Good CT scan results

The 10/12/09 CT scan showed "stable exam with no evidence for metastatic disease." It noted a 2.3x1.7cm low density lesion adjacent to intrathoracic inferior vena cava is stable. Talking to Dr. Im yesterday at the OPC (outpatient clinic) he said that after the 4th Avastin treatment I had yesterday, I should plan on two more (the power of 3s) before he determines whether or not I can have a "vacation" from treatment. It might be a Christmas present.

Hair is veerrryy slowly growing back but is baby-fine. Jenna and I are matching baldies. I can see teeny-tiny eyelashes on me. Hers are longer and colored. The Avastin is letting my fingernails alone so they are looking better. Went to foot doctor to have my toenails "debrided."

On the home side, my kids and their spouses/significant other had an intervention. Cleared my house of excess papers, furniture, clothes, etc. after many trips to the dump with trash and recycling and to the Salvation Army for things to donate. SIL Hugh has painted the rooms in my house in colors determined by Megan and Deborah (with my ok). The white doors, trim and ceilings just pop! Am getting dark handscraped hardwood floors installed next week in place of wall-to-wall carpeting. Perhaps we'll put up the Christmas tree this year.

Avastin appears to be working

Drove to Weinberg for my 3rd Avastin treatment Oct. 1. RN Pat drew my file. She asked me to give her a urine sample for a kidney check. Sample and blood labs showed my kidneys are working well and blood counts are ok. Potassium was ok but low on magnesium so Dr. Im ordered 4 grams of magnesium (2gms/hour by IV). Good thing I had Pat put lines in both port lumens. Avastin #3 can go in at a faster rate so it only takes 30 minutes. Pat questioned why I needed pre-meds (steroids) with Avastin so only had to take a Benedryl and 2 Tylenols orally. When Pat pulled out one of my lumens, a little yellowish gunk appeared. She swabbed it and sent it to the lab. Terri called in an antibiotic for me just in case the gunk was an infection and the needle had pushed it thru the port.

CA125 came back 58.9 which is down 30.4 pts from the 89.3 on 8/20/09. Between 0-35 is considered normal. The two Avastin treatments gave me a 34% decrease. Yeah! To check cancer activity, Terri set me up for a CT scan Oct. 12 p.m., on the Columbus Day holiday, right after I get my blood drawn at Weinberg.

Got flu shot and blood drawn

Monday afternoon went to Weinberg where RN Gale drew blood for the labs and gave me my annual flu shot. Not sure if/when the H1N1 vaccine will be available and if I will be able to get it. No one seems to know. In the meantime I'm washing my hands like crazy and trying to sneeze into Kleenexes or into the bend in my arm if no Kleenex is available.

Renewed ID Card

September 15, 2006, just before my ovarian cancer surgery, I renewed my Common Access Card (CAC photo and fingerprint ID) which allows entry to the U.S. Naval Academy and other federal areas. Its expiration date was 9/21/09. At the time, I wondered if I'd expire before the card did. Yesterday I had to renew my CAC. The expiration on the latest card is 9/14/2012. My driver's license expires in 2014. I hope I'll be around to renew these two identity cards.

Avastin #2 treatment

Got second Avastin treament 9/10/09 at Weinberg. Nurse Terri Buzby put in lines in both lumens of my port just in case I might also need magnesium or potassium. Good thing as I was low on both and had 40 millequivalents of potassium (10meQ/hour) and 4 grams of magnesium (2gms/hour) so the bag of both took 4 hours by IV. Meanwhile I got the hour-long Avastin in the other lumen. Avastin was done at 12:54 pm but didn't finish mag/potass bag until 4:04 p.m. Have blood work scheduled for Sept 21 in afternoon with next Avastin treament on Oct. 1. The further I get from my previous Taxol treatments the less I feel of its cumulative side effects: edema in my ankles and feet and achy legs. Knees are still stiff after I've been sitting a while but that could just be old age. But I'm still getting older so that's a plus not a negative in my book.

Speaking of books, my neighbor accidentally cut my cable line while digging in his front yard. Because of the Labor Day holiday when no one works, I was off the grid--no phone (except cell), TV or internet--for two days. How quiet it was in the house. I read a lot of books and my newspapers.

Blood work ok

Oncology nurse Terri Rowley called me after she viewed the results of my blood work which was drawn and sent the their labs Monday afternoon, 8/31/09. She said my white and red cell counts were good. Only magnesium level a tad low. So she asked that I take 6 rather than 4 mag pills for the next few days. Next Avastin treatment scheduled 9/10/09.

Avastin is the new drug of choice

Went to Weinberg yesterday and found out that my CA125 went up to 89.3 (up 20.9 points). Dr. Im changed me to Avastin, which is not a chemo but an anti-angiogenic therapy--or a biological as RN Pauline called Avastin. It is supposed to cause the blood vessels to shrink from the cancer tumor, blocking the supply of oxygen and nutrients, and hopefully, causing the tumor to starve. Side effects are possible nosebleeds, high blood pressure, kidney malfunction, reduced white blood cell count which can increase chances of infection. The good news about Avastin is that, unlike chemotherapy which attacks all fast-growing cells whether good or bad, it only works on the blood vessels leading to the tumors. Avastin also doesn't attack hair follicles so I may have hair re-growth. I get it by IV once every three weeks. Then get blood work 10 days after each infusion to check that it's not doing damage to anything it shouldn't. A cancer killer that allows me to have hair, what a wonderful drug! Die, tumors, die! Hope it works.