Hope every other cancer patient has a day as good as mine!

seatown
seatown Member Posts: 261 Member
in Peritoneal Cancer #1
Just had to share my latest news because I'm still elated, hours later, & I think my news shows there's reason for hope. Today my doc told me that the benchmark CA 125 cancer marker is down from 803 a month ago to . . . (drum roll) 173!!! Still a long way from the normal healthy range of 1-30, but what a big improvement over the 2,700+ number when I was diagnosed in July! I'm elated! The oncologist also said any mass in my abdomen is virtually undetectable via palpation, which is a continuation of the promising results of the last PET scan.

I'm still anemic, but not too anemic for chemo today. Also not in need of the drug Neulasta, which I was told is routinely given to chemo patients to fight infection. I've been blogging at www.CaringBridge.org/visit/CaroleSeaton if you're interested in the details.

Comments

  • BellaandD
    BellaandD Member Posts: 8
    #2
    That is great news!!
    I found alot of encouragment reading every ones posts, was diagnosed this May with PPC stage IV.
    It is great news and may you continue to do well.
    Deb
  • seatown
    seatown Member Posts: 261 Member
    #3
    BellaandD said:

    That is great news!!
    I found alot of encouragment reading every ones posts, was diagnosed this May with PPC stage IV.
    It is great news and may you continue to do well.
    Deb

    Thanks, Deb!
    I appreciate your good wishes. I'm aware it's early in my disease & there are no doubt many twists & turns on the road ahead. But after feeling so awful from my symptoms April-June, then facing the shock in July of being diagnosed with a disease I read in one source had "100% morbidity," & then fearing the chemotherapy regimen--I'm very happy now to be feeling so well. Thanks again, & good luck to you!
  • JulieL
    JulieL Member Posts: 141
    #4
    seatown said:

    Thanks, Deb!
    I appreciate your good wishes. I'm aware it's early in my disease & there are no doubt many twists & turns on the road ahead. But after feeling so awful from my symptoms April-June, then facing the shock in July of being diagnosed with a disease I read in one source had "100% morbidity," & then fearing the chemotherapy regimen--I'm very happy now to be feeling so well. Thanks again, & good luck to you!

    Wonderful News
    So thrilled for you. Yes - it doesn't pay to read the depressive internet descriptions of our disease. Keep up the good work and keep smiling. I believe a happy positive attitude works wonders and it certainly makes you feel better. I am getting close to 12 months since diagnosis with PPC and that in itself will be a milestone. One day, one week, one month, one year at a time!

    Love, Julie
  • Tina Brown
    Tina Brown Member Posts: 1,036 Member
    #5
    seatown said:

    Thanks, Deb!
    I appreciate your good wishes. I'm aware it's early in my disease & there are no doubt many twists & turns on the road ahead. But after feeling so awful from my symptoms April-June, then facing the shock in July of being diagnosed with a disease I read