Reflecting

I know I'm  inconsistent with posting my blog updates and for this I apologize.  I know my family and friends think about me and pray for me  daily. I so appreciate and love you, words cannot express.

Before giving an update on what's happening in my life I wanted to reflect on a very special friend that is in her final journey to the Lords arms. I'm deeply saddened that she will be gone from this earth.  She gave me so much support and inspiration.  Unfortunately, this disease brought us closer together as she knew exactly what I was going through. I was so inspired by her support and how positive she was but she too allowed me and understood my bad days. I did speak to her a couple of months ago and she seemed very well and upbeat.  This is a reminder on how quickly things can change in the mestastic world.  I will miss my sweet friend terribly.  Her family will need all the love and prayers as they continue in this world without this beautiful soul. May the angels light Lorena's path into the arms of the Lord.  You will never be forgotten my sweet friend.

So death is at work in us, but life in you. Since, then, we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed, therefore I spoke,” we too believe and therefore speak, knowing that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and place us with you in his presence. Everything indeed is for you, so that the grace bestowed in abundance on more and more people may cause the thanksgiving to overflow for the glory of God.

2 Corinthians 4:12-15 

My medical update! Since my last entry a lot has happened!  I did post on Facebook a video after I was released from the hospital in November of last year. Well since then fortunately not a lot has happened to me medically.  I've been on a new chemo medicine since November of last year when I was released from the hospital.  The medicine is called Xeloda and I take 3 pills, twice a day.  I've been responding pretty well since my last scan in January of this year and my labs from last month. I will probably have another scan next month. I feel pretty good just a lot fatigue.

Personally, I took a little trip to New Orleans in February of this year.  It wasn't a trip to see all the sights but just to visit with my friends.  It was so nice and amazing to see everyone.  My friends are so special it's like time hasn't passed by.  We were there during Mardi Gras so we were able to see some parades which was awesome.  My friend Susan from Florida traveled to meet us and stayed a few days with us. My sister, Tina and her husband also stay a few days with us. I wasn't able to see everyone but maybe I will travel there again sometime.

My next planned trip is to Las Vegas in October to see Donny & Marie!  Some of my friends are going too and I can't wait, it's going to be a blast!!! I know D&M is not for everyone but I so appreciate them coming to celebrate!  We have 16 confirmed so far meeting us in Las Vegas. Let me know if your interested and I can send you the details of the trip.

Until next time may you have joy and love in your life always!

Love and God Bless You!
Jeanne

Pinktober-Educate

This month is as you guessed it......it's Breast Cancer Awareness Month!  We have a whole month to celebrate, honor, remember, support, encourage and educate!

I've already had some uplifting sentiments said to me. I want to say thank you for your thoughtfulness, patience, love and support. I can't imagine going through this journey without you. Seriously, I know many women who have families and friend who are not supportive or loving.  It just breaks my heart.

If you are on facebook you probably notice I am posting a lot of information about Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC).  We in a challenging position as we are trying to educate a wide audience about Metastatic Breast Cancer. Earlier this week.... we accomplished a lot!  The TODAY show is shining the light on breast cancer, our little community on FB actually did get the TODAY show to include MBC.  Here is the back story :  TODAY Show back story link

UPDATE on my health:  My radiation oncologist re-examined my scans and spoke to a few of her colleagues about my case and recommended that I qualify for cyber knife radiation.  It's relatively new in the past 5 years.  There 2 really good benefits to this procedure :

1) I would only need 1 treatment! 2) the procedure could actually shrink my tumor!

The treatment is so exact by milliliters they usually get pretty good results. I asked what type of criteria made me qualify.  She said they were only treating one area and that the area was not scattered everywhere.  The edge of the tumor were identifiable enough to treat.  The side effects would be the same, fatigue, inflammation to the site. The main risks were the same as all the others: some damage to the nerves and I could end up paralyzed. 🙀 blah blah blah.

Folks to tell you the truth I pretty much made up my mind to go ahead with the previous plan, I told her she had me at 1 treatment😆 haha

Guess what?  I already had my treatment, Tuesday, September 23!  I did have a couple of really bad days.  But I think the worst is over.  Yeah!  Sorry, I didn't say anything sooner it just went so quick I really didn't have time to do much.  I don't want to be premature in saying anything, but I think this treatment did a really good job of reducing my pain. Praise God.  There is actually a 6-month recovery period. But it's mostly fatigue and I have to be careful not to lift or doing anything that would hurt my spine. But so far so good!  I'm very pleased!

Next stop more scans, labs, tests and then I will be starting the next clinical trial drug on October 13.

Speaking of October 13....please spread the word!  October 13 National Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day.

Pause-Play

Wow, I can't believe it's been so long since my last update!  I'm sure you thought I gave up on my blog.  I really did want to update it so many times but, I didn't have the energy and when I did I was doing other things.  Also, I found I couldn't concentrate to fill-out simple paperwork.

It's like someone pressed the "pause" button and today I pressed the "play" button! ;)

That clinical trial drug really kicked my butt!!! It was suppose to be minimal side effects but that just wasn't the truth for me anyway.  I went on full time disability a week (December 2013) after I started taking this new drug.  For 3 months I was basically home bound most of the time. When I look back it was brutal. The good part it was working really well so they allowed me to reduced the dose till I felt I could tolerate it and get good results in my scans.   BYL719+Letrozole worked really well for 8 months.

My last scans looked stable, but my pain has been increasing.  The scans look good just starting to light up more in the place where the pain is increasing. My doctor is recommending. radiation (ugh) and another clinical trial.

Yep... another clinical trial!  See that's the name of the game in Metstatic Breast Cancer.

 Treat...(2-3months) Scan....repeat!

So my health update is everything stable so far and the 2 spots on my lungs have been reduced from 2.5 CM to 6-9mm.  In my last scan one spot on my lung didn't even register on the scan.  It's still there, it's just too small to be noticed with all the other normal nodules on my lungs.  So that is good! The name of  the game is keep this cancer away from my organs.

My upcoming treatment is I have 5 radiation treatments every other day in San Francisco!  Anyone up for a trip? Haha after a one week break I start the new clinical trial drug. I will post about it in my next blog update.  I promise to update soon!

Personally,  I'm doing well and feel blessed. Jack has been wonderful and I really don't know what I would do without him. Spiritually, this by far this has been a test of faith on so many different levels.

I know this post seems very clinical, so I promise the next posts will have more life events.

Before I go, just want to say HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Hugs!
Jeanne O.