Guinea Pigs

On Saturday night, our family was fortunate to receive two fabulous guinea pigs from our dear friends who were looking for a good home for their adorable pets.  When they had put out a call to friends to see if anyone would be interested in adopting them, I jumped at the chance.  We had been talking about getting an animal partly because I felt that it would good for the girls to have a pet to help them deal with their feelings around my health.   Ellie wanted a lizard and she had been pushing me hard, so I am incredibly grateful that this opportunity came along right in the nick of time.

Since we picked up Sonic and Zorro last night, it has been remarkable to see how much the girls have fallen in love with them.  Ellie has found a whole new level of calm and both of the girls can’t stop petting their new buddies (those poor little guys – it’s probably just a tad overwhelming).  It has been so therapeutic for the girls.  I couldn’t be happier that these loving animals came into our lives.

Many of you have asked what’s going to be involved with the study.   I met with Dr. Holbrook Kohrt and his team at Stanford on Thursday to talk about the study and to do some tests.    After I jumped up and down hugging each member of the team (except Holbrook – he really isn’t a hugging sort of guy), they laid out the plan.

The protocol will involve going to Stanford every 3 weeks for blood work, an EKG and then an infusion of PDL-1 followed by another EKG.  They do not expect that I’ll have any side effects (which is amazing).  I’ve gone off of chemo since I have to clear it out of my body before we begin the study.  It is a phenomenal feeling not to be poisoning my body.

I will begin the study on October 11.  At this point, the only thing that could keep me from being able to participate would be if my next CT scan, set for October 4, does not show any tumors.  As you all know, I have been on chemo since the most recent onslaught of cancer was discovered at the beginning of the summer.  So – there is a slight possibility that the cancer may not show up (although we are certain that it is lurking).  It’s a surreal experience to hope that my next CT scan shows a tumor.   My new team told me that one tumor would be enough….so I’m asking you all get back to praying – but only for one tumor!

When I was at the Stanford Clinical Trial Building last week, I overheard a man introducing himself to a group and telling them that his wife was one of the “guinea pigs” being treated there.  It occurred to me that I am about to become one of the Stanford “guinea pigs.”    How ironic that we are now heading into an era where we have 3 guinea pigs in the family!  Talk about strange timing…

As Holbrook was leaving our meeting on Thursday, on his way out the door, he turned around and said “Eve, we are so glad to have you as part of the study – not just because you’re PDL-1 positive, but because you are so positive overall.  That bodes well for how you will do in the study.”  I’ll take that statement over a hug any day….

I can’t wait to begin.