18NOV14:
Wanted to give you an update as we’ve learned a little more, and
had more tests run. I’m sitting here re-writing this thing over and over
because it is hard to figure out how far in depth to go with you all….hopefully
I get better at providing what you want to hear and not what you don’t need to
hear.
Allyson got home from Michigan on Thursday night, and we were in
with the medical oncologist early Friday morning (they made a special
arrangement for Allyson to see this guy due to what happened with her dad).
This medical oncologist we met is great, and actually played a lead role in the
introduction of the Leukemia drug that Ed Kearney was taking after he first got
diagnosed with Leukemia back in the early 2000s. He is also very
knowledgeable about Allyson’s blood clotting disorder, which gives us more
comfort that we are in the right hands. He’s been on the cutting edge of a
number of breakthroughs over the years…so, in general, he’s a stud.
After reviewing the history of how we got to that point on
Friday, the treatment options seemed to be the same that we had heard before
from the two surgical oncologists that we saw previously. We are likely headed
for 6 rounds of chemo every three weeks (so 18 weeks of chemo), followed by
either lumpectomy or mastectomy (probably double). However, this doctor
explained that Allyson is likely eligible for a clinical trial that is
contained to people in her same condition (HER-2 amplification positive…the
protein growth driver that she has). This particular clinical trial will
have 50% of patients undergo the current standard of care (chemo, followed by
surgery, followed by post-surgery drugs for a year). The other 50% in the
trial get a different type of chemo, but due to some sort of cellular reaction
the chemo affects are drastically reduced and the growth of the tumor(s) is
stymied more quickly and effectively, followed by surgery, followed by 5 years
of a couple drugs. We are obviously interested in more effective treatment with
less intrusion upon her health by the chemo…so we signed up.
However, in order to qualify for the clinical trial they needed
more biopsy tissue so they could send it to Germany for full approval to enter
this international clinical trial. The doctor also felt with his own hands some
other areas of concern that he wanted biopsied. Since Ally’s first biopsy was not
all that bad, she said “no problem”. Well…Friday afternoon was WAY WORSE.
They were using an MRI to guide the biopsy needle and it was way more painful
to the point where they didn’t even get all they needed for the other problem
areas. The oncologist also ordered a full thoracic cavity CT scan to rule out
any other forms of cancer elsewhere (this is what we wanted done in the first
place so we were happy with that). That happened yesterday morning.
Today, we got news from the radiologist (MRI doctor) that they
found a different type of breast cancer in her Biopsy from Friday (Ductal
Carcinoma In Situ). This is the most common non-invasive (think non-spreading
type) of cancer in breast cancer patients and it is the same breast as the
other cancer. In doing minimal research online, having these two cancers
together is not all that uncommon, and many think that have DCIS actually leads
to IDC (Invasive Ductal Carcinoma that we found first).
So…tomorrow we go see the medical oncologist again to review all
the new data that the MRI on Friday, and CT scan from yesterday, provide… Given
that we’ve had nothing but bad news after every test run, we are very nervous
about tomorrow. Ally feels that if the cancer is just confined to her breasts
then she can keep a positive mental attitude about this and push on with
whatever treatment that we are slated for… Please pray and send positive
thoughts that we don’t find out that the CT scan found other evidence of cancer
within her thoracic cavity.
As long as nothing else has changed diagnosis-wise, she will
have a port put in on Thursday morning for the introduction of her first round
of chemo (also likely Thursday). Linda Ally’s mom) and Megan get into town on
Thursday, as Linda has escaped Michigan after all the post death procedures and
is on the loose. They left MI today and will visit her sister and brother in
Kentucky, and then continue down to see us on Thursday. Since Allyson will be
recovering from her port insertion and possible first dose of chemo, we will
obviously tell her what’s going on at that point. Wish us luck there… this stuff is too much to handle all at once for anyone...
So that is about it for now. I will send an update tomorrow
evening after we see the oncologist and relay whatever news we have at that
point.
I love you all, and appreciate all the notes that you continue
to send. Keep sending them! Sweetness is like gold right now…
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