Enhertu #20 + Zometa

I fit in one more infusion day while the boys were still in school.  It's fitting that this appointment was for the TWENTIETH DOSE of Enhertu.  

I'm ready for summer to begin, vacations to get going, and cancer to stay away.  

Thursdays with Tafur

 

Thursdays at the clinic are always packed, as that is the day that Tafur travels here from Lubbock.  This usually means that my wait time will be substantial, even if my only schedule is to meet with the oncologist.  I came prepared to wait today, as always.  

I was finally called back to another waiting room and the nurse came to check my vitals and be sure that my file was up-to-date.  I was also instructed to don the fabulous paper top, open to the front.  

Surpisingly, shortly after I was undressed and dressed in fabulous paper, Dr. Tafur and his nurse, Toni, were there.  

He was nothing but the best of news.  As I already knew, the CT scan was glowing with positive findings. Everything is stable, and stable is good.  

We will check the brain with an MRI in a month or so.  

My ECHO was also much improved from the last time.  My heart is getting stronger. 

He listened to my lungs and checked for any sore spots in my chest/back areas.  

"Do you have any questions for me?"

The only one I had prepared was "is there anything I can do to help my hair grow?"

"Not really, unfortunately.  I will write you a prescription for a wig, however."

Toni also knows a patient with an amazing wig collection, and she asked permission to share my number in order for her to contact me with more info. 

That was it.  All that waiting for 7 minutes (if that) with the doc.  

As he walked out the door, I jokingly commented: 

"You're welcome for a short and sweet visit, so you can gain time for today's more lengthy appointments."

He stopped, turned to look back in the room at me and said with a smile:

"Not just short and sweet.  This news is SUPER SWEET!"

There you have it.  Hearing that all was Super Sweet with me-for this day, anyway-had me walking the cancer journey with a smile and holding on to this merciful moment."

Enhertu 19 + Zometa

 

This appointment should. have been quick and easy.  All of my my vitals and lab work write ups were in normal ranges and there were no new scans to discuss. Dr. Tafur was in and out.   I had one question: is there anything I can do to help my hair to grow.  Quick answer: No

He did take a moment to talk about how much of "Super Sweet Appointment it truly was.  

He did a great job making me feel important.   

The waiting, it seems,  is mostly dependent on the time it takes to get my vitals back .  The pharmacy took forever!

I was able to wrap up my Sunday School 

Lesson and make it to meet Stephen for lunch, so no big misses.  

After that, I had a bad week of 

rumbly tumbly stuff. It was annoying to me AND the Stephen.

 One of the many ways my husband is able to to with getting my health.  An IV for Fluids.  

I'm just on the mend and starting to to feel well enough to write this post.  After being up from 1:35 am.  I'll need a bit of a power nap to try to get back on track today.  

CT + Results

 

I came to the clinic first to have my port accessed.  I didn't even have to request that little extra this time!  They are starting to get me.  I had plenty of time to wait because the waiting place was FULL.  I've only seen this on Thursdays, when my doctor comes from Lubbock.  Tuesday must be a day that one of the other oncologists comes for appointments.  

After the port access and blood drawn for lab work, I drove over to the Radiology department for a much shorter wait time.  My tech found me to ask about my PORT CARD and to deliver my *delicious cough syrup smoothie.*. My port information is already in the system, as my clinic nurse confirmed this morning, but they need to see it every time, the tech explained.  What the what!?!  By the way,  not once was this reminder on any of the pre-scan directions.  I went through this mess months ago, but "they need to see it every time."  GEEZ.  I don't think they are ever going to accept that I NEVER GOT A PORT CARD!  I have a photo in my phone that shows the product number and the fact that it is, in fact a Power Port.  "But it shows only the injection information for MRI, not CT, and I need to know that for today's scan." (Are you kidding me?  This is not my first rodeo.)

As the tech left to go ask for advice, I got to enjoy this smoothie.  It is MUCH worse that my former vanilla barium shakes, but I gulped it down as quickly as possible.  

Thankfully, the port info I brought, along with the info in the system was enough to proceed with the procedure.  (She actually never mentioned the whole mess again, and I did have the CT without needing an IV stick, so I'm just assuming it was enough,)

While waiting, I was FREEZING.  The temperature was over 100 today, so I didn't think about a sweater or jacket, and that was a mistake for waiting hours in a hospital setting.  I had to ask for some warm blankets to prevent hypothermia.  

The scan went fine.  The port worked, despite the prior fear.  

I went back to the cancer clinic to have the port removed, and headed home.  Due to having to fast all morning and the procedure not complete until almost noon, I barely made it home.  Driving in exhaustion and no food and no meds (I need food in my stomach before most of them) was not smart on my part.  I should have brought snacks for after the scan.  

Stephen was able to meet me for lunch.  And, my scan results were already entered into MyChart.  That's a sign that it was really easy to read--nothing to see here OR something really wrong that needed immediate attention.  

