On Thursday, I started my new chemo regimen. We’ve dropped Irinotecan and are continuing only with Avastin and Xeloda. What does that mean? Well – I no longer have to worry about nausea, diarrhea or hair loss (good bye my dear Penguin Cold Caps, which saved EVERY hair on my head!). Avastin has almost no side effects. It was amazing. So my new regimen is receiving an Avastin infusion every 3 weeks and taking Xeloda (in pill form) for 7 days on, then 7 days off. There are side effects associated with Xeloda. For me the most bothersome is extremely dry hands and feet. At the end of my last 7 day cycle with Xeloda, I had trouble walking because of the combination of dry feet and neuropathy. But I can handle it. So many people have it so much worse.
Dr. Smith also spent some time with me outlining the meaning of my CT scan. He told me that the spots that he saw were smaller than they appeared on previous scans, but even more importantly, they were a lot less dense. He said that this means that there is probably dying or dead cancer inside of them. He then said the best thing of all “Eve, you will most likely never get rid of those spots completely. We will probably still see those spots 40 years from now in your scans.” I stopped him immediately and asked him to repeat what he had just said. 40 years from now? Did he really utter those words? I’ve been hoping for 4 years. When I called him on it, he just smiled.
Yesterday, the girls and I went with some dear friends to a place that was filled with trampolines. I decided not just to watch them, but to get in there and jump with them. The feeling of elation and gratefulness overwhelmed me as I flew through the air. As the laughter of my children surrounded me, I realized that I am beating the odds. I am going to live.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Monday, December 13, 2010
A BIG PHEW!!!
Tonight I received an e-mail from my oncologist with the results from Friday's CT scan. To quote Dr. Smith:
“Your scan looked great. I see only 2 spots, which are much smaller than before. It is likely that there is no longer any cancer in them, but it is hard to tell for sure.”
The plan is to move forward with Avastin and Xeloda chemo for the next 3 months, but drop the most intense chemo drug, Irinotecan. We will then check once again and hopefully those 2 spots will have been absorbed. With the removal of Irinotecan from my chemo regimen, I no longer have to worry about hair loss. Those Penguin Cold Caps pulled me through with my hair intact!
A huge thank you to all of you for your prayers and positive thoughts. This is a good day. A very very good day.
“Your scan looked great. I see only 2 spots, which are much smaller than before. It is likely that there is no longer any cancer in them, but it is hard to tell for sure.”
The plan is to move forward with Avastin and Xeloda chemo for the next 3 months, but drop the most intense chemo drug, Irinotecan. We will then check once again and hopefully those 2 spots will have been absorbed. With the removal of Irinotecan from my chemo regimen, I no longer have to worry about hair loss. Those Penguin Cold Caps pulled me through with my hair intact!
A huge thank you to all of you for your prayers and positive thoughts. This is a good day. A very very good day.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Penguin Cold Caps!
As those of you who follow this blog know, during my current chemotherapy, I am not only fighting to save my life, but fighting to save my hair. Why do I care so much about the hair? It gives me and my family a sense of normalcy as we go through this difficult journey together. When my children see me, they see the mom that they’ve always known and they’re not as scared. Professionally, I have the choice to tell people that I wish to tell about my cancer – it is not being advertised for everyone to see. And finally, and probably most importantly, when I look in the mirror, I don’t see someone who looks sick, I see a strong, healthy person and that gives me the strength to fight.
I am pleased to announce that it has worked! I actually think that I have more hair than when I started. Our local ABC affiliate in the San Francisco Bay Area was so interested in this story that they came to my office and to my chemo appointment to film the process. They ran the story last Monday night and here is the link to their coverage: http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news%2Fhealth&id=7828760.
A big thank you to ABC in helping to get the word out about this terrific option for cancer patients!
Kenra
To add to the Penguin Cold Caps week, on Tuesday I flew to Indianapolis (I was actually in DC for business and flew to Indianapolis from DC just for the night and flew back to DC to continue my lobbying the next morning) to help launch a very exciting new charitable effort. Kenra (a high end hair products company that is in 20,000 salons nationwide) has decided to put their charitable giving efforts to help people save their hair during chemo. On Tuesday night, they announced that by 2013 it is their goal to provide a freezer for Penguin Cold Caps to every location in the US that dispenses chemotherapy. That is more than 2300 hospitals! At $7-10K per freezer, that is not a small undertaking. They will be raising the money and giving it to the Rapunzel Project, which is a charity that was created by a former Penguin Cold Cap user. The Rapunzel Project raises and donates funds to buy freezers for the cold caps. Kenra gave them $50K on Tuesday and plan to give them more over the next several years to fulfill their dream of enabling patients throughout the US to save their hair during a very traumatic time in their lives.
