Wednesday, January 5, 2011

The Vacation is Over

Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, FUCK! It's back. The biopsy of the rash on my breast is positive for cancer, so I'm headed back to chemo. My oncologist is also suspicious that what looked like pneumonia on the PET/CT could be cancer too. So on January 18th I'm scheduled to start chemo again. The plan is to try the same chemo cocktail as before (Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin). I am not totally convinced that it makes sense to reuse the same chemo so soon, but I'm going to give it a try. The rash on my breast is really easy to monitor so after two rounds of chemo we'll take a close look and if it doesn't look better (or if it looks worse) we'll move on to something new.

In the meantime I'm going to get a second opinion at UCSF (the closest comprehensive cancer center). I spent several hours today figuring out how to orchestrate that and at this point I've done my part. Now we wait first for my records to make their way to UCSF and then we'll wait again while they look over my records. I had a very good experience with the people over there so far. The first gentleman really talked me though the process nicely and then a couple hours later I got a call from the woman who will be collecting all my records as they come. She explained how things would work and even told me she'd call and keep me posted!

My cancer vacation is over for now, so I'll get back to updating here again. More details as they come.
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3 comments:

  1. AnnJanuary 6, 2011 at 7:40 AM

    I am so very sorry to hear of this setback. I'm really glad that you're going for a second opinion at the CCC at UCSF.
    My heart goes out to you and Keith.
    Love, ann

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  2. AnonymousJanuary 6, 2011 at 3:11 PM

    I am so very sorry to hear your news!! You are amazing; getting organized ASAP, seeking out advice and thinking about possible options! More power to you. I would just be a quivering and blithering idiot.

    I hope that you are successful in finding a useful and informative second opinion at UCSF.

    Take good care.

    Love, Jane

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  3. LJanuary 6, 2011 at 8:38 PM

    Oh, Eileen! I don't like this news at all! Glad your positive attitude hasn't gone anywhere. Let me know what you need--meanwhile, you're in my prayers.

    BTW, if you wanted a 3rd opinion, the John Wayne Cancer Institute in the LA area is supposed to be one of the world's best (although UCSF probably isn't too shabby, either). My first teaching job was just down the street from them. :)

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