very happy on this one.
Tuesday I had chemo. It went well, no surprises with vitals going crazy. There has been light nausea, but controlled by meds. I also have been tired all week and having trouble sleeping. So am I tired from the chemo, or from not sleeping? Am I not sleeping because of the chemo? We will never know. As I say, I have no endings.
Sunday was a big day. The longish drive to church. The church service, then we had a church lunch to kick off the new year in the educational program. I was tired. But we weren't done yet. Marty had a quick meeting with his committee on the renovations. I said I would rest in the car. Well, that didn't work out.
One of our members, another Janet, brings an older member, Annabelle, to church each Sunday. Janet was in Marty's meeting and her teenage son was keeping Annabelle company. They were talking about TV, the early years. I hung out with them and we talked about me seeing jet planes as a child and it being a huge deal. Annabelle talked about going to the airport just to watch planes taking off or landing. I said I took my first graders on a field trip to the airport. It was a big deal. We discussed other things we old people remember. I told him how big the first cell phones were. I am sure Janet's son was convinced we were older than God.
Today was lab work again. Tuesday chemo if the all was OK.
I have felt pretty good this past week. As I said I have been tired with some nausea. But I have been able to cook, and wash dishes. I have walked my 30 minutes everyday. I am not terribly active but I am not sitting back and giving up. Tuesday I will begin my 12th month since the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. I have made it this long because of prayer warriors, wonderful Kaiser care, Marty, Erik, family, church family, and my incredible friends. I plan to stick around much longer.
Sunday, August 2, 2015
More ups than downs in the health report
Some of this is a repeat of little updates, so hang in there. There is some new stuff.
Monday I had lab work and saw the oncologist. She says I am doing really well. She is surprised I am having so few side effects, especially neuropathy. Most patients on my type of chemo have a big problem. I posted on Facebook, bragged how well I am doing. And I really noted the low side effects. Well, that came back to bite me.
Monday night and Tuesday morning I had great nausea and intestinal issues. Most of the night I was gagging and nothing happening. (I have a cast iron stomach and rarely vomit.) Early morning there was vomiting. Damn bragging always gets you. I was afraid with the vomiting they wouldn't let me have chemo Tuesday. They just upped the anti nausea meds and I did fine. I was so good I went to lunch and then shoe shopping. I did use a wheelchair this time while shopping. I sat and Kirsten and Pat found shoes and pushed me around the store. When I got home I took a three hour nap.
Wednesday Pat and friend Rose Anne came to visit and we went to lunch. I am becoming a social butterfly. It is great to be able to go out for "normal" things. And great to have friends who will take me.
Wednesday I received an email from my oncologist with the results of the tumor marker blood test they did Tuesday. This test gives info about the size of the tumor. The numbers are lower which means the tumor is not spreading. Marty and I celebrated by opening a bottle of champagne. And we emptied it.
Friday I looked at the apartment and thought I can not stand the dust any longer. I have been called Tidy Tilly and used to clean a lot. (yes I am checking out the housecleaning for chemo patients) I dusted the whole apartment, baseboards, fancy banister, pictures, door tops, art glass. I was busy. I looked at the vacuum cleaner and thought nah that is too hard. Another nap was in order.
Weekends are for resting. Even the little I do during the week is tiring. I need to just do nothing some days, so I do.
There is still some nausea, but not bad. Sometimes I take a pill, sometimes not. The neuropathy is still manageable. Mainly tingling in my finger tips. The feet have been weird for several years, not a lot of feeling, so no change there. Over all I am doing great.
In little over a week we fly to Kentucky to see family and friends. As most of you know I hate hate flying. So keep me in your prayers for calmness and that the valium works.
Monday I had lab work and saw the oncologist. She says I am doing really well. She is surprised I am having so few side effects, especially neuropathy. Most patients on my type of chemo have a big problem. I posted on Facebook, bragged how well I am doing. And I really noted the low side effects. Well, that came back to bite me.
Monday night and Tuesday morning I had great nausea and intestinal issues. Most of the night I was gagging and nothing happening. (I have a cast iron stomach and rarely vomit.) Early morning there was vomiting. Damn bragging always gets you. I was afraid with the vomiting they wouldn't let me have chemo Tuesday. They just upped the anti nausea meds and I did fine. I was so good I went to lunch and then shoe shopping. I did use a wheelchair this time while shopping. I sat and Kirsten and Pat found shoes and pushed me around the store. When I got home I took a three hour nap.
