Linda what is the latest on you?

lindaprocopio said:

I had my mapping Thursday of
I had my mapping Thursday of last week, with an appointment for the SIR-Spheres for the right side of my liver on June 1st. I can hardly wait, as my pre-mapping CA125 was 8450!! (YES! 8450!! So I really need to get those liver mets under control before things start gettin really ugly for me!) The 2-hour mapping surgery was fascinating, as I was wide awake for the whole thing. I asked them to ‘go light’ on the stuff they give you to relax you (as I am a pin weight and usually am out cold if they give me any kind of sedative at all.) You need to stay awake so that you can hold your breath when they need to have 100% stillness. They use a local anesthetic to numb the area by your groin that they cut to insert the catheter (a narrow flexible tube) into your artery and then up into your liver. I had 10 coils/torpedoes/vortexes (ranging in size from 2 mm to 6 mm) inserted into various shunts they uncovered during my mapping, and each time I was asked to hold my breath as they inserted a wire with the little coil on it. The only way I knew the wires were moving in and out is that sometimes I could feel the interventional radiologist’s hand moving against my thigh as he threaded it in and out of the catheter tube already in there.

You can watch on the monitor and see what’s going on in your body, although I admit that I couldn’t really see all that good with my contacts out! HA! It was fascinating to see all the hundreds of ‘real time’ decisions the interventional radiologist had to make as he followed the path of my circulation on the monitor. Throughout the procedure he was calling out to his assistants for what size and type of plugs he wanted attached to a wire next; and the assistants had to choose the right one from a HUGE assortment of possibilities, over and over. Fifteen minutes before he estimated he wanted to close, he sent someone to get ‘nuclear medicine’ and someone else joined the team at the very end to administer some sort of radioactive contrast. I have a Power Port for my chemo, so I assume it was administered through that tubing, but I couldn’t feel that. I couldn’t really feel ANY pain or discomfort throughout.

The long time in Recovery was a surprise for me: 4 to 5 hours lying flat on your back. Someone came in as soon as I got in Recovery and applied a LOT of pressure on the incision and held it there for what seemed like 20 minutes, but it may have been less. This is how they close the tiny wound, and it worked. The drugs I got were so light that I wasn’t groggy enough to sleep and can’t sleep flat on my back anyway. I’d brought a book, but they wouldn’t let me raise my head to read or have a drink or take a leak or anything. Early in the recovery period hours, I was taken for a special scan that looks at where the radioactive contrast traveled outside the liver. Each position of the ‘camera’ took 10 minutes, for a total of 40 minutes, so a LONG scan time, but at least it gave me some break in the boring 5 hours of recovery! At this facility where I go, you have to have less than 20% of the contrast leak out of the liver to be considered a safe candidate for the SIRS-Spheres. I had only 7% leakage, and they seemed very happy with that. After 4 hours of lying flat I was slowing propped up in bed in increments and finally taken to a chair to sit for a half hour. As soon as I could, I walked to the bathroom and could see that I was fine, not at all shaky or wobbly. I ate a HUGE meal the second I got home, which made me a little uncomfortable for being such a piggy. But I was ravenous!

I felt fine after 1 day of quesiness, & can’t even see ANY bruising at the incision site or anywhere else, at least not yet. No side effects: bowels, appetite, digestion, sleeping, all normal by the next day! I am thrilled to have this process underway!! I look on this as a fascinating adventure and a glimpse into the world of a surgeon.

