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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: South Jersey
Posts: 516
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Re: Liver Ablation Scheduled
Hope everyone is having a happy and healthy Christmas season. As usual, the holidays came upon us too fast and are going by in a blur. My family and I enjoyed Christmas Eve Mass and a quiet dinner at home. Christmas Day was both joyful and chaotic as we also celebrated my daughter's 9th birthday with family and friends. Hoping to see more family tomorrow.
I'm so grateful to God for our faith. I know how traumatic a stage 4 cancer diagnosis is, but it seems even worse for those who don't believe in God. I've come across many different types of people throughout this journey, and without a doubt, those without faith in God's Faithfulness appear to suffer so much more, both emotionally and physically. They just seem so...sad. Please pray that the Lord claims them and shows His Truth in them.
It's not that I don't ever get mad or sad, but for the most part, I find myself looking forward to everlasting peace and eternal happiness. I know that I will face Judgment, but I know that I will also be forever in the presence of the One Who Loves Me Most. You know that warm, fuzzy feeling you get every Christmas? In Heaven, we'll have that ALL THE TIME! And I'll finally have superpowers! Not just the ones I make up in my head - LOL. And then, when we face the Final Judgment, my soul will be reunited with a glorified body! No pain, no self-image problems! How sweet it will be! And I look forward to spending this Eternity with all my loved ones - those who have gone before me and those who will come after me.
I told my family they are not to use this illness as an excuse to be less than the people God wants them to be. It's ok to grieve for a bit (after all, didn't Jesus Himself weep when he heard of the death of His friend, Lazarus?) But then they are to praise God and carry on. One day we'll all be enjoying Heaven and God's new earth, just like He promised. Imagine being able to take a hike in the woods or sleep under the stars without fear of tick bites (still trying to figure out why ticks were created in the first place). The world will once again be as perfect as He intended it.
Most of all, I look forward to seeing true happiness and contentment on the faces of my husband and children. They think I don't see the worry and fear, but I know it's there. It lurks just below the surface, just waiting for the right moment to take over their thoughts. By the Grace of God, His Peace, that surpasses all understanding, carries them through.
So Monday - the ablation is still scheduled for 9am. I think it'll take a couple of months to find out how successful it was, and in the meantime, I believe the oncologist wants me back on chemo. So I'm asking you yet again for more prayers. Prayers for guidance and for successul treatments. I've enjoyed these last few weeks without chemo and thank God for the nice break. But it's time to put the armor back on and get back into fighting mode.
Penny
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...but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)
Penny
July 2010 IDC grade 3 stage 3 er-/pr-/her2+++, BRCA2
Skin mets 11/10
1/12/11 Surgery path - complete response
Rads 2/11-4/11
Liver mets 11/11 now stage IV
Xeloda & Tykerb 12/11
Allergic reaction to Tykerb 12/11
Xeloda only 12/11
Added herceptin January 2012
Progression February 2012.
Started Veliparib (parp inhibitor) trial 3/5/12.
4/30/12 Liver met shrunk in half! Praise Jesus!
6/18/12 another 25% shrinkage, down to @3x3. Thank you, God!
8/8/12 Brain MRI - clear! Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ!
8/27/12 Thank You, God - another 20% decrease in liver met! Now @ 3.2x1.9.
10/5/12 stable-ish
11/21/12 allergic reaction to carboplatin
12/10/12 stable & progression
12/31/12 liver ablation
2/6/13 ablation successful but new tiny mets in liver. May or not be cancer.
Another ablation scheduled 2/28/13. Cancelled.
2/20/13 started taxotere & herceptin. Pretty toxic. Oncologist says start tdm1 4/3/13. From her lips to God's ears. Praying for no allergic reactions/adverse side effects.
3/28/13 increase in liver mets - number & size
4/3/13 started TDM1
6/25/13 Praise God! Scan shows only one viable lesion and it's smaller.
10/8/13 MRI shows 1 large and two small tumors.
10/11/13 Ablation of tumors. It's in God's Hands.
10/23/13 Jesus and TDM1
12/19/13 Started trial of palbociclib & herceptin after scan showed growth of liver tumor and a questionable spot on rib.
2/6/14 CT scan - previous suspicious spot on rib probably damage from radiation - Praise God! MRI - over 200% growth in cancer in liver.
2/19/14 started Navelbine, Perjeta, & Herceptin combo.
5/2-5/4/14 hospitalized with very high liver function numbers, plus skin and eyes are yellow, plus urine is orange. Feel ok, so doctor not sure if liver failing due to cancer, chemo, or infection. Hospital gets numbers to go down and sends me home. MRI done in hospital reveals cancer shrinking - praise God!
5/6/14 - 5/8/14 hospitalized with no white blood cell count. Released when they go back up, @ 6 days after doctor gave me a neulasta shot.
5/16/14 - informed blood cultures done in hospital are back and that I contracted hepatitis e. Have to take ribavirin (anti-hep med) until liver function numbers are back to "normal" before re-starting chemo. Will probably go on veliparib and temodar this time.
5/26/14 - my birthday - GI doctor informed me that the hepatitis e was completely gone - I didn't even need the anti-viral meds! This is a miracle from God!
5/28/14 - started veliparib and temodar (compassionate use)
8/18/14 MRI shows 90% growth in liver tumors
8/20/14 start Perjeta, Herceptin, & Navelbine. Thanking & giving Glory to God for each moment.
9/22/14 - 9/24/14 Hospitalized with 102.2 fever and neutropenia
11/13/14 ER for high fever and fast heart rate. Got both down with IV antibiotic and fluids. Sent home same night. Thank You, Lord!
12/2/14 MRI shows progression in liver. Grateful to God that I still feel good.
12/11/14 Simulated SIR-spheres. Successful. Real thing (1st lobe) scheduled for the 23rd. Also starting Xeloda on 22nd for 2 weeks because it's synergistic with the spheres.
12/23/14 SIR-spheres in left lobe of liver. On Xeloda 12/22/14 - 1/4/15.
1/7/15 Receiving Perjeta & Herceptin while awaiting next course of action.
2/9/15 SIR-spheres in right lobe of liver. On Xeloda for 2 weeks (started 2/8). Still on Perjeta & Herceptin. Don't know what's next for me. :-)
3/25/15 Final read on MRI report - there are new and multiple lesions in both lobes of liver. Sigh. Praise God I've made it this far!
4/1/15 Started Gemzar & Herceptin. 1st week G&H, 2nd week G only, 3rd week off. Thank You, Lord, for this option.
4/15/15 Labcorp - liver enzymes in 200's. Appointment 4/22 with oncologist to discuss. Also, "radiation recall" in previously treated area? Very itchy. Need to discuss.
4/22/15 Enzymes came down. Received reduced dose of Gemzar only. No herceptin. Will get labs at lapcorp next two weeks since taking break for vacation purposes. Treat radiation area.
5/9/15 ER for severe abdominal pain. Constipation. Sent home with meds and advice to follow up with oncologist regarding jaundice and bilirubin.
5/11/15 Hospitalized for rising bilirubin and jaundice. CT scan reveals larger and more constricting tumors in liver.
5/13/15 Met with my oncologist. Bilirubin came down. If still down by Monday, I'll get chemo. If not, than I guess I'll see you all in Heaven. Praise God. Please pray, pray, pray.
5/18/15 Bilirubin jumped up. Trying lowered dose of Ixempra, with Herceptin. Oncologist is surprised that I'm functioning so well, given the high bilirubin. I have anywhere from 2 weeks - 2 months to live.
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