I felt very honored that Kenra flew me out to speak at the launch of this effort. They also flew out the President and Founder of the company that makes Penguin Cold Caps as well as the founders of the Rapunzel Project. The leadership of the company was inspirational and everyone that worked there was so loving and supportive. They told me that I am now part of the Kenra family (and I’ll never have to buy hair product again!). What a family to join. I literally fell in love with everyone there. Please buy Kenra products from your local salon – they not only make amazing products, but this company has a huge heart as well.
After returning to DC on Wednesday morning, I spent the next couple of days walking the halls of Congress on behalf of the Port. It was a very intense week, but a good one. As I was “complaining” to Pat before I left about how crazy my life was, Pat just looked at me and said “Eve, you’re living your life. That is the best thing you can do.” He was right. I am living my life. I’m showing cancer who’s boss.
On Friday, I went back to Stanford for a CT scan. This is my first CT scan since my surgery last July. I’m on pins and needles waiting for the results. I’m trying not to let fear take ahold of me, but it’s hard not to. I keep wondering if my life will be shaken once again. This week I should get the results back (maybe as early as tomorrow). Please keep me in your prayers.
Finally, I will be heading into another round of chemo on Thursday. Please send me all of your wonderful energy as I head back into battle. During this holiday time, I reflect on the story of Chanukah where the Maccabees crushed the Greek Army – which was truly a miracle. I pray that I will also experience a miracle in crushing the cancer in the Maccabee spirit of long long ago.
I am pleased to announce that it has worked! I actually think that I have more hair than when I started. Our local ABC affiliate in the San Francisco Bay Area was so interested in this story that they came to my office and to my chemo appointment to film the process. They ran the story last Monday night and here is the link to their coverage: http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news%2Fhealth&id=7828760.
A big thank you to ABC in helping to get the word out about this terrific option for cancer patients!
Kenra
To add to the Penguin Cold Caps week, on Tuesday I flew to Indianapolis (I was actually in DC for business and flew to Indianapolis from DC just for the night and flew back to DC to continue my lobbying the next morning) to help launch a very exciting new charitable effort. Kenra (a high end hair products company that is in 20,000 salons nationwide) has decided to put their charitable giving efforts to help people save their hair during chemo. On Tuesday night, they announced that by 2013 it is their goal to provide a freezer for Penguin Cold Caps to every location in the US that dispenses chemotherapy. That is more than 2300 hospitals! At $7-10K per freezer, that is not a small undertaking. They will be raising the money and giving it to the Rapunzel Project, which is a charity that was created by a former Penguin Cold Cap user. The Rapunzel Project raises and donates funds to buy freezers for the cold caps. Kenra gave them $50K on Tuesday and plan to give them more over the next several years to fulfill their dream of enabling patients throughout the US to save their hair during a very traumatic time in their lives.
I felt very honored that Kenra flew me out to speak at the launch of this effort. They also flew out the President and Founder of the company that makes Penguin Cold Caps as well as the founders of the Rapunzel Project. The leadership of the company was inspirational and everyone that worked there was so loving and supportive. They told me that I am now part of the Kenra family (and I’ll never have to buy hair product again!). What a family to join. I literally fell in love with everyone there. Please buy Kenra products from your local salon – they not only make amazing products, but this company has a huge heart as well.
After returning to DC on Wednesday morning, I spent the next couple of days walking the halls of Congress on behalf of the Port. It was a very intense week, but a good one. As I was “complaining” to Pat before I left about how crazy my life was, Pat just looked at me and said “Eve, you’re living your life. That is the best thing you can do.” He was right. I am living my life. I’m showing cancer who’s boss.
On Friday, I went back to Stanford for a CT scan. This is my first CT scan since my surgery last July. I’m on pins and needles waiting for the results. I’m trying not to let fear take ahold of me, but it’s hard not to. I keep wondering if my life will be shaken once again. This week I should get the results back (maybe as early as tomorrow). Please keep me in your prayers.
Finally, I will be heading into another round of chemo on Thursday. Please send me all of your wonderful energy as I head back into battle. During this holiday time, I reflect on the story of Chanukah where the Maccabees crushed the Greek Army – which was truly a miracle. I pray that I will also experience a miracle in crushing the cancer in the Maccabee spirit of long long ago.
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