Friday, November 20, 2015

Finally an update


It's been way too long. Life has been way too crazy.  Here's what we last found out.

He's responding to treatments - there is a reduction in the size of the tumors in the lymphnodes, based on the CT scan done to date.  He has another one scheduled the first week of December.

December 14th will be the last treatment in the study at MD Anderson, and his last infusion of the ublituximab - that being said, he will continue on the trial medication afterward- 

The Dr. at MD Anderson says he expects to see remission some time around April.  He'll have a PET scan done sometime around then. 

All the treatments and drugs he's been on has caused some other side effects.  He's dealing with hormonal imbalances now, and trying to get the doctors and insurance to understand that it is affecting his quality of life in all aspects has proven difficult.  He isn't sleeping well, and that is a direct result of the hormones being out of whack.  It's the little nuances that cancer and treatments affect that are proving to be the difficult parts to handle and treat.

With the medications, and lack of sleep his cognitive abilities continue to be an issue.  We were released from the neurology section of MD Anderson with them saying there wasn't anything they could do about it.  Wasn't expecting a team of that caliber to basically say "suck it up buttercup" without anything more being offered.  Disappointed yet again.

However a lot to be thankful for this year -  the treatments are working.   His results have been included in many different presentations to the worldwide onocological stage.  Now to just get through the next one and get a handle on the different side effects.

Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas!


Wednesday, June 24, 2015

The Battle Continues


It's been over a year now since we first started the testing routine again, and found out that Tex's lymphoma had returned.

Shortly after 4th of July he had started chemo up again.  It's been a year.  A really, really long year. Too many blood draws, and tests, and scans, and port being accessed, and hospitalizations. Battles with reactions to bug bites, and months of bronchitis and pneumonia, and reactions to medications....

In my purse, I have the CD of the latest CT scan.

... and can't do anything about getting the results until he goes back to MD Anderson on Monday.

He's gone through 6 months of aggressive chemotherapy which stopped working about half way through. And now 6 months of trial immunotherapies; which has shown improvement on the last scan 3 months ago.

 So now we're back to waiting.  His treatment routine changes up after this infusion on the 29th, He won't have another infusion until September. So we'll really get to see if the daily pills are working, or if the infusion is doing all the work.

One thing we found out, which was not explained to us at the start, this is a life long medication to keep the cancer cells in check.  The only way he would stop taking this, is if they do decide to do the stem cell transplant.  Which is still on the table, once he reaches remission.

There's a billion scenarios running through my head.  .... when he reaches remission.  Maybe he has.  He feels better for the most part.  There's still days, sometimes several in a row, that he stays down.  He's still anemic, we know that much from the blood work.  What if he hasn't?  Has this treatment stopped working too? What do we do then? I know there are more trial options...what if his insurance starts saying no....

And then, once I've worked myself into a tizzy with all the what ifs.... and now whats..... I remember.  Just for now.  Just for right now, this is where we are.  We've battled a year and if we have to, we'll battle another year.  And another, and as many as it takes to kick this cancer's ass.






Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Catching up...


It's been a whirlwind since we started the trial.  I can't say my opinion of MD Anderson has improved much.  After two conversations with the lady that handles the insurance approvals and referrals there, and hearing how much work it is processing our paperwork... I went off on her.  She's been a little more responsive since, but not much.  The trips to Houston have become almost routine. We keep our suitcase packed with what we'll need for the trip, have bought our own little coffee pot and bring decent coffee with us.  Packing up the car, unpacking when we get there- it's all on autopilot now -- even have a favorite diner to stop at for a bite on the way.

Tex is doing well on the study.  We've had to fight every step of the way though.  He had an unexpected -- and opposite -- reaction to the infusions than anyone else on the study.   He didn't have any kind of anaphylactic shock that we were worried about with it having the mouse DNA, but his blood pressure did spike to dangerous levels.  And trying to get them to understand this is NOT OK to just let happen and deal with the fallout then.. but to be proactive and prepare for it has been an uphill battle.  Even at this point going into the end of the 2nd cycle, they have not completed the notes so the nurses know what to deal with, and it's always an issue trying to get him into a room where he can be properly monitored.  Now at this point, they anxiety of having to deal with them is enough to increase his (and my) blood pressure!  They did finally adjust the infusion rate and the last two infusions went better, there was still a spike but not to the point he needed intervention.

Overall, the biggest toll seems to be on his cognitive abilities.  We did see a neurologist.  He's having a hard time with "chemo-brain" and coming up with the words to communicate his thoughts.  Says sometimes they are just there.. but they can't come out of his mouth, or don't come out right - other times the word is just gone completely.  This could be partly from the medications he is taking for the pain - and she thought maybe some sleep deprivation, too; so we're going to be working on a better way to keep a schedule, some light chores to do, and see if that helps with the sleep patterns.

We did get GOOD news on the CT scan that was done - the lymph nodes in his chest/abdomen are shrinking!  His blood work continues to look good, and we'll continue on the trial.  The schedule is easier now, infusion only once every 2 months, and continue on his daily chemo pills. We'll still need to go to Houston once a month to renew medications and do blood work, but overall an easier schedule that will hopefully let him build his strength back up again.

With the exception of getting bronchitis, he does seem to be feeling better overall.  The food battle continues.  He'll still go days without eating but the doctors say as long as he keeps hydrated it's ok.  He seems happy to have lost about 10 lbs, I'm less than enthused about it.  His doc at MD Anderson also wasn't pleased.  The goal now is to keep him from losing anymore weight, he'll need everything he has for the stem cell transplant.

There's no word yet on when that will be; have to get him into remission first.  Doc at MD Anderson says they usually see that between 6 and 9 months; we're in month 4 now. By God's grace he'll be in remission by the holidays this year!










 











Monday, February 9, 2015

Into the swing of things

It's been awhile since I've updated.... been busy dealing with MD Anderson and their screwy way of doing things, if they can make it the most difficult way possible, they will -- and then try to one up themselves.

After months and months of run around with insurance and getting all the ducks in a row, Tex did start on the study drugs last week.    We've committed to weekly visits to Houston for the next year-ish. 

He is 3 weeks on infusion and one week off.  Plus a daily trial  chemo pill that he takes at home.  So far, he seems to be tolerating them well.   He has had a couple of really down days, but can't say that it has been any worse than when he wasn't getting any treatment.  It's still early so we'll be playing the waiting game for awhile -  part of the down side to doing the studies -- you get to have the side effects and then let them know what's happened.

These drugs have already been tested, and there is substantial information about them in scholarly papers and from what has already been found there are very minimal side effects.  I am cautiously hopeful that this will continue to be a gentler treatment and take care of the cancer once and for all.

Time to get the bags packed and ready for another journey to Houston.  His 2nd infusion is tomorrow morning.

Keep praying! 




 
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