gaile's Cancer Blog
October 17, 2007
| Oh My, 2nd Line Didn't Work, On to 3rd Line and Gamma Knife! | Views: 1235 |
My first line of chemo, 11 months ago, was very difficult, but the results were amazing. I was on Taxol, Carboplatin, and Avastin. That was Dec. 2006-March 2007. My tumor marker from my lung cancer started at 2000, at the end of chemo it was down to 14.5!
Then I joined a clinical trial drug that almost killed me. That capsule (Tarceva, also known as Erlotinib) landed me in the hospital for 8 days with interstitial lung disease. I then took a 6 week break from all chemo to heal my body. I went back onto Avastin which is one thing I had been on from the start. My tumors were once again growing. Some were not recurring, some were larger, and some were new. So I started on 2nd line therapy, still on Avastin, adding Alimpta, 4 cycles. I started getting dizzy spells at the end of the therapy so my doc ordered a brain MRI. And yes, 2 brain tumors. I then had a PET scan where my 2 liver tumors had become 4, my one pelvic lymph node had added 2 tumors for company, and my spine had developed another tumor. My tumor markers are slowly climbing, now at 370.
So yesterday I started 3rd line chemo: Carboplatin (again), and now VP-16. I will have Gamma Knife surgery to my brain tumors next week. I feel great, but just tired.
I am not a smoker and find people’s attitudes toward my lung cancer to be one of disdain. They assume all lung cancer to be self induced by smoking. There is little pity. No one believes I am not a smoker.
My doctors are ALL wonderful and I feel I am in superb hands. Sutter Cancer Center in Sacramento is an amazing team. The physicians are impressive, each member of the team who I have dealt with has been extraordinary. My doc is Dr. Ong and she is brilliant. All of the staff in all departments are kind and supportive. The Gamma Knife staff is of the same high caliber. I highly recommend this facility to anyone in Northern California.
Wish me luck, please, put me in your prayers. I was blessed with 6 wonderful months from April through September to enjoy travel, family, and friends. I was even blessed by the Dalai Lama in a stadium of over 10,000 people on Maui. He walked right up to me (to the terror of the Secret Service and the SWAT teams protecting him) held onto my hand with both of his and said a prayer over me. I was stunned and thrilled, and indeed felt blessed.
I am hoping for some more time. My kids are 18 and 20 and just beginning their college lives and dealing with some health problems of their own. Last Thanksgiving, when I was diagnosed, I was given 18 months to live – with chemotherapy, 6 months without. I have made it 11 months so far but the tumors are growing and invading faster now. My parents are 83 and 90 and terrified, they depend on me so much. My husband is not self-reliant and can’t even pay a bill or manage a budget. I have some more training to attempt with him. We also need to move as without my income (a third of our total) we can’t stay in our present home.
I feel this chemo and radiation with be effective in giving me some more time. I really do feel it. I pray that all of you reading this have good results and are given what you need, be it full recovery, or time to close your life in a meaningful way.
Love to you all. May we all develop the strength we need and find the love and support we require to make it through each moment. Remember to live in THIS moment, it is all we really have. The future has yet to happen and the past is gone. There are no “re-dos”. Make each moment count.
Gaile
Oh My, 2nd Line Didn't Work, On to 3rd Line and Gamma Knife!, 
9 comments)
06.22.08 - 
Thanks for your support -
You’re right, Gaile. We have to make each moment of our lives count, savor and treasure them before once they’re gone, they’re gone forever.
You’re fervently in my prayers. Don’t give up the fight. Keep fighting and living. Seize each of your moments and make them special. Hugs…Grace
Gaile, please keep fighting. This round of chemo may be the one or it may get you to another round that will.
There are new treatments all the time.
Gaile, please hang in there…..new treatments are coming out every day. Can you get cyber knife treatment on some of your tumors? Sue
Hi,
I am from Road of Life: Cancer Prevention for Kids and I just wanted to tell you a little bit about our great program.
Road of Life: Cancer Prevention for Kids is a non-profit organization with a mission to eradicate preventable cancer and diseases of excess by educating children about the smoking, fitness, and nutrition decisions they can make to lead healthier lives.
We provide health programs FREE for download right off our website. Our programs consist of a classroom curriculum, after school program, a family program, and a Health Care Careers Program.
If you have any questions or if you would like more information, please feel free to visit www.roadoflife.org. We understand how hard it can be to battle it alone, and it is always great to have group support.
Gaile, I am so very sorry for what you are going through. It just isn’t fair. My children are grown so I do not feel as bad for myseft then for people like you that still have many things that you want to do for your children. My husband is like yours…he has only wrote one check in the 34 years we have been married. He asked me once which bank we went to…duh! And, he doesnt care to learn which makes it harder. I am happy to hear that your Mom is helping you and cooking for you and your daughter helping too, that is nice. They are there for you thats good. Look up and smile—even though we forget at times- God loves us.
Gaile how did you results come out????
Oh Gaile! That is such GREAT GREAT news! WOOHOO! I’m dancing a jig for ya! You’re a fighter girl so keep on swinging!
Love,
Grace
You were blessed by Dalai Lama ! WOW! That should really help! I am praying for you Gaile.
I will pray for you as I am praying for my sister who ws diagnosed with the same cancer. She is waiting to see if she is a candidate for cyberknife and I hope she is. I will find out more today after she gets the results of the last PET scan. You will get well….