Jan 03 2022

January 3, 2022

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Since May 1st, 2021, when I was on a driving vacation, I have had a strange wound on my right leg. Below the knee. This is on the outside of where some of the hardware is for my knee replacement. It was about the size of a nickel or a little bigger. It started as a large red round bump. This was the time that my cancer mutated. I went to my bone oncologist upon arriving home mid may or so. He was not sure what it was and did not appear to have infection. Later in June, the wound started to flatten a little. Then in July it changed to partly white with super tiny veins going through it. I had doctors continuing to check it out. Then in September the wound started to scab. Then the scab was in the middle white/wound of mucous looking stuff. My Primary care doctor, Dr M, thought it may be a venous ulcer so he had it wrapped in an UNA boot for 3-4 weeks. This is a pink mesh wrap covered in antibiotics. It did not help. By this time it was November, Dr M, wanted me to get over to a Pittsburgh wound center in Cranberry Twp, PA.

The center took a biopsy and culture. Biopsy was negative for cancer and positive for bacteria, so I was put on an antibiotic which did help the little pain and redness go down. After my third visit, my plastic surgeon, Dr W, determined that the skin in the wound was totally dead. The skin will never heal so said she wanted to operate with a muscle flap and skin graph. Believe it or not, I had one of these procedures done in 2008 for an infection that developed from a surgery on my knee.

On December 30th surgery was able to be scheduled. It was a blessing that I could wait until after Christmas and My guests headed home. My bone oncologist, also Dr W, was able to be in the surgery with the plastics doctor so he was able to make sure my bone was healthy and not dead. He was so surprised that things were very good in there that he did not have to do anything. Great News! Many people and several churches were praying for me.

Now (and again) I have an infectious disease Dr that will be working through getting rid of some of the bacteria in the wound area. They are going to be aggressive with this so they can save my leg.

I am hoping to go home tomorrow. It was required that I keep my leg straight and a wound vac on my leg for 5 days after surgery. The infectious disease Dr said there is another bacteria growing and they hope to have more info on that one tomorrow.

It is great that several of these doctors have worked together on my case and have had some conference calls due to each having an important part in my treatment.

There are photos of my wound and I will spear you those.

Right now these Dr.’s are active in my treatment

Plastic Surgeon and her PA

Bone Oncologist

Regular Oncologist

Primary Care Dr

Infectious Disease Dr

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Jan 02 2022

Jan 2, 2022

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Chemo is completed per my last post. Early November I had one of my maintenance treatments that are to help keep the cancer from growing as I mentioned previously. My CA numbers were down again. December 2, 2021, I had my next treatment. Due to Thanksgiving, it was pushed from 3 weeks to 4 weeks. My CA numbers went up about 130. Kind of shocking and my cancer doctor, Dr L, thought so too. Keep in mind this is a loose measurement of cancer. It does not always mean everything. But with the history of the consistency of the CA numbers going down again it was shocking.

On December 15th, I had my follow up PET scan and the findings were odd. Some things looked better, some the same and some worse. When I see Dr L, he will, go over things more specifically because due to some other things, I was only able to speak to him on the phone.

My hip is doing great. I can walk almost normal now.

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Oct 05 2021

Tuesday, Oct 5, 2021

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Just checking in to give an update. September 16th had to be skipped due to intense cold flu like symptoms. No Covid though, after getting tested. The treatment plan was just pushed a week. Even though a week was skipped the CA did go down. The numbers are down close to a normal level. Amen. Again! Thank you for everyone’s prayers!

At my Dr visit last week, I told the Dr that my hip was still hurting somewhat so it must still be cracked a little. My bone Dr. from another facility, had said it would not heal very quickly due to chemo. My cancer Dr said due to low blood count that yes, that was the case. So then a light bulb when off. When I was on the immunotherapy Ibrance for the cancer just being in my bones, that drug/pill is also a form of chemo. This is why my leg was not healing since the fracture in Sept 2020 and I have been limping round for that long.

I am having more energy than normal (even though on chemo) than in the beginning of this 12 round process. Doc said that since the cancer is shrunk my Liver it will give me more energy. So that is a relief. One of the worst things for the last 1.5 years is the fatigue.

My last chemo is in two days. My hair should start to grow back I would think in a couple weeks after that. Not really sure. I have wigs for the fall and winter if I look goofy in the in between time.

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Sep 15 2021

Wed – Sept 15, 2021

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Things have been moving along. This past week I got a severe cold and lost my voice yesterday and it is still not gone today. My right hip is still cracked based on the pain. Some days are worse than others. Hopefully after the chemo is over that will heal up better and be much less of an issue. The cancer antigen marker is again down since the last reports. One week it did go up slightly. My Doctor says these numbers are good to review but they are not always accurate and do not give a full picture. Not sure what is going to happen tomorrow with this cold – meaning what my blood work will look like or if they should or will give me the scheduled treatment. I have never logged a fever since fighting this bug in the last week plus. Below is my CA from last Thursday 9-9-21.

