Hi Everybody,
It has been quite a while since I posted an "all about Rita" message. Up until today there has not been much new to report. However, today I've got "stuff" to tell you.
On Monday I had a CT scan done. This was just routine and has to be done at least every six months. No big deal other than having a mild reaction to the contrast dye. Today I had an appointment with Dr. D to get results. This is about where the "not fun" starts.
The medication that I am taking - Tarceva - is not doing the job we had hoped for. It did for a while but then stopped. My tumor has grown again and the "haze" in both my lungs has returned. Color me disappointed! (To those of you who were warned about my potential behavior in the past few days - I did see this coming.) I was mentally prepared for this and even managed to save the emotional hit for when I got back to my car. In the past several weeks I have noticed that I get short of breath with less exertion than I used to and I have also had "the cough" for many weeks. Allergies are not to blame, alas.
Anyway, Dr. D had already made an appointment for me with Dr. Heist at Mass General. This is the doctor I saw for a second opinion way back at the beginning of this journey. I will see her on Monday to discuss my eligibility for one of the three protocols that are available at MGH now. Both Dr. D. and Dr. Heist believe that these are promising. The only down side might be that I will need to go to MGH for treatments and/or follow ups. Whatever! The "why I love these doctors" news is that one of the protocols is in high demand and they have reserved a place in it for me just in case it is "the one".
So, that is my story for today. I am neither giving up nor giving in. I'll keep trying everything they put in front of me as long as it works
- then I'll move on to the next thing. Dr. D's advice to me as I left her office today was "You have already beaten the odds. Just keep doing that." :-)
Thank you all for your continued support. I need you all!
Rita