From the treatment room.....

I wanted to share some excitement as I've been humming with it since seeing Dr. Lin yesterday, I was sooooo excited I forgot that today I am getting intervenes poison soaked into my veins from my old friend Debbie Downer.

I've said a few times now to Sarah, every time I see Dr. Lin or Dr. Park I feel like I'm having my Cancer Class.  At the beginning of this whole cancer thing Dr. Lin said I'd become a doctor of my own cancer, I don't know about that, but the neurotransmitters are blinking in my brain and I can actually converse instead of just listen to "Doctor Talk".  Although without the doctor Sissy and I discovered our "Doctor Talk" has a lot of terminology like "do-hickies" and "thing-a-ma-jiggers".

Cancer is complicated, every person has unique genetic make up, then you have these weird cells that do weird things and have their own unique genetic make up, then that becomes unique genes in itself, then you have something really unique.  This isn't like a pretty bag or scarf, or artwork on the wall, its shitty unique cancer cells multiplying at high rates in your body, feeding off the treatments your dosing yourself with to stay around a little longer to enjoy this thing called life.  Certain types of cancer's the genes have been identified so appropriate drugs can be used for treatment, some cancer's they don't know.  Regardless they all suck.  We have to figure out what genes these are and what will STOP them from dividing and multiplying. 

Well what is that you ask?  That is called UW-OncoPlex, a cancer gene sequencing panel.  This is basically mapping out your tumors genetic make up so they can know what genes are the "bad" ones and target them by drugs they know to work.  I view it like putting my cancer in a pee-tree dish and dosing it with different drugs to see how it reacts and which ones will kill it.  (that's how I visualize it, it's my inner doctor mind). It is something that has been researched in labs and last year Dr. Lin joked, "If you had $$$,$$$,$$$ you could map your cancer's genetic code", well that time has arrived.  The new testing just got approved in August at U of W, they have a medical assistant professor from Korea just here to head the testing, and guess who is the #6 patient to have the test done?  Yours truly:) (First Neuroendocrine Tumor patient!)

My beloved response to treatment last year had doctors in awe, "something that is written about in medical journals" as Dr. Park said, and "almost made history" as Dr. Lin put it.  But this recurrence, mutation of the cells, high grade tumors vs. low grade tumors, "we are in uncharted territory" per Dr. Lin yesterday.

So I know I may have bored you with cancer talk, and if so, I'm sorry.  But to see a doctor pretty much dancing a jig over his new testing baby that he has asked you to be part of  feels pretty good! Which by the way is TOP SECRET, Dr. Lin doesn't want us to blab about it so he can get all his patients in first, their only taking between 20-30.  But I had to tell you guys!

Well they've just hooked up the first of the 2 drugs for the day, Irinotecan, GO-FIGHT-WIN!  Pray for shrinkage, that is the goal for now so surgery #2 can happen.  I've taken up meditating to fight these things, surround them in white light, thank you Lauren Miller, Carolyn Myss and Eckhart Tolle.

Thanks to all for the continued support, love and good ju-ju:) Thanks to Mom and Sissy for keeping this up to date.  And thanks to all of the glorious people putting together the Kickin' Cancer's Ass Hoedown, I think all those involved are astonished by the family, friend and communal support. 

~Sara

                                                      A pic, after Dr. Lin's dance:)
                                                      Dr. Lin, Me and Nurse Heidi


Note from Debbie Downer and I strolling for some cocoa: Well things could be worse, poor women in room next to me has her baby that is sick from treatment and is being taken on a gurney to be rushed to the Childrens Hospital:( Did I mention Cancer Sucks?