Thankfully, once again, I have been blessed with great news.  Here is the radiologist's impression:

No acute pathology within the soft tissues of the chest, abdomen, or pelvis.  

Stable CT chest, pelvis, and abdomen. 

Bony lesions of sternum, thoracic and lumbar spine are again noted and are stable in appearance.  

The impressions listed a more in-depth report, but all of these lead to an ALL CLEAR and NO CANCER CURRENTLY growing result!!!

Once again, that you for your prayers and concern and love.  I know that I have been blessed and will continue to give thanks for all the miracles in my life.  

I continue on the journey to kick this cancer to the curb.  

Cinco de Mayo ECHO

An ECHO is the easiest thing I do in this cancer journey.  Mucho Bueno!

The worst is the waiting time.  

The same tech who did my last scan was there to greet me when it was my turn, and immediately started asking about how everything went with my scans in Lubbock and my brain.  "How are you feeling?  Were they able to radiate everything with gamma knife?" I had forgotten that she saw me and heard my story right before that miracle occurred.  How happy she was to hear the good news and to have una rápida exam of mi corazón.  

After a few EKG stickers, some cold gel, a lovely conversation, and a collection of a couple dozen scans and videos of my heart, I was good to go to the casa.

There will be dark storms before light, thorns on the rose, and pain on the way to joy, but those willing to go on will find the happiness they seek.  

When a break in the hardships occurs, there is always room for tortas and fajitas and chips/salsa and tortillas and lovely chat with mi esposo on this lovely Cinco de Mayo.  

Adios, mis amigos!

 

Enhertu #18 [May the 4th Be With You]

 

I did not wear a Star Wars t-shirt, but I'm sure there is some counterpart character in some galaxy far, far away that I could have been embodying today.   

As I sat, and sat, and sat in the waiting area this morning, I began to ponder on what I could write about the past few weeks, leading up to this infusion.  

I thought back to an amazing beach trip, a horrendous return flight, an illness of fatigue that tested negative for the Wuhan, another ramped-up round of congestion, cough, and major headaches.  Between allergies and wind and pollen and fires and smoke and other crud and dirt in the air, my nose could have just been overworked.  When I became fatigued and drained and unable to sleep due to the headaches because they were major sinus ones and the snot was green, I was pretty sure it was a sinus infection from all that junk.  I wanted to do something about it before the infection turned into an ear infection (or two) because I  have been struck with that before, with no access to needed meds before my ear drums burst.  

Thankfully, I was able to get the needed meds and am on the mend.  

Yes, it's another grievous saga of my journey of navigation through this universe of fighting cancer.  However, I didn't want to travel straight to the tales of wars and space and the force and all the analogies in that realm.  I was thinking about more.  

I have this necklace with an 'M' that was a recent gift to myself.  

I wore it today for positive momentum and a grateful heart.  

I had to take my older sons to middle school, run home, grab a few items to take to my appointment, and head that way.  As I was doing a last walk-through, I noticed my name necklace was not in place.  I checked my wig and clothing and around the floor of my room and bathroom and retraced the places in that house I had walked earlier this morning to check for a locked from door or to switch a light off.  Nothing.  I knew there was no more time to spend in the search, and that it was a thing and not *that* important.  

I did, however, say a prayer of gratitude for my health and the miracles I have been blessed with lately and long ago, and asked for safety in today's voyage.  Then, I made one, little, teeny bit of a request for help, if He could,  give me a clue about this *treasure* hunt I had started with no success. With little anxiety one- -way-or-the=other over finding this little symbol of hope and gratitude, I grabbed my things and headed for my car.  Immediately, I had the thought that I had been driving earlier that morning, and to check.  Opening the door, I saw the golden chain caught on the seatbelt, ready and waiting.  The smallest, teeny-tiniest, insignificant request in faith, while acknowledging its near-meaninglessness for immediate--if at all answer that came back with an instantaneous prompt.  

There are tender moments that may only be of personal significance, but are there if we seek to find them with willing hearts.  That witness of God's place in our life sometimes occurs just to prompt us to move forward in faith.  Sometimes, it's to remind us to remember things we already know and should never forget.  We all walk an individual path of trials and travels through adversity or misadventures. An answer does not always come so quickly, or at all, on how to overcome and for what purpose we are to experience a challenge as it did for me today, but I was reminded that some things take lifetimes and require patience and perseverance.  

And, sometimes there are no answers, no matter how much you ask and ponder and seek.  I was reminded of something Jeffery R. Holland said:

“If for a while the harder you try, the harder it gets, take heart. So it has been with the best people who ever lived."

Today, my easy answer came, and I am healing from my infection, and infusion went fine.  

If your things are fine or *fine* or not fine at all, Just remember, to keep on keeping on, look for the victories, know that the answers may come slowly and with a difficult fight.  Work hard do right and someday you will find the light.