Back last Friday I was very happy to
report that Sandi was declared by her cancer doctor to be in remission. I said
then there were some issues that needed to be looked at and some more tests
would need to be done. Over the course of this nightmare that started back last
November, I have learned that when the doctors and hospital staff expedite
things there is serious concern no matter how much they tell you not to worry. The faster they move the more you need to
worry.
We knew the cancer doctor had some
concern about several things and one of the issues was/is Sandi’s thyroid. The last
PET SCAN back in February showed three nodules on the right side and it was believed
to be no cancer activity. The latest PET SCAN still showed those nodules and
also showed some activity so he wanted her seen by an endocrinologist at the hospital.
That was last Friday. By Monday at noon she
already had doctor appointments and the first was with the endocrinologist. That
happened yesterday morning with Sandi suddenly being the first patient of the day.
By noon Sandi suddenly had another thyroid ultrasound scheduled for tomorrow
morning.
As we understand it from the endocrinologist, her right thyroid is definitely
very active. The chemo did not kill it as expected and believed back in
February. The endocrinologist believes the thyroid was the starting point for
both of the two types of Non- Hodgkin’s Lymphomas she developed that did their
damn level best to kill her. The fact that it has reactivated itself and seems
to be building strength is not a good sign.
His concern is that some patients during chemo can have those cancers
killed and then have the thyroid develop a new totally different type of cancer
that runs rampant very quickly because of the chemo and its aftereffects.
In short, she could be in remission
from what they were treating for and rapidly become ill with a totally new and
very different cancer.
So, tomorrow morning she will have
an ultrasound of her thyroid. The plan, as we understand it and the information
has been a bit conflicting from the hospital today, is that there will be a
surgeon on standby to do a needle biopsy of her thyroid if necessary. That biopsy will be done only if the doctor
thinks it is a necessary risk based on what he sees on the ultrasound tomorrow
morning.
Theoretically everything is okay and
most patients don’t have this sort of nightmare scenario develop but everything
that has happened with Sandi on this has not fit the expected pattern at all.
If that wasn’t enough tomorrow,
Sandi will be seen by the skin cancer doctor tomorrow afternoon. Not only has a
mole suddenly gone very strange looking but she has developed one for sure and
maybe a couple more very strange spots on her face. In each case it is a dark
circle, almost the size of what a black magic marker would make and black. They
look like what you would get if you through a marker at somebody and it hit the
person straight on in the side of the face. What they are we have no idea and neither
did the cancer doc who thought that whatever they were they needed to be
checked immediately.
Apparently another possible wonderful
side effect of the chemo is that some patients develop melanomas because of the
destruction of the immune system. While the chemo cured one of her cataract she
had since birth it may have also set the stage for skin cancer. The theory here
is that whatever these strange skin marks are they can’t be too extensive or
extend any distance at all downwards into her skin tissue or the PET SCAN would
have showed that and it didn’t.
At this point we have not heard from
the staff of the cardiologist about scheduling another echo cardiogram to check
and see how much, if any, damage the chemo did to her heart. With Sandi’s
cardiac history we knew there was major risk to her heart to have any chemo
done. But, as Sandi put it at the time, it wasn’t like she had any choice at
all. It was chemo and hope ….or certain death. So, you roll the dice and hope the stuff works
and doesn’t kill you in the bargain.
One hopes it did not damage her heart.
We are pretty sure it has made her diabetes worse and for now she is still able
to control that to a certain point. What that will mean in the months to come
we don’t know just yet. Sandi remains convinced that everything is fine and she
will be back at work this summer. As I write
this she is out with Karl taking a short after dinner walk as she works to get
her strength back up. She still tires very easily, her blood pressure still
swings wildly at times, and the headaches come that worry me because of her
history of strokes.
But, she believes all is fine and
she is still here. More than anything
that is what matters.
Kevin
11 comments:
Sorry to hear this, Kevin. We found out Wednesday that Judy is no longer in remission, and she'll start a new treatment a week from today. I don't have much faith that it will do any good, but it's worth a try.
I am so sorry, Bill. We will be praying for her....and you.
Kevin, that is such a sweet, happy smile on Sandy's face. God, you have had enough problems for ten people. Praying hard for you all,
XOXO, Beth Anderson
Prayers and good vibes.
You guys will be in our prayers. Tha you both keep a good face, and thought, is to your credit and certainly can't hurt, I believe a positive outlook always helps.
I'm sending all my positive vibes, Kevin.
Praying for y'all. Such a beautiful picture of the two of you & your sweet smiles. Big hugs to you both.
Just remember God still does miracles, he has for my husband, Louis. After being told he was stage 4 and cancer was everywhere. PET scan could find only *one* place of activity & upon biopsy it was NOT cancer!! Praise the Lord! Had to be the prayers going up for us, because he had no chemo & no radiation at that point.
Next Friday they are implanting gold seeds & he will begin targeted radiation as a precaution. 7-8 weeks of 5 day a week, 30 minute sessions. He won't have to take the Lupron injections since we are doing this but will still have to do twice yearly Prolia injections due to the osteopenia & spondylosis that was found in the midst of all the testing.
And Bill, saw your comments & will add you & your wife to my prayer list as well.
Thank you, Beth. Things have been so very hard for so very long.
Thank you, Randy. She is the positive one and she does not get that from me. Though I try very hard not to let my negativity come out about this stuff with her.
Thank you, Earl. Much, much appreciated.
That is wonderful news, Kay. Simply wonderful.
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