The ride continues

I had a pet scan on Monday and saw Dr. D on Tuesday.  I had read the results in the morning but it was hard to decipher the conclusion.  I knew it wasn't good.  In February, I had a biopsy to see if my cancer had changed mutations.   Dr. D was so excited that it did.  As she explained, it's now more aggressive but another whole group of meds that specifically  targets the cancer were available.  She actually called me with the news so I stopped Doxil (even though it seemed to have brought my cancer antigen level down) and started on a combo drug. This pet scan was to check whether 3 treatments of the combo drug worked.  Some of her patients have been on it for years. Unfortunately, I am not one of them.   Before I started Doxil, I had a pet scan in Dec which showed progression in my liver.  The picture showed a huge mass and smaller tumors in my lymph nodes.  This pet scan showed that it got even bigger.  She hesitated when I asked to see the scan.  I remember the last scan scared me with its size so I told her that I'd take her word for it.  It seems that the pain I've been having under my ribcage is the tumor pressing on things.  Only hurts when I breath. 🤔

So here I sit, again, in my chemo bed looking out the window.  I used to be able to see Evo but the evergreens have grown so much that that is all I see now.  My first Doxil infusion.  The pre meds include a steroid that helps with my pain for 2 days.  I'll take the small reprieve. 

                 Ice bags are wrapped around my feet and ankles during the infusion so the chemo doesn't go                                      to my extremities causing even more neuropathy than I already have.

Good news!  I had known that Dr. D was leaving in June.  My previous doc left in June which turned out to be a godsend.  He was very knowledgeable about cancer but his bedside manner was lacking everything.  He always seemed to have on foot out the door. Ok,  I need to stop making excuses for him.  He sucked with his patients and the nursing staff wasn't too fond of him either.  He was very good looking and smelled good and he knew it.    Anyway, one of the nurses just told me that Dr. D announced that she would continued part-time.  I'm thrilled!  This town is so small and not many choices for any kind of doctor.  The oncology dept has been trying to get more oncologists but no luck.