As expected

I apoligize for not posting on Friday as promised, but there really was nothing exciting to report.  As expected, the surgeon is convinced that treating the cancer is more important than removing Marye's gall bladder right now.  He's right, of course.  The complications of a cholesystectomy far outweigh any possible benefit from the procedure, especially since she needs to be on chemotherapy as soon as possible.  In addition to the other things we already knew, we learned that starting chemo soon after surgery really complicates the healing from the incisions.  That makes sense since chemotherapy affects her immune system, which is obviously important anytime they perform major surgery.  It would be at least four weeks before she could start chemo, and that's too long.  So..... Marye is scheduled to go back on chemo on Thursday morning.  This is nothing new- or unexpected.

In my last post, I talked briefly about taking the challenges of cancer and incorporating them into your life without complaining too much.  I received a lot of positive feedback from readers of this blog who were moved by that sentiment.  So it's with some sadness that I have to report that although I really believed those words when I was writing them, I haven't been feeling that way lately.  I know it's natural to go through ups and downs of dealing with a challenge of this magnitude (cancer is but one of any number of situations that present similar challenges), but getting ready for chemo this time has been tough, especially for me.

I think a part of it is that she's been off therapy for a few months, so it was like a mini-remission, of sorts.  When this whole thing started, we were told she would need chemotherapy for the rest of her life.  Because the cancer metasticized, she would never go into remission.  This was something that we knew and accepted.  But then she got sick with her gall bladder, and even though that was terrible and she almost died, it gave us something else to focus on besides the cancer, especially since she really couldn't take the chemo.  However, that is now over, and the cancer is front and center again.  So while it is something that is very familiar to us, it is kind of like running head-first into the brick wall of cancer all over again.  Or, more accurately, like I said in my last post, just when you get into a nice rhythm, cancer slaps you in the face to remind you that it is still there.

Anyway, that's where we stand.  She's got chemotherapy on Thursday.  Her hair will fall out again.  The good news is that she doesn't actually fear chemo since she's tolerated it very well, thus far.  But there are side-effects-- more fatigue, neuropathy, feeling generally run-down.  Also, we've yet to see how she handles it since her gall bladder issues.  She's not as strong as she was, so it may affect her more this time around.  Time will tell.  I should post again sometime over the weekend with an update.

Thanks for listening.

-Chris

The break is over

As I've said in the past, cancer is all about not letting you get too comfortable with your situation.  The key to living with cancer is dealing with the constant sense of uncertainty.  Just when you think you've got a nice rhythm down, cancer will throw you a curveball, just to remind you that it's there.  It is my belief that, no matter how the disease turns out it in the end, it's important to take these curveballs and try to incorporate them into your life.  It doesn't do any good to bemoan the many challenges of cancer.  It's also not necessarily possible or useful to stay constantly positive.  It's tiring and not always based in reality.  But it helps if you can take the challenges in stride.  Deal with whatever news you get, formulate a plan, implement the plan, and monitor the effects.  When the plan stops working- as it always does, eventually- start all over.

Anyway, we got the word today that the tumor markers are rising faster than we'd like.  They went from 200 last month (already up from the month before) to 356 this month.  We were waiting for this number as it will impact the decision on whether to take out Marye's gall bladder.  She is still on the fence about that (balancing the risks vs. the uncertain benefits).  Well, it may be that that shipped has sailed.  We're going to see Dr. Vitale on Thursday to talk about the surgery.  Our first question is, what is the best-case scenario for Marye being strong enough to start chemotherapy.  Dr. Riley says that if it's two weeks or so, that would be ok.  But if it is much longer- say, six weeks- she'd rather put the gall bladder on the back burner to get the chemo going first.  So, the aromatase inhibitor doesn't seem to be working well, and Marye's break from chemo is going to end within the next week or two.

Again, we're still waiting to decide on the gall bladder situation, but it looks like the cancer is going to take top priority for now.  I'll post again on Friday after we see Dr. Vitale and talk to the oncologist again.

-Chris