Finally - News from Genentech!

It’s Yom Kippur – so I really shouldn’t even be on my computer, but I didn’t want to wait to tell all of you my amazing news from tonight.  At 6 pm, I received a call from Stanford to tell me that Genentech has tested my tumors and they are PDL-1 positive.  What this means is that they have cleared me for participation in the PDL-1 study.  With about a 30% chance that my tumors would be eligible, I am still in shock that I got in.  It was so sweet – my new friend from Stanford, Lori, didn’t want to e-mail me with the news, but wanted to call so that she could hear me scream.  I gave her what she was hoping to hear.  I feel like I won the lottery.

The next step is to meet with Stanford on Thursday morning for Dr. Kohrt to do some final testing and analysis.  I’m not worried about these tests – they just want to make sure that my blood work is normal and that I haven’t had any other maladies that would complicate the study.  After going through the list on the phone – I think I’m good.  Throughout my life, I’ve been very healthy – except for the cancer.

The only thing that I’m marginally worried about is the CT scan.  They will be ordering a CT to have a baseline of my tumors.  At this point, the only thing that could keep me from participating in the study is if my tumors have disappeared.  All they need is one to show up – so funny enough, I’m hoping that my most recent chemo protocol didn’t destroy all the tumors.  It’s strange to want to find a tumor during a CT scan…..

If all goes as planned, I will be starting the study within the next 2 weeks (we have to wait for the chemo to be completely gone from my system). 

I feel so very very fortunate to be one of only 10 patients nationwide to be able to participate in the study.  I feel like I’m going to be a real pioneer in cancer research.  I pray that my experience will help thousands of others in the future.

When I got the news and started screaming for joy, Ellie and Pat left practicing her spelling words to come and see what was going on.  After finding out why I was screaming, they returned to their list of words to continue their work.  And, what was the next word on her spelling list?   The word “hope.”

Tomorrow I will return to Yom Kippur services.  On this day, the Book of Life will be sealed for the upcoming year.  I feel like getting the news on the eve of Yom Kippur is a little sign that this year is going to be one of healing.  For the first time in quite some time, I can begin to truly envision the long life ahead of me.