Wednesday, April 08, 2009

Mad Skills...




Here is Miss J, in all her wobbly glory, stepping around the living room. Hopefully we can finally give those dirty knees a rest and start getting some use out of our adorable shoes. Note to self...stop buying baby shoes, really, just stop, enough already.

In other news, I made it through chemo round #4. We added a new drug this time, Avastin, which is one of the newer monoclonal antibodies which is supposed to target the cancer cells and turn off their ability to build new blood supplies. The side effects aren't too bad, my blood pressure is up a little. I did have a reaction to the oxaliplatin this time, just a little itching, but they jacked me up with benadryl and steroids. I don't know what it means yet in terms of my ability to continue taking the drug. I'm hoping we can stick with it a little longer at least.

We met with a surgeon last Monday and came up with a new plan. We're going to do 2 more rounds of chemo and then switch over to chemo/radiation. The chemo will be weekly infusions and daily pills. The radiation will be 5 days/week for 5 weeks. Then I'll get a 4-week break before they'll do surgery to remove the peritoneal implant. Then another 6-weeks recovery before we start back up with the chemo infusions every two weeks for another 6 cycles.

Then we see what happens...the surgeon wasn't overly optimistic...said that in cases like this they rarely see surgery as curative. He said the peritoneal implant won't kill me, but it's an indication of the spread of disease and that's the problem. So we'll do chemo for a while first to try to knock back the microscopic disease and then go after the tumor. He talked us out of pursuing the hot chemo surgery (HIPEC) for now. He said with just a single known implant instead of widespread peritoneal disease, the mortality rate from the HIPEC surgery itself isn't worth the risk.

So I'm excited to have a plan. Chemo, chemo/radiation, surgery, recovery, chemo...then a break. So maybe in November and December we can have some nice time with no treatments. I'm feeling a little worn these days with the cumulative effects of the chemo and working and everything else. But really, more good days than bad.

9 comments:

dorothy said...

I see you use the universal "Pretty girl" to get her to look, but I also use "boom dee ay" as in ta ra ra boom dee ay, when they fall. What wonderful moments! Glad you have a plan. I'm not so great with the medical so I always have Therese explain it to me. Have a great Easter!
Love,
Aunt Dorothy

Art Usher said...

I know how cumulative the fatigue is from chemotherapy and am glad that you continue to persevere. Sorry to learn of the allergic reaction, hopefully they can simply administer that drug more slowly over a longer period of time rather than discontinue its application. I take it you have found a surgeon in Houston rather than any need to go to DC?

Anonymous said...

Juliette seems so pleased with herself and very confident even with the wobbles. She's just precious!
Easter blesssings to you, Sean, and the children.
Love and prayers,
Auntie Carol

Anonymous said...

I just showed Juliette's video to Will (Big Brown) - he's very excited to see her moves, but he's not sure what to think about those pale legs. Poor kid is only used to brown skin! Love yall! A

Anonymous said...

I love that little Miss Juliet is always dressed to the nines! Remind me to tell you about the ultimate girl's shoe website...see you soon. Love, Margaret

Anonymous said...

Hi Lisa, The video is precious. She looks kind of like Auntie Carol did as a toddler! Will your surgery be in Texas? I hope you're able to get some rest. I can't believe you're working through all of this. YOU do AMAZING THINGS! Happy Easter to you and your family. Love, Auntie Suzy

Leslie said...

Oh Miss Juliette is definatley a McLaughlin, or should I say an Allee. She is adorable and cruising along quite well. So glad to hear more good days then bad. Nothing wrong with that. And hey, light at the end of the tunnel..Nov or Dec. Yall have a Happy and Blessed Easter...

StaceyEricSullivan said...

Such a pretty little girl! I forgot how cute wobbly baby legs are!

Jane Johnstone said...

I don't know if you remember me but I worked at Chevron Phillips. I am retired now.
I wanted you to know that I am sending good thought toward you. I had colon cancer when I was 41 and I am 60 now.
If I can help, please let me know.
Jane Johnstone