I'm Slacking.....

I just realized it has been 2 months since my last post.  That was when I found out my option was to try Opdivo - the immunotherapy.

Since the 2nd week of January, I have been going every two weeks for an infusion which takes about 2 hours.  The "side effects" have been minimal.  Fatigue for 3-5 days after each infusion.  Now, that doesn't mean I'm great the rest of the time. I still have issues from just having one lung, but, that is my new normal.

About 3 weeks ago I did have a scare.  I caught a cold.  Cancer patients have very bad immune systems to fight of infection.  When on Opdivo, no one really knows what it does to your immune system, so I have to be very careful where I go and who I am around.

Anyway, the cold really got me.  It was a coincidence that same week I had an appointment with my Lung (Pulmonary Doctor) who was not pleased with my cold and inability to get proper oxygen in my lungs.  She immediately gave me a breathing treatment and put me on a strong antibiotic.  Luckily, it worked and within several days I was feeling better.

Soooo.....I continue to go every two weeks for Opdivo infusions.  I will not have scans until May to check if it is working.  That makes me a bit anxious to wait that long but apparently it takes up to 2 months for the Opdivo to put my immune system in "hyper mode." (for lack of a better term).  Once it reaches that special level, then it makes my immune system target the cancer cells and kill them.  So they want me on it another 2 more months believing that would be sufficient time to see if it is doing what it's supposed to do.

My inspiration EVERYDAY!! My beautiful grandson, Cameron.  He's the best <3 <3

And, I listen to this recording my daughter, Maria, made several years ago.  It gives me courage and strength to continue on. Click on her name to see it.
Maria Toth

When Someone You Know Has Cancer

A list of basic do’s and don’ts when someone you know has cancer.........

Do:

• Take your cues from the person with cancer. Some people are very private while others will openly talk about their illness. Respect the person’s need to share or their need for privacy.
• Let them know you care.
• Respect their decisions about how their cancer will be treated, even if you disagree.
• Include the person in usual plans and social events. Let them be the one to tell you if the commitment is too much to manage.
• Listen without always feeling that you have to respond. Sometimes a caring listener is what the person needs the most.
• Expect the person with cancer to have good days and bad days, emotionally and physically.
• Keep your relationship as normal and balanced as possible. While greater patience and compassion are called for during times like these, your friend should continue to respect your feelings, as you respect their feelings.
• Offer to help in concrete, specific ways.

Don’t:

• Offer advice they don’t ask for, or be judgmental.
• Feel you must put up with serious displays of temper or mood swings. You shouldn’t accept disruptive or abusive behavior just because someone is ill.
• Take things too personally. It’s normal for the person with cancer to be quieter than usual, to need time alone, and to be angry at times.
• Be afraid to talk about the illness.
• Always feel you have to talk about cancer. The person with cancer may enjoy conversations that don’t involve the illness.
• Be afraid to hug or touch your friend if that was a part of your friendship before the illness.
• Be patronizing. (Try not to use a “How sick are you today?” tone when asking how the person is doing.)
• Tell the person with cancer, “I can imagine how you must feel,” because you really can’t.

A New Year....New Challenges

Happy New Year!! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season.  It was pretty good on this end.  Not having chemo at the moment makes everything better.

I did have a Cat Scan this morning to check to see if the new spot that they found on my right lung in November has gotten bigger.  I won't get the results for that until Thursday.

February 2014 is when I was first told I had lung cancer.  Had surgery.  Had chemo (multiple times).  Had radiation.  There was no way in hell I would ever have thought I would be still blogging in 2016.  I can only thank God, my children and my grandson.  They are what have always given me the strength and determination to fight this beast.

There may be another spot now.  I may have to start treatments all over again.  But, that doesn't matter.  In the past 23 months I have watched my children grow and mature, my one son graduate with his Masters Degree and my grandson have 2 more birthdays.  These are the things that truly matter.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!  I hope you were able to spend the day with family and friends and ate too much :)

We were all together with all 7 kids, several girlfriends and a boyfriend, it was a full house.  Cameron (my 8 year old grandson) went around the long table and asked all 16 of us what we were thankful for....I could only say, "for being with all of you right now."  I was blessed today.

Things have been fairly quiet here.  Still no determination on the spot on my right lung.  My biopsy came back negative for cancer but my Oncologist thinks it is a false negative because it is so small.  So we have another CT Scan scheduled for January 4th.  Until then, I enjoy my days without chemotherapy - YAHOO.

I still have a lot of pain on my left side of my back, left shoulder and left upper arm.  There is a tremendous amount of scar tissue from my shoulder to my waist from my lung removal, so the pain is a result of that.  Thank Goodness for pain patches and Oxycodone.