I had to start on a prescription Prilosec immediately and must take it 45 days, so that means I’ll be taking Prilosec before AND after the SIR-Spheres, to keep stomach acid down as stomach acid is counter-productive for the SIR-Sheres. I was told that the day of the SIR-Spheres procedure I would start taking a prescription antibiotic for the next several weeks, and that I would be taking a steroid for 12 days following the insertion of the SIR-Spheres to combat fatigue and help with healing and nausea. I hate steroids because they make me sleepless, but they insisted steroids were important, and I will do what I must do!

lindaprocopio said:

I had my mapping Thursday of
I had my mapping Thursday of last week, with an appointment for the SIR-Spheres for the right side of my liver on June 1st. I can hardly wait, as my pre-mapping CA125 was 8450!! (YES! 8450!! So I really need to get those liver mets under control before things start gettin really ugly for me!) The 2-hour mapping surgery was fascinating, as I was wide awake for the whole thing. I asked them to ‘go light’ on the stuff they give you to relax you (as I am a pin weight and usually am out cold if they give me any kind of sedative at all.) You need to stay awake so that you can hold your breath when they need to have 100% stillness. They use a local anesthetic to numb the area by your groin that they cut to insert the catheter (a narrow flexible tube) into your artery and then up into your liver. I had 10 coils/torpedoes/vortexes (ranging in size from 2 mm to 6 mm) inserted into various shunts they uncovered during my mapping, and each time I was asked to hold my breath as they inserted a wire with the little coil on it. The only way I knew the wires were moving in and out is that sometimes I could feel the interventional radiologist’s hand moving against my thigh as he threaded it in and out of the catheter tube already in there.

You can watch on the monitor and see what’s going on in your body, although I admit that I couldn’t really see all that good with my contacts out! HA! It was fascinating to see all the hundreds of ‘real time’ decisions the interventional radiologist had to make as he followed the path of my circulation on the monitor. Throughout the procedure he was calling out to his assistants for what size and type of plugs he wanted attached to a wire next; and the assistants had to choose the right one from a HUGE assortment of possibilities, over and over. Fifteen minutes before he estimated he wanted to close, he sent someone to get ‘nuclear medicine’ and someone else joined the team at the very end to administer some sort of radioactive contrast. I have a Power Port for my chemo, so I assume it was administered through that tubing, but I couldn’t feel that. I couldn’t really feel ANY pain or discomfort throughout.

The long time in Recovery was a surprise for me: 4 to 5 hours lying flat on your back. Someone came in as soon as I got in Recovery and applied a LOT of pressure on the incision and held it there for what seemed like 20 minutes, but it may have been less. This is how they close the tiny wound, and it worked. The drugs I got were so light that I wasn’t groggy enough to sleep and can’t sleep flat on my back anyway. I’d brought a book, but they wouldn’t let me raise my head to read or have a drink or take a leak or anything. Early in the recovery period hours, I was taken for a special scan that looks at where the radioactive contrast traveled outside the liver. Each position of the ‘camera’ took 10 minutes, for a total of 40 minutes, so a LONG scan time, but at least it gave me some break in the boring 5 hours of recovery! At this facility where I go, you have to have less than 20% of the contrast leak out of the liver to be considered a safe candidate for the SIRS-Spheres. I had only 7% leakage, and they seemed very happy with that. After 4 hours of lying flat I was slowing propped up in bed in increments and finally taken to a chair to sit for a half hour. As soon as I could, I walked to the bathroom and could see that I was fine, not at all shaky or wobbly. I ate a HUGE meal the second I got home, which made me a little uncomfortable for being such a piggy. But I was ravenous!

I felt fine after 1 day of quesiness, & can’t even see ANY bruising at the incision site or anywhere else, at least not yet. No side effects: bowels, appetite, digestion, sleeping, all normal by the next day! I am thrilled to have this process underway!! I look on this as a fascinating adventure and a glimpse into the world of a surgeon.

I had to start on a prescription Prilosec immediately and must take it 45 days, so that means I’ll be taking Prilosec before AND after the SIR-Spheres, to keep stomach acid down as stomach acid is counter-productive for the SIR-Sheres. I was told that the day of the SIR-Spheres procedure I would start taking a prescription antibiotic for the next several weeks, and that I would be taking a steroid for 12 days following the insertion of the SIR-Spheres to combat fatigue and help with healing and nausea. I hate steroids because they make me sleepless, but they insisted steroids were important, and I will do what I must do!

