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Post by flanz on Feb 3, 2016 17:03:51 GMT
... check in with us soon. Hope you can feel the love coming at you from all angles from your RefuPEEPS! xox
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Post by myboysnme on Feb 3, 2016 17:13:53 GMT
I think she just checked in on a recent thread a few days ago and seemed to be herself which is a very good thing!
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Post by compwalla on Feb 3, 2016 17:40:53 GMT
I just finished my first week of chemo. Pretty brutal. I learned a hard lesson: take the anti-nausea meds on a regular schedule whether you think you need them or not. I was feeling ok and didn't take any before bed on Friday, slept in a little on Saturday, and got behind the curve. Spent all day Saturday barfing. Couldn't even keep down sips of water and nibbles of saltine. Sunday was a little better. I managed tea and rice and crackers. But it left me dehydrated and I would nearly faint every time I stood up so I had to go back to infusion Monday for a bag of fluids. It was really bad. I couldn't even stand up in the shower. I showered sitting on the floor of my shower on Sunday night. Ugh.
I had a scan two days before I started chemo and compared to my November scans, the two little lung nodules are growing. Saw my oncologist yesterday and he said that starting chemo was the exact right thing to do. We're going to do another round of chemo and then rescan me in March. We're hoping the lung nodules shrink and if they do, yay. If they don't, we will talk about ablation or radiation. He said since everywhere else looks good he wants to "bathe my organs" in chemo to kill any cancer at the microscopic level before they become nodules. We are hitting it hard with both conventional and oral chemo to try and push it down for as long as possible. Chemo is not curative for this cancer; we are basically trying to buy me time.
They did foundation one testing on my tumor and didn't find any gene mutations that would respond to any targeted therapies either approved or in clinical trials. Next is looking at immunotherapy and other chemo clinical trials. The bottom line is that unless we can find something new, this cancer will keep coming back and will eventually kill me. Adrenal cancer is wickedly aggressive and notoriously unresponsive to traditional therapies. But I don't have diffuse metastasis and my team is hopeful that I will be here at least a few more years. Maybe by then they will have made progress (GO JOE BIDEN!) that will be the answer for me and others fighting this fight.
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Post by mikklynn on Feb 3, 2016 17:45:13 GMT
Keep the faith compwalla. DH has been fighting widely spread renal cancer for nearly nine years. What has saved him are the new drugs being developed at an astounding rate, compared to nine years ago. Like adrenal cancer, renal cancer does not respond to traditional chemo or radiation. When one of his drugs stops working, there have been new ones to try. He is currently doing a combo of anti-cancer meds and immunotherapy in a clinical trial. You have been in my prayers, Virginia.
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valleyview
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,816
Jun 27, 2014 18:41:26 GMT
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Post by valleyview on Feb 3, 2016 17:53:49 GMT
I'm sorry that the nausea snuck up on you. I hope that all goes better in the second round of chemo. And, I hope that the chemo clears the lung spots.
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valincal
Drama Llama
Southern Alberta
Posts: 5,637
Jun 27, 2014 2:21:22 GMT
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Post by valincal on Feb 3, 2016 17:54:17 GMT
Thanks for sharing your journey so honestly. Stay strong, Virginia. Take care.
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Post by shescrafty on Feb 3, 2016 18:03:57 GMT
You have always had a strong spirit and that will serve you well! It sounds like your team has a plan A, and other plans ready tomgo as the need should arise. Continued vibes, thoughts, and wishes for strength and clarity as you move forward.
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scrapngranny
Pearl Clutcher
Only slightly senile
Posts: 4,763
Jun 25, 2014 23:21:30 GMT
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Post by scrapngranny on Feb 3, 2016 18:13:02 GMT
Keeping you in my thoughts. Hoping the future chemo is easier on you. (((Hugs)))
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Post by jloubier on Feb 3, 2016 18:32:02 GMT
I think of you often and admire your courage in the face of this terrible diagnosis.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
May 19, 2024 8:33:11 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Feb 3, 2016 18:37:56 GMT
Sending hugs your way.
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lesley
Drama Llama
My best friend Turriff, desperately missed.
Posts: 7,180
Location: Scotland, Scotland, Scotland
Jul 6, 2014 21:50:44 GMT
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Post by lesley on Feb 3, 2016 18:40:58 GMT
Thank you for your update, I've been thinking about you. Hugs to you and your family.
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calgal08
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,519
Jun 27, 2014 15:43:46 GMT
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Post by calgal08 on Feb 3, 2016 18:58:49 GMT
You are such a strong woman. We are all thinking about you.
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Post by crazy4scraps on Feb 3, 2016 19:11:55 GMT
You're in my thoughts. Hang in there!
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Post by flanz on Feb 3, 2016 19:53:08 GMT
Oh, Virginia, I'm so sorry you had such an awful experience with the nausea due to your chemo. I hope that by keeping on top of the anti-nauseants you will avoid that in future rounds. I pray that the poisons in your body kill the cancer cells and that new developments in treatments will find a cure for you. OR buy you lots and lots more time here with your loved ones! Like others have said, your courage and spirit are impressive and inspiring. YOU are an inspiration! SEnding you love, and including you in my morning Loving Kindness meditations.
