Not such great news (4/19/17)
Good evening. So I am here with my latest update. Today I met with my Dr. to discuss my PET scan that I had yesterday. To my disappointment, my cancer has progressed. I am going to describe the information the best I can. How they determine this is by comparing scan to scan. So in this case my most recent PET scan not counting yesterday was February 9th. In that time every tumor had grown (not by a ton) but had increased in size and a an increase in standardized uptake values (SUV). That means instead of the cancer cells dying off they are lighting up brighter in the scan which means they are alive. In addition, I have 1 new tumor on my liver and 1 new small periportal lymph node involved. So with all of that, my doctor has suggested an immuno-therapy drug called Erbitux. Studies show it has good results with metastic colon cancer. I will start this next week. I will have this infusion every week and then a scan at 12 weeks. If its working I will be on it until it stops working. Luckily the most common side effect is fatigue but if you google it there are some not so nice ones! lol…
Its strange…in my heart I knew that it wasn’t going to be great news but I have to say it could have been worse. I’m a little numb at the moment just thinking about stuff anybody would like starting a new drug and hoping it works, am I going to experience the side effects, what happens if it doesn’t work.
I have thoughts about statistics….oh those statistics can eat you alive…I have to remember I am my own statistic and I can’t get hung up on them…I am battling the 2nd deadliest form of cancer in the US. People with my diagnosis with treatment have a life expectancy of 2 to 5 years…it’s almost been a year.. I’m not going to lie, I lose sleep over it…
Enough of that!! I trust God has a plan for me. I trust that whatever happens is part of why I am on this earth. With that said he created me to be stubborn, relentless and a fighter so that’s what I am going to be!! I have my moments when I don’t feel so strong and I feel life is unfair but I love to many people to let this take me down! So lets get to work!
Sorry that was kinda long lol
I want to thank you all once again for all of your prayers and support to my whole family! It means the world to me!!
I will update next week after I get my first dose of the new med!
Love always!!XOXO
Jessica