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Aug 20 2021

August 20, 2021 – CA Test

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Yesterday, was chemo #6 of 12. So we are at the halfway mark. Great News. For some reason my doctor included the Cancer Antigen test again, even though I had it last week. He has been doing these monthly. Even after one week, it is down again to 93.9. Amen! Thank you for all those prayers!

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Aug 14 2021

August 14, 2021 – Test Upate

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This week 8-12-21 my blood work was in the normal range for white and red blood count to get my normal dose of Paxol. That was the only drug for this week. Each month my Dr. has been checking something called “Cancer Antigen” in my blood work.

Here is the chart:

Cancer Antigen

Here are some comments about the numbers based on what was going on.

  1. Spring of 2020 had strange body aches on and off. Felt very off.
  2. Had CT/PET Scan beginning of June 2020
  3. Had Pelvis Bone Biopsy June 19, 2020 – positive for Breast cancer cells.
  4. Started Ibrance Pills and Fluvestrant Shots Beginning of August 2020.
  5. Only had 3 does of Shots due to side effects.
  6. Stayed on Ibrance and another estrogren blocker exemestane until about May 2021
  7. CT/PET were looking good
  8. In may 2021 Started feeling extremely fatigued and just yucky.
  9. Did another CT Scan and found Spread to Organs (Liver and Lung) from Bone.
  10. Started Drip Chemo in immunotherapy July 15, 2021.
  11. This last chemo started feeling better and side effects are less.
  12. On the Chart 5-13-20 is 60.3 and it is cut off.

So based on my current chemo my numbers have come down. The info came to my account yesterday. The Dr. told me it may not be in until late next week and he also said the numbers may shoot higher before showing a lower number. Well it is great the numbers are actually showing progress within 30 days.

So you can see the numbers and they match what was going on. The cancer mutated sometime in April or May of 2021 and was no longer being successfully treated by my Ibrance treatment.

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Aug 05 2021

August 5, 2021

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Today is treatment #4 of 12. I am here for the day. I have all my devices to work and keep me busy unless I am sleeping. So they had to reduce my chemo by 80% due to blood work. It was reduced by 50% last week for the same reason. I will be taking my immune therapies today (which I do every 3rd week). This takes the process longer as they have to slow drip them all separately.

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Aug 03 2021

No More Hair – Just a Buzz for Now

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I have been holding off getting my hair cut or shaved. When the day comes, you know it is time. Today was the day. I woke up and showered and hair was coming out in clumps. Due to me keeping it up in a hair clip during the summer months mostly due to the heat, I think that helped keep the hair on my head a little bit longer.

I went to a local hair place called Fashions-A-Head and they were amazing. I asked if the salon would donate my hair. I am looking forward to hearing how my donation has helped someone. Got to meet a new girl named, Emmy. She treated me like a queen and took great care of me and went above and beyond.

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Jul 29 2021

July 29, 2021

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Last time this year we hosted family for my daughter’s wedding. It was a great time. I had recently found out that I had cancer in my bones (pelvis and spine) and asked to start my pill and shot treatments after the wedding as I did not know what my response would be. Due to Covid we never ended up going on a trip for our 30th wedding anniversary of 7-28-20. It is ok though things could always be much worse. So yesterday was our 31st wedding anniversary. We just went to our local go to restaurant that is wonderful – Evolution Grille. They know us by name and customized dish! Did not want to go anywhere more than that since chemo #3 was today.

So today, at chemo, I conversed with some clients by text. The nurse took my blood and said my white count was low. It was low enough that they cut my chemo strength by a small amount. The nurse said if they did not, I may not be able to get my treatment next week and would have a delay. They also cut my steroids since I broke out with so much acne. Getting better but still looks back to me. When I brushed my hair this morning a big hunk came out. The soreness on the scalp was much better. Look out baldness is coming.

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Jul 27 2021

July 27, 2021

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I have done two rounds of chemo so far – July 15 and 22. I will have chemo every week for 12 weeks. After the first round, I was exhausted as of July 15th. I sept a lot over the couple days before the chemo started, mostly, I believe, due to the port being put in. July 15th there were three drugs administered, Taxol which is chemotherapy, Herceptin and Perjeta, which are an immunotherapy, I believe. The second and third weeks are just Taxol. I was not as tired the second week. I am hoping I wont be as tired this Thursday.

This past week I broke out in a rash all over my face. It was actually acne. The doctor thinks it is a reaction to the pre-medication steroids. So I used my topical antibiotic (per doc’s instructions) that I use for acne to reduce the reaction. It worked. The acne is worse than anything I had as a teenager and hurts.

My hair is starting to come out more in the last day or so. At some point, I will have to shave my head. Not really looking forward to that. The second time I lost my hair, I did donate it. So if I time it right and have enough hair left, I will consider doing that again. This is very traumatizing for me as it is for a lot of woman – to loose their hair. If I was a short hair person, it would not matter maybe so much. I know it is sure easier to take of little or no hair. LOL – I am sure you can agree with that.

Side effects that I am having are nausea, digestive issues, fatigue, nose bleeding, and some headaches. I am suppose to drink a lot of water. If I don’t it is partially due to me forgetting. Sometimes things don’t always taste so go, even water.

Below is a photo a week or so before chemo and July 11th after my port was put in.

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