Virginia, May you be filled with loving kindness. May you be safe from inner and outer danger. May you be well in body, heart and mind. May you be at peace and completely happy.
xo
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Post by elaine on Feb 3, 2016 19:56:40 GMT
Virginia, I am sorry the chemo is being so rough. I am sending good thoughts and wishes your way. Take care.
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Post by KelleeM on Feb 3, 2016 20:07:13 GMT
Thinking of you. Cancer sucks. And chemo is horrible.
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Post by ktdoesntscrap on Feb 3, 2016 20:08:25 GMT
Keeping you in my thoughts.
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k8scraps
Junior Member
Posts: 82
Location: The Beautiful Berkshires
Aug 12, 2014 14:10:04 GMT
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Post by k8scraps on Feb 3, 2016 20:14:52 GMT
Oh, my! I had no idea what's been up with you since I'm just not around as much as I used to be
So sorry you are having to face this.
Don't ever skip your anti-nausea drugs! When I did chemo for breast cancer several years ago, I never actually got sick (although I always felt like I had just gotten off an amusement park ride - and not in a good way...)
Wishing you the best, k8
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Post by hop2 on Feb 3, 2016 20:15:50 GMT
Keeping you in my thoughts. {{{hugs}}}
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oh yvonne
Prolific Pea
Posts: 8,003
Jun 26, 2014 0:45:23 GMT
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Post by oh yvonne on Feb 3, 2016 20:15:50 GMT
Keep the faith compwalla . DH has been fighting widely spread renal cancer for nearly nine years. What has saved him are the new drugs being developed at an astounding rate, compared to nine years ago. Like adrenal cancer, renal cancer does not respond to traditional chemo or radiation. When one of his drugs stops working, there have been new ones to try. He is currently doing a combo of anti-cancer meds and immunotherapy in a clinical trial. You have been in my prayers, Virginia. this is so encouraging to read. I pray your husband continues to get such wonderful care. My prayers that they continue to find more and more treatments and a cure for this horrible disease. Virginia, you are always in my thoughts, I'm so sad you are so so sick from all this, but it is encouraging they really know what they are doing to fight this. You sound like you have an awesome team.
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Post by Chips on Feb 3, 2016 20:19:24 GMT
Virginia - ((((hugs)))), love and healing being sent your way!
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Post by leannec on Feb 3, 2016 20:29:31 GMT
Positive thoughts and hugs coming your way
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Post by chaosisapony on Feb 3, 2016 20:50:11 GMT
I'm another that thinks about you often. It sounds like you have a good team of doctors helping you. I hope the chemo goes as easily as possible. Hang in there.
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Post by malibou on Feb 3, 2016 20:56:49 GMT
Keeping you tucked up in my thoughts
J
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flute4peace
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,757
Jul 3, 2014 14:38:35 GMT
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Post by flute4peace on Feb 3, 2016 21:28:08 GMT
Keep the faith compwalla . DH has been fighting widely spread renal cancer for nearly nine years. What has saved him are the new drugs being developed at an astounding rate, compared to nine years ago. Like adrenal cancer, renal cancer does not respond to traditional chemo or radiation. When one of his drugs stops working, there have been new ones to try. He is currently doing a combo of anti-cancer meds and immunotherapy in a clinical trial. You have been in my prayers, Virginia. Yes, keep the faith! My Mom has CML, and has been in clinical trials for a couple of years now for a DNA-based chemo. Apparently the chemo is "made" to only target the CML, so she has none of the side-effects. It's amazing stuff.
I can't remember who our pharmaceutical research pea is, but hopefully she can weigh in (not even sure if that's exactly what she does, I know she's mentioned working on new treatment possibilities. She has a beautiful avatar of her husband and herself).
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Post by leslie132 on Feb 3, 2016 21:31:06 GMT
Keep fighting the fight! My prayers are that someday soon we will find a way to beat cancer. You ALWAYS have come across as a strong woman. Keep your spirit up, and know that we here on this board are praying for you!!!
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Post by mellyw on Feb 4, 2016 0:32:32 GMT
Virginia- I think of you often, also. Thanks for updating.
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Post by keesha on Feb 4, 2016 1:03:19 GMT
I think extreme nausea is worse than being in extreme pain. My heart goes out to you--hope you find relief and get through this quickly! Shrink you stupid nodules!
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katybee
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,378
Jun 25, 2014 23:25:39 GMT
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Post by katybee on Feb 4, 2016 1:11:48 GMT
We are ALL behind you! Stay strong! And seriously.... Get yourself some good medical marijuana! It helped my mom with nausea, among other things. But she had to do edibles...
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TheOtherMeg
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,541
Jun 25, 2014 20:58:14 GMT
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Post by TheOtherMeg on Feb 4, 2016 1:18:57 GMT
Sending you lots of positive thoughts and healing vibes.
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