Ro10 said:

Linda sending you cyber hugs and holding your hand on June 1
The BIG day is approaching. I feel anxious for you for the procedure, so I can't imagine how you feel. Your CA 125 certainly took a big jump and I am sorry to hear that news. I hope that this procedure will knock the CA 125 down with each day of treatment.

I am glad that your queasiness did not last long. I don't envy you for 12 days of steroids. I know you will do fine or even better than fine with whatever they prescribe for you.

You remain in my thoughts and prayers, and I will especially be thinking of you on Wednesday. I hope you had family around for the weekend to distract your thoughts and have some fun. In peace and caring.

lindaprocopio said:

I'm excited about tomorrow! Sunburned and feeling great!
I had over a dozen guests yesterday for a big Memorial Day cookout and swim party that lasted from noon until about 8. I'll bet I made the trek from our picnic shed, up the 5 steps of our back porch, and into the kitchen of our house over 100 times, lugging things in and out of the refrigerator. I always think I tolerate chemo so well, but when I am on a chemo break like this, I'm reminded of how tireless and strong I truly am. How wonderful to be outside all day, laughing and eating and swimming; to feel so HEALTHY and ALIVE!

I know with a CA125 of almost 8500 and extensive mets to the liver that I am very ill. But I feel 100% GREAT, and if I didn't have the scan to prove it, I'd never suspect I had cancer! And I am readier-than-ready for my radioembolism tomorrow. It will be a long day and I expect it will knock me back for a couple of weeks. But I am optimistic that I am making this move at the RIGHT time, and that it will buy me some more time. Please hold me in prayer tomorrow, ladies, or if prayer isn't your style, then send me your positive vibes across the miles!

I'll see you ladies on the other side!

Cindy Bear said:

praying
Praying and sending positive vibes ... want to cover all the bases. Will be thinking of you tomorrow... and waiting for a good report.
Hugs,
Cindy

lindaprocopio said:

I'm excited about tomorrow! Sunburned and feeling great!
I had over a dozen guests yesterday for a big Memorial Day cookout and swim party that lasted from noon until about 8. I'll bet I made the trek from our picnic shed, up the 5 steps of our back porch, and into the kitchen of our house over 100 times, lugging things in and out of the refrigerator. I always think I tolerate chemo so well, but when I am on a chemo break like this, I'm reminded of how tireless and strong I truly am. How wonderful to be outside all day, laughing and eating and swimming; to feel so HEALTHY and ALIVE!

I know with a CA125 of almost 8500 and extensive mets to the liver that I am very ill. But I feel 100% GREAT, and if I didn't have the scan to prove it, I'd never suspect I had cancer! And I am readier-than-ready for my radioembolism tomorrow. It will be a long day and I expect it will knock me back for a couple of weeks. But I am optimistic that I am making this move at the RIGHT time, and that it will buy me some more time. Please hold me in prayer tomorrow, ladies, or if prayer isn't your style, then send me your positive vibes across the miles!

I'll see you ladies on the other side!

lindaprocopio said:

I'm excited about tomorrow! Sunburned and feeling great!
I had over a dozen guests yesterday for a big Memorial Day cookout and swim party that lasted from noon until about 8. I'll bet I made the trek from our picnic shed, up the 5 steps of our back porch, and into the kitchen of our house over 100 times, lugging things in and out of the refrigerator. I always think I tolerate chemo so well, but when I am on a chemo break like this, I'm reminded of how tireless and strong I truly am. How wonderful to be outside all day, laughing and eating and swimming; to feel so HEALTHY and ALIVE!

I know with a CA125 of almost 8500 and extensive mets to the liver that I am very ill. But I feel 100% GREAT, and if I didn't have the scan to prove it, I'd never suspect I had cancer! And I am readier-than-ready for my radioembolism tomorrow. It will be a long day and I expect it will knock me back for a couple of weeks. But I am optimistic that I am making this move at the RIGHT time, and that it will buy me some more time. Please hold me in prayer tomorrow, ladies, or if prayer isn't your style, then send me your positive vibes across the miles!

I'll see you ladies on the other side!