It's been a while since I wrote a new blog post. I feel like nothing is new, it's the same old story...cancer, but it's also a new story. Cancer has returned for my 3rd recurrence or 4th time overall battling this unrelenting beast.
In August my cancer marker started increasing. And not by a point or 2, it was jumping up like 10 points at a time. Every 3 weeks I get my marker checked along with other blood work. Many of those tests too show increases where there shouldn't be or numbers getting lower, again, not normal. I told my oncologist and my family, it is back, I just know it. Not sure where, but I know the cancer has returned. I was clear for a few months.
Thanks to my own research, I knew I could not be out in the heat for more than 2 hours without suffering the next few days. I was a homebody. I stayed inside on sunny summer days. I did go to a football game, my nephews won, but I was sick that night. I now keep propel packets in my car. Propel is electrolytes that you add to your water.
In late August I had my first PET scan since my surgery in February. As far as my abdomen goes, and intestines, there was no sign of metastatic disease. However, lymph nodes near my thyroid and my thyroid lit up on the scan. My oncologist scheduled an ultrasound on my neck 2 days later. Those results just added to my gray hair.
" Indication: Follow-up on abnormality in the thyroid gland on recent pet scan. Findings correlate with area of abnormal FDG avidity on recent PET/CT examination.
Impression: TI-RADS Category 5: Highly Suspicious. Recommendation for nodules between 5-10mm is follow-up ultrasound examination."
Now jump to this past week. I had blood work on Tuesday. Got those results, I have a lot more abnormal numbers, now dealing with my thyroid, and my cancer marker is back up in the CANCER range.......AGAIN!!! I saw my oncologist the next day. She said, tomorrow the endocrinologist will order a biopsy after your exam. If it is not the thyroid, then we will need to change your chemotherapy regimen, as the cancer is somewhere, still small that it didn't light up on the PET scan, but your cancer marker says otherwise. FINALLY!!!!
CRAP, CRAP, CRAP...I hate being right about this. I knew it was back. Now to take the next steps. My biopsy on my thyroid and lymph nodes is scheduled for this week Thursday. I was told to bring a driver as I will be loopy, my brother Mike has dealt with me when I am loopy from procedures, so he is again my driver, my helper, my caregiver.
I saw another friend at infusion this week. Unfortunately, she has joined this shitty club that only offers lifetime memberships. My friend Hilary is now on maintenance infusion, no more 8-hour days in the recliner. We had some good laughs about chemo fatigue and what is appropriate to wear. Yes, there is lying in bed all day pajamas and there are "Look, I'm up, in the living room, these are couch pajamas. And there are 'running an errand to Walmart pajamas, not to be confused with running to Target pajamas." It is always good to laugh when you can, when you are dealing with cancer.
My friend Terri got to ring the bell recently.... WOO HOO! Stacy continues to take her maintenance chemo and get her stent replaced regularly. Rebecca continues to be the shoulder to lean on and is watching her lab work and hoping for no recurrence. Tami is finally taking a vacation after beating her cancer. She is enroute to Hawaii to soak up sun and get lots of sand between her toes.
My friend Kelli, she is like me, having to fight more than once. But she is tough. She is strong. I wish her the best at her appointment at Mayo this week.
Someday...I will be able to say...Yeah, I battled cancer for 10 years (hoping not that long), it was a long battle at times...but I am stronger. Thank you, God, for holding me in your hands as I fight and show others...you can live with this awful disease.
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