Wednesday Pat and friend Rose Anne came to visit and we went to lunch. I am becoming a social butterfly. It is great to be able to go out for "normal" things. And great to have friends who will take me.
Wednesday I received an email from my oncologist with the results of the tumor marker blood test they did Tuesday. This test gives info about the size of the tumor. The numbers are lower which means the tumor is not spreading. Marty and I celebrated by opening a bottle of champagne. And we emptied it.
Friday I looked at the apartment and thought I can not stand the dust any longer. I have been called Tidy Tilly and used to clean a lot. (yes I am checking out the housecleaning for chemo patients) I dusted the whole apartment, baseboards, fancy banister, pictures, door tops, art glass. I was busy. I looked at the vacuum cleaner and thought nah that is too hard. Another nap was in order.
Weekends are for resting. Even the little I do during the week is tiring. I need to just do nothing some days, so I do.
There is still some nausea, but not bad. Sometimes I take a pill, sometimes not. The neuropathy is still manageable. Mainly tingling in my finger tips. The feet have been weird for several years, not a lot of feeling, so no change there. Over all I am doing great.
In little over a week we fly to Kentucky to see family and friends. As most of you know I hate hate flying. So keep me in your prayers for calmness and that the valium works.
Friday, April 24, 2015
And now a word about my health
Monday I saw my oncologist and had lab work done. The report from the doctor is I am doing well. In fact well enough to plan a train trip this summer. Marty and I have only looked at getting through each day. We have made no long range plans. But there are some things I want to do before the end of this illness. And a train trip to visit friends in San Diego is one of them.
One of the blood tests was called a tumor marker. It was to be compared to a base line to see if the tumor was growing, shrinking, or the same. The doctor says she uses it as a clue, it is not a perfect test.
Tuesday as I was waiting to go into chemo, I got an email from my doctor. The tumor marker was down. GREAT news! I started crying with joy just as the nurse called me in. I told him why I was crying and he hugged me and held me as we walked to my chemo chair. Nurses in a chemo infusion clinic need good news too.
Before the chemo starts they take my vitals. My blood pressure was high. He took it again and it was higher. I sat a while, took it again and higher. Crap, I have been stable since December, what is going on? After the chemo was done, before I could leave, the blood pressure was taken once again. Still higher. My doctor came to the clinic and we discussed what to do. It was high enough to be border line run her to the ER now. I decided to go to ER because I was afraid to go home. After 3 1/2 hours and a change in meds the numbers came down.
I had my blood pressure checked on Thursday afternoon to see if the meds were helping or hindering. Too much meds and the blood pressure will plummet. I was down in the normal range and now only have to make an appointment with my primary care doctor to get his thoughts.
Back to Wednesday, I had my heart echocardiogram.(I think that is the correct term. It is basically an ultra sound of the heart) If you remember the awful CT scan, a shadow around my heart looked as if there was fluid there. Nope, heart normal, nothing to worry about.
So all in all lots of good news. I am not having awful side effects, I am walking 30 minutes most days, I am healthy in many ways. So the prayers are working friends. Thank you for the love and caring. I feel you out there.
One of the blood tests was called a tumor marker. It was to be compared to a base line to see if the tumor was growing, shrinking, or the same. The doctor says she uses it as a clue, it is not a perfect test.
Tuesday as I was waiting to go into chemo, I got an email from my doctor. The tumor marker was down. GREAT news! I started crying with joy just as the nurse called me in. I told him why I was crying and he hugged me and held me as we walked to my chemo chair. Nurses in a chemo infusion clinic need good news too.
Before the chemo starts they take my vitals. My blood pressure was high. He took it again and it was higher. I sat a while, took it again and higher. Crap, I have been stable since December, what is going on? After the chemo was done, before I could leave, the blood pressure was taken once again. Still higher. My doctor came to the clinic and we discussed what to do. It was high enough to be border line run her to the ER now. I decided to go to ER because I was afraid to go home. After 3 1/2 hours and a change in meds the numbers came down.
I had my blood pressure checked on Thursday afternoon to see if the meds were helping or hindering. Too much meds and the blood pressure will plummet. I was down in the normal range and now only have to make an appointment with my primary care doctor to get his thoughts.
Back to Wednesday, I had my heart echocardiogram.(I think that is the correct term. It is basically an ultra sound of the heart) If you remember the awful CT scan, a shadow around my heart looked as if there was fluid there. Nope, heart normal, nothing to worry about.
So all in all lots of good news. I am not having awful side effects, I am walking 30 minutes most days, I am healthy in many ways. So the prayers are working friends. Thank you for the love and caring. I feel you out there.
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