Woohoo!

I saw the doctor yesterday and got the best news I've had in a long time. My tumor markers had climbed to 168 at the last count 3 weeks ago (normal is 0-35). Yesterday's count had dropped to 75 - less than half of the previous count! This simply means that the new chemo I'm on must be having a positive effect on the cancer. Now I'm just praying for it will continue to drop to zero.

I continue to feel fine although with a bit of nausea this week due to the chemo. We have a big wedding coming up in two days for my nephew and I'm hoping to hold up for all the festivitives.

I have a wound under my reconstructed breast that won’t heal up. I’ve seen numerous doctors and wound specialists about it and they are all in agreement. This wound is not going to heal on it’s own. Surgery would be required. Now there is talk of another mastectomy – but I have questions of my own. Will I need to go off chemo (answer: yes) in order to have the surgery? Would that be safe to do given how much tumor growth there has been in the liver and brain? Priorities: what to take care of first? Isn’t the liver a more vital organ than a breast wound that is not causing me any pain? With my compromised immune system, would I be able to heal from surgery or would this be like opening Pandora’s box and making things worse? Is this going to extend my life (and for how long) or make a mess of it?

Nobody seems to have the answers for me and there are 3 main doctors working on this who do not necessarily agree with each other on a course of treatment. Very frustrating sometimes. On top of all this, I got word this afternoon that my tumor markers have jumped from 120 to 166 in a few short weeks. Normal is 0 - 35. Once again this is hard news. The dr has already changed my chemo regimen in anticipation of this. Now we play the waiting game to see if the new chemo will have any effect on the tumor markers. Bummer.