Another Clinical Trial

Another day at Huntsman.  I left home at 8 AM and got to Huntsman by 9 AM.  Today I am to have labs drawn, take a pill, then have a series of labs drawn over the course of eight hours.  All in a  days work.  The pill is Warfarin (Coumadin).  The first week I will come back to Huntsman each day for a blood draw.  Documentation will be made to see how the blood reacts to the Warfarin.

In two weeks I will start on the drug Belinostat.  I will have just as many blood draws to watch and see how the blood reacts or changes.  As long as my body can handle this drug I can stay on the study for six weeks.  I can use the drug longer if it is beneficial.

I am praying for some great results.  As I looked over my last CT Scan I found that the tumors continue to grow.  I need and want them to stop.

Good things about being at the hospital for nine hours:
I got to read more of the book "Animal Vegetable Miracle".
I caught up in my email and facebook.  I looked at all of Britney's new post on her blog!
I played a couple of games of Sudoku.
I had a wonderful free lunch.  A beautiful salad with salmon.
I am writing on my blog!!

Now the long day is over and I have the drives back and forth to Huntsman for a blood draws each day for the next week,

A New Trial to Look at

Today I went to see Dr Gouw and talk to him about a new trial drug.  I had blood work done and an EKG.  We talked to the Dr. about the new drug and some new developements in fighting cancer.  If I can stay alive long enough to take advantage of all the smart things they are doing for cancer, I would be happy.

I had a CT scan done as a baseline for this trial.
I am thankful for smart people that work hard to cure cancer.
Everything looks good to start the trial next week.

Family Reunion Star Valley Wyoming

Thursday August 11th.
I woke up knowing that the car should have an oil change before we left for the valley.  I was lucky to have gotten right in to Jiffy Lube, a crowd of people came behind me.  As I finished there the kind worker let me know I had a nail in my tire.  They also let me know I needed a new air filter. 
I decided to go to Sam's Club to get fruit that we needed for the meals at the reunion.  I then went into Walmart to pick up a filter.  As I walked into the store my foot turned in my sandal and it broke.  I had to pick up a pair of flip flops because I did not have another pair of black sandals.
On the way home I stopped to have the nail removed from the tire and fixed.

All that by 10 am.  We finished packing and were on the road by 11AM.  We decided to go through Logan and Bear Lake.  This was the way that we took to get to Star Valley when we got married in Logan.  Logan is always a fun place for us.  We HAD to stop at K Mart to see if they had any fabulous sales.  We got some more fruit at Smith's. 

Bear Lake was beautiful!  We stopped to get something to eat and a RASPBERRY Shake.  Then on our way again.   We arrived in Star Valley around 5:30 PM.  We stopped in Smoot to find our group but they were not to be found.  We went into Afton and checked into our hotel.
We met up with everyone back in Smoot for dinner.  It was fun to visit with the families of Brad, Lee, Delmer, Trena, Bart, Starla, Troy, Ryan and Layne.  We missed Kevin's and Amy's family.  After dinner Shane and I went to Dad and Hazel's motor home and played "Blokus" and watched fireworks that Troy's family lit off.
Friday we ate breakfast with Doyle and Hazel.  We went on a scavenger hunt throughout the valley.  Each sibling wrote about their favorite place and we guessed what it was and went to that area.  We went to the Cemetary where many family members are, we drove past the houses where shane's family has lived.  We saw the new high school and where the old high used to stand. Many memories in the valley.

We stopped at the Cheese Factory in Thayne.  We walked into some great friends from Roy! It was fun to visit them and hear what they were doing in the area.  We made our way up the Grey's river to Murphey lake.  This is a favorite childhood memory  for Shane and our children.  We had lots of food. chairs for visiting and resting, a canoe, paddle boat and raft for taking out on the lake.  Fishing gear could be found everywhere.  Bart took a remote control boat and attached hook and bait to it.  We all had fun watching him try to catch fish from it.  It was a beautiful day with the family.

I took Alden's photos and videos to show the family.

We left the lake around seven to get out of the forest by the time it got dark.

We ate dinner in town and got back to hotel.  During the night I got sick.  I am not sure if it was from radiation or a bug I got.  I had a fever the next morning and still did not feel well.  After eating breakfast with the family we were on our way back home.  It was a fast trip, we did not stop and went through Evanston.  We were home in three hours.  I slept the whole way and came home and slept the rest of the day. 
I was a great time despite not feeling well in the end.

Radiation Treatments for Spine Metastasis

With the advise from my doctor I am going to be doing radiation to my spine to shrink a tumor in the T3. 
I did the planning for it on Wednesday and Started on Thursday.  I only takes about 15 for each appointment.   This will not destroy the tumor but should shrink it, helping to relieve some of the pain I have had in my back.  I will have 10 treatments.  Then start the new trial drug.

I now have five new tatoos.  Three down my neck and chest and one on each side of my body.  They will be used to line me up to the right coodinates each day.

Another week without Chemo

I had my blood tested on Wednesday and the platelets had only increased by 5.  It went from 69 to 74,  I need it to be over 100 to start chemo again.  This is a mixed blessing because I feel good.  I am able to help out more around the house.

Derek is getting married this week, so I will feel good for that great event!  We have been fixing the basement up so that they can live there and save some money.  It will be nice when it is completed. 

Just Another Day at Huntsman

Starting about Wednesday last week my bicep in my right arm has been sore.  It felt warm and had a bit of redness.  I have been trying to use my arm more, so I thought maybe I was overusing it.  I also started to sleep in the bed instead of the recliner so I thought maybe that could be causing some problems.

Sunday I showed it to my friend, a nurse.  She agreed that it was warm, swollen and red.  She voiced concern that it had symptoms of a blood clot.  I agreed to call the doctor on Monday to check it out.

I call the nurse at Huntsman and they wanted me to see a doctor there.  I drove to Britney's house and she drove me to Huntsman.  I spent the day having blood tests, then trying to get a blood test from my arm, (that did not work) and finally an ultrasound on my arm to look for blood clots.

After spending the day there I have peace of mind that it is not an infection or a blood clot.  I will wear my compression sleeve and watch it.
I will go back to Huntsman to pick up the antibiotic to start my next round of the clinical trial on Thursday.

Mother's Day

I had a beautiful Mother's Day.  I was able to talk to my mom and dad on the phone and wish my mom a Happy Mother's Day.  I am grateful for the way she raised me and the example that she has been.  I love and respect my mom.
I spoke to all my children, Chantel on the phone and Alden on the phone from Australia.  He is doing so well.  Check out his blog at http://elderhydeaustraliaadelaide.blogspot.com/ .
Britney's family and Derek and Jessica were over for dinner.  It was a fabulous day.

Derek and Shane bought me a new stove.  I am spoiled and LOVE being a mom.