Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Quick Health Update

I saw the oncologist yesterday (Monday). After reviewing my bloodwork it has been determined that I am no longer a candidate for chemotherapy. Basically - Chemo suppresses your bone marrow, as does radiation. My bone marrow has been so suppressed that it is not rebuilding itself. If I continue to do chemo it will just make me weaker and sicker and destroy, or at least dramatically impact, my quality of life. So, no more chemo!! YAY for me!! I am so thrilled. I am also a little concerned about what that means for my cancer, but I am grateful that I don't have to go through the side-effects of chemo again.

My doctor said that if we were seeing another doctor they might just say that they would send me to hospice and from what I understand of that, it's their way of saying - "Sorry, nothing more we can do for you." But my doctor has noticed that my body is fighting this cancer and that I am not showing all the symptoms/signs of some one who is as "sick" as I am. This gives him hope and so he is willing to try a very experimental treatment. This is so experimental that they are not even in clinical testing yet and in fact it is just a theory backed by one study of a doctor that shows promise. The treatment is that I take an extremely low dose of a certain drug that is usually used to help drug addicts get over their addictions. The size dose is about 10% of the traditional dose. I am not 100% sure that we are going this route, but it does sound promising and I don't have anything to lose - there are no side effects. I will be researching this over the next few days and probably start with it next week. We shall see.

Other than that, things here are going well. We are doing lots of homework, cleaning house, making dinner, running errands and just the everyday goings on for a Mom. Halloween is almost upon us and I think I am almost done with the costumes!! So excited!!

Hope all is well with you all. We love you and appreciate your prayers and kind thoughts in our behalf. Enjoy the remainder of your week, we will - with all our activities planned how could we not?!?!

4 comments:

Christine said...

Wow!!! Sounds like good news all the way around. It's so great that your body is able to fight the cancer on its own. We will keep praying for you and your family!!!

meg said...

Were always thinking and praying for you guys. miss you, love you!

Tami said...

kind of mixed news I guess - but i'm really happy for you that you don't have to do the yucky chemo and feel so dragged down and sick all the time. i imagine that must be a huge relief. and i still hold firm that if anyone can fight off this cancer with even nothing but positive energy - you can!

can't wait to see the kids costumes!

Meg and Ted said...

Kaci you are my inspiration of strength. we wish we could see you more and i want to see pictures of those cute kids of yours in their halloween costumes!!! lots of prayers coming to you. love meg and ted