chemo update
By daeckardt
@daeckardt (6237)
United States
September 12, 2012 11:33pm CST
Hi everyone!
I just wanted to fill you in on the past week or so. Last week, I was not able to get a treatment because many counts were too low including platelets and hemoglobin. By yesterday my hemoglobin was down to 7.2 so they gave me two more units of blood. The nurse thought that things might be too low so they drew blood again today and hemoglobin was up to 10.7 (the greatest increase in a long time) and all other counts were up to.
I saw the doctor today and she told me I was looking great and my CA-125 was lower (went from 113 to 80 to 68 over the last three tests) and she also told me she was starting cycle 3 at a lower dose since I had to miss treatments during the last two cycles due to low counts. She is hoping to find a dose that will allow treatments too occur on days 8 and 15 without a delay because of low counts.
I am now totally off the oxygen and still waiting to hear if the blood clots in my lungs are cleared up but I am told the crackling in the lower part of my lungs is gone so maybe all of it is clear. I hope that issue is cleared up because I am so tired of having to go to all these different doctors for different issues (heart, lung, cancer). I think the heart doctor is just about done with me since most of the things he had checked for seem to have cleared up already. I see the lung doctor next Monday. That's all for now folks! Have a great week!!!
4 people like this
12 responses
@monkmano (585)
• Canada
13 Sep 12
Hi,
It's great to hear you are doing better. It seems you have really fought hard in this battle. I've lost 2 family members to cancer and I hate to say it but they really seemed to give up. Though it was found in late stage I wish that they had but who am I to ask them of anything? Keep strong, I haven't seen your older posts so I'm not sure the stage but whatever it is keep fighting.
XOXO monkmano
3 people like this
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
13 Sep 12
That is one thing I am a firm believer in: Don't ever give up! There was a period of time when I had some friends staying with me and they were "helping" me out, but in the end I think they did more harm than good. More than once my doctor had me admitted to the hospital for a few days to give me a break from them and it really did help. Once they moved out I still had a few rough months being in and out of the hospital three or four time but now I am on the road to recovery. You can check my blog by going into my profile and that goes back to the initial diagnosis and most of the updates over the last two years if you are interested. Thanks for the response!
1 person likes this
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
13 Sep 12
I have been playing catchup with myLot for the last couple of months. I don't know how many of your discussions I have been responding to but there have been a lot...most of them from 7+ months ago..that is how far behind I am right now. I hope things keep going well for me and for you too! Have a great weekend!!!
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
14 Sep 12
So have things started settling down for you or are you working more than before? Is your seasonal job over now? I hope all is going well for you now.
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
13 Sep 12
I hope your mom recovered from all of these things. So far things are better than they have been in many months so I am hopeful for feeling much better even if it never fully disappears permanently. That is one thing about ovarian cancer. Once it starts recurring, it tends to be chronic. Have a great weekend!!!
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
13 Sep 12
iam so glad to hear you are doing so much better. i hope this trend continues for sure. sometimes i think the cure is what causes so many other problems for us. its like me having the radiation treatments that cured that cancer but 11 yrs. later having the radiation caused cancer in that area, so having to have everything removed. 
its a vicious circle this cancer thing!
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
13 Sep 12
I hope I never have to have radiation treatments. They don't use them for ovarian cancer, at least not in this country. I don't know if it would make a difference for cancers that don't respond to chemo, but I have never heard or read in research that it was used here. I hope that your situation has improved.
1 person likes this
You're way too brave, just keep it up. 
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
13 Sep 12
Thanks for responding! I know that if I can build my physical strength up that the chemo will work a lot better. I am sure that as long as I am able to keep a positive attitude and outlook on life that I will continue to improve. Have a great week!!!
2 people like this
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
13 Sep 12
I really wish there were a way I could pass my attitude on to those who are full of negativity. It would give them a fighting chance. But some people are so much into who they are that when they see something bad come into their life, it is all over for them. It is sad but true. Thanks for keeping the conversation going!
1 person likes this
@KrauseHome (36448)
• United States
17 Sep 12
Continued thoughts and prayers for you over this situation. I am continuousley believing in good things for you and know even with all the things we go thru god is still in control.
1 person likes this
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
17 Sep 12
Thanks for your continued support! I hope things are going well for you now too! Have a great week!!!
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
13 Sep 12
Thanks for responding! I hope things are going well for you as well! Have a great week!!!
1 person likes this
@dainy1313 (2370)
• Leon, Mexico
13 Sep 12
Dear daeckardt I really don´t know what to tell you. I´m so happy to read about your love for life
. You are very brave and strong.
I have you in my daily prayers!
Blessings
daeckardt... dainy
. You are very brave and strong.
I have you in my daily prayers!
Blessings daeckardt... dainy @daeckardt (6237)
• United States
13 Sep 12
Thanks for the response! I do have a great love of life and I try to pass that on to others! Have a great weekend!!!
1 person likes this
@marguicha (219877)
• Chile
14 Sep 12
I´m SO happy, Debbie!!! I did not read your post before because today was a day of lots of work and I had to take a nap after that. It seems that, after all, we will have a vacation together in the future. Suddenly it seems that every thing is getting better. Please take care and be very careful with bugs. I spent a lot of money last year in Lysol, but I think it paid off.
A BIG HUG!!!
. Suddenly it seems that every thing is getting better. Please take care and be very careful with bugs. I spent a lot of money last year in Lysol, but I think it paid off.
A BIG HUG!!!@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
14 Sep 12
I am glad that you responded! I don't mind that you didn't answer right away. Lord knows I am behind on many of my friend's discussions (like 7+ months) and that is not good. I agree that things are getting better and I hope it stays that way. I don't like lysol, but perhaps I should start using it more. And I should probably stop going out to the casino since I'm sure there are a lot of germs there but I need to have some excitement in my life sometimes. Have a great weekend!!!
@marguicha (219877)
• Chile
20 Sep 12
I just discovered today that I had never commented any answer of a post I made years ago. I simply forgot all about it! Well, things happen. It is possible that sometimes I will not see a discussion you start. But, please, if you have important news of your health, do post a PM. I see that immediatly and it won´t escape me. Lysol (and the like), come in different smells. I seek the less penetrating. There is a green apple one that is not that bad. And it seems that it helps, although I don´t believe that it will kill 99% of the germs. You can go to the casino with a mask, my dear. I agree that we need some excitement in our lives. I spent some money at the casino in St. Maarten but it was SO wonderful when the machine gave me maybe a couple of dollars
. I go to the cent ones since I feel that money doesn´t grow on trees. I prefer roulette, but it eats our money.
. I simply forgot all about it! Well, things happen. It is possible that sometimes I will not see a discussion you start. But, please, if you have important news of your health, do post a PM. I see that immediatly and it won´t escape me. Lysol (and the like), come in different smells. I seek the less penetrating. There is a green apple one that is not that bad. And it seems that it helps, although I don´t believe that it will kill 99% of the germs. You can go to the casino with a mask, my dear. I agree that we need some excitement in our lives. I spent some money at the casino in St. Maarten but it was SO wonderful when the machine gave me maybe a couple of dollars. I go to the cent ones since I feel that money doesn´t grow on trees. I prefer roulette, but it eats our money.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
15 Sep 12
That really stinks that your treatments have had to be delayed yet again because of the fact that your counts were down. However, it does sound good that they were able to get your levels to come up pretty rapidly with the transfusion. In addition to that, it is also wonderful that the CA-125 is continuing to go down.
Now, we just all have to keep hope that you will continue to get better with your other issues and you will be able to get rid of some of your specialists.
1 person likes this
@stk40m (1119)
• Koeln, Germany
13 Sep 12
I think you have become an expert on the treatments and parameters connected to your disease. I know someone who has suffered from athrosis for decades, he has had countless surgeries and finally he got an artificial knee joint which has made the pain (which had been unbearable sometimes) go away. He also became an expert on the subject and perhaps he knows just as much as the doctors :D
This is probably something positive you can derive from something negative like cancer. You now know much more about it than most of us and you are faced with an experience that requires all the strength of your body and mind.
1 person likes this
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
14 Sep 12
I have learned a few things, but not nearly enough. I do know more than the average person but I always have more questions that I keep having to ask about. I just hope that the answers bring more relief than pain in the near future. Thanks for the response!
