Is 2020 Over Yet?

Hi, All, 

Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving even if it had to be celebrated from afar. Christmas was just yesterday and despite a day off from work, in true 2020 fashion, there was a water main break on our block (of the building I manage, not my home) which resulted in the basement being flooded with several inches of water. Thanks to the NYFD and building staff for cleaning up what we hope is the last mess of the year. Monday will be all about insurance claims. Aside from that, we watched "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" starring Viola Davis and the late Chadwick Boseman who passed away this summer from a four year battle with colon cancer. If you're a fan of August Wilson plays and liked "Fences," you'll like this movie. If you're a blues fan, you too will like it, as Ma Rainey was known as the "Mother of Blues.

The Abraxane (chemo) and Letrozole (estrogen blocker) combination has been very tolerable with the exception of some occasional stomach issues and fatigue. With this treatment it's recommended that one ices her hands and feet 15 minutes prior, during, and after treatment to prevent finger and toe nails from getting crapped up. It's not pleasant but hardly a bother in the grand scheme of things. Plus the nurses are entertained by my wide sock collection. 

 

The treatments would go like this: Arrive at hospital to get blood drawn. At MSK they can get results in minutes and they will determine if my ANC, or, Absolute Neutrophil Count (estimate of body's ability to fight infection) is low. If too low, then can't get treated. Although I regularly fall on the low side of the scale, I've only been low enough to skip one treatment. But for this reason I have to really err on the side of caution during Covid. 

Following the blood test, if I'm treated in NYC, then I go see the doctor. If I'm treated in Basking Ridge, NJ, then there's no doctor visit. Next step is the treatment. The nurses apply the ice while the cocktail is made; it takes about 30 minutes. Then the IV is given and that takes about 30 minutes. Sandy drives me to the NJ treatments and sits patiently in the car as there are strict rules about visitors in hospitals. I usually pass the time listening to music or a podcast or sometimes I partake in a Zoom meeting. 

After several months of treatment, the blood reports were indicating that the tumor markers were steadily increasing. High levels do not always indicate the cancer is getting worse, but you definitely want to do a scan when you see this. So the PET scan scheduled for 12/31 got pushed to this past Tuesday. Unfortunately my insurance company idiotically refused the PET scan because, get this, it couldn't be justified. 😣😣 In lieu of that I got a bone scan and a CAT scan.

It was quite the day. First I went to one MSK building to get a radioactive dye injected; it needs at least two hours to travel through your system. Then I went to another building where I had the CAT scan with contrast done. Then I returned to the first building for the bone scan. First time I ever had one. It was broken up into three sections of the body. It went well with the exception of the first section--a large plate is lowered over your head, just a few inches from my nose. I made the mistake of opening my eyes and going into panic mode. The machine started rumbling and I envisioned myself getting caught in an earthquake thinking how would I escape, etc. I survived it but I did recommend to the tech that maybe people should be informed of this in advance. 

On Thursday the oncologist called us with results. The long and the short of it is, the large tumor on left lung did not decrease from this summer's additional radiation and the chemo, rather, it increased. There are a few new tumors on the liver. The good news is that there were no hot spots (tumors show as "hot" if they react to the dye) on the bone scan, which should indicate that my hip responded well to the radiation done this summer. This report was not yet seen by the bone radiologist, but what the breast oncologist believes to be true.

Sandy and I have great plans for New Year's Eve. We're going to MSK in Basking Ridge for chemotherapy! Not sure if the nurses will mind my swigging a bottle of  my favorite champs, Rose Veuve Cliquot while they give me an infusion. I will start a new drug called CMF , which is supposedly tolerable. It does cause hair thinning so I'll likely remain nearly bald for the next several months. 

Several people have asked if I will get the Covid vaccine. The answer currently is yes, when available. MSK at the moment has no objection to it; it was not tested on cancer patients per se, but it was tested on some immuno-compromised patients. 

Now for the good news...Sandy and I closed on our fabulous new house! We are in the midst of getting quotes for flooring, painting, electric, etc. and hope that work can be done by March so we can move in. It's quite exciting and we look forward to mask-free entertaining in 2021!  🙏 In addition to that, I continue with my Penn State Master Gardening course, which I cannot recommend more if you have a serious interest in gardening. By the way, did you know the "i" in Poinsettia is not silent?!

I wish everyone a year of love, joy, health, peace, prosperity, mask-free dining, less worry, chocolate, and anything else one's heart desires. 

Thanks for reading until the end!

See you in 2021,

eLIZabeth 👄

PS I forgot to mention that for no apparent reason I have a paralyzed vocal cord. My voice intermittently gets hoarse and I sound like Peter Brady. 🤷🏻‍♀️