epic fail

Mitchell's experimental treatment appears to have been just that.  He was officially taken off the gleevec and celebrex protocol as it was not having any impact on the cancer's growth.  He is being discharged from UMC this morning with 2 different types of morphine in pill form to help him with pain management.  There is talk of enrolling him in a clincial trial sometime this week, but first he needs to meet with Dr. Brown to go over whatever it is they need to review. 

I'm hoping the clincial trial administers the chemo through infusion.  Mitchell hasn't had much success with pills so far.  I'm also hoping that this episode helps to remind my spouse to be more responsive to the signals he gets from his body.  For people in his situation, things don't usually just "go away". 

next

Newest experimental treatment involves Gleevec and Celebrex taken orally.  Mitchell has an appointment with Dr. Brown tomorrow to get things started.

Let's hope this has some affect.

more love-hate

Mitchell's MRI was read this morning, and everything is clear in his brain.  WHEW!  The headaches are definitely being caused by the abraxane. 

On a negative tip, the oncologist and a specialist have had an opportunity to compare Mitchell's last CT with the most recent PET scan.  The experimental treatment is not working.  His tumor markers have elevated since beginning the new treatment....So it's back to the drawing board so to speak.  The abraxane/avastin has been discontinued as of this morning.  Mitchell was supposed to have treatment on Friday, but it is being put on hold until Dr. Brown can consult with a colleague to decide what the next steps are. 

friday

Mitchell has an MRI scheduled for Friday.  That sick, fluttery feeling in my stomach has already begun.  He's been really struggling this week.  Headaches.  Exhaustion.  Breathlessness.  The headaches have been severe enough to cause him to actually take the meds Dr. Brown prescribed to fight the pain.  Unfortunately, they don't seem to do much.  I'm having difficulty deciding whether these symptoms are a result of treatment or cancer.  This morning I found myself running through a list of possible headache triggers aloud.  Decided I need to starting logging Mitchell's symptoms between treatments.  Maybe there's a pattern there that'll help me know what to expect and when.

Taylor's first dance is happening this Friday too.  I'm excited for her, but a little sad too.  She quietly confessed to me that she was the "only one" that hadn't been asked.  She shrugged it off but it's evident she's bothered.  Everyone likes to be asked, right?  I gave her the same line my mom gave me a million years ago when I was bemoaning a similar plight, "Boys are just intimidated by your beauty and confidence." 

I didn't believe her when she used it on me either.

love-hate

Friday, Mitchell is scheduled to have his 2nd PET scan.  Scans are a double-edged sword.  I want the information, but I'm afraid of it.  I'm not sure if it's better to be an optimist or pessimist.  With pessimism, you can be pleasantly surprised.  Optimism can leave you feeling like you've been mugged. 

Maybe I can try on optimistic pessimism?

still

Still no word about when treatment will start again. 

It seems I'm the only person around who feels like throwing a temper tantrum about the whole thing.

the latest

The meeting with Mitchell's oncologist went about as I expected it would.  The scan showed that there are no positive changes in Mitchell's tumors (please notice Dr. Brown now refers to them as "tumors" and not "lesions"), especially in the liver.  We were presented with two choices--clincal trials or experimental treatment.

So what does that mean?    His current treatment has been stopped, and he is scheduled to have a liver biopsi late next week.  The sample will go through a series of tests to come up with a cancer profile, which will, in theory, allow the doctors to better treat Mitchell's cancer.  This whole process is considered experimental, but we have been assured that this is the cutting edge of cancer treatment technology.

On the good side, Mitchell will be given a much needed treatment break while the profile is generated.  Of course the pessimist in me worries that while not on treatment, his cancer will run rampant but I've managed to keep those thoughts at bay for the most part.

Meanwhile, Mitchell has developed some trouble with blood clots.  He is currently on twice-daily meds for a pulmonary embellism that developed on Friday.  Doctors believe that the clots are a result of one of the chemo meds.  He's taking it easy, and we are being watchful for any warning signs.

treatment update

Mitchell's treatment ball is finally beginning to roll. Next Thursday afternoon, we will attend an "Everything-You-Ever-Wanted-to-Know-About-Cancer-Treatment" informational session. The very next morning, he will have his porta-cath installed (that seems like the wrong word when referring to a human) and his first IV treatment will be that afternoon and will last approximately 4 and a half hours.

We still haven't received the results of the PET scan. I'm not sure what that means, but his blood tests that Dr. Brown (the oncologist) ordered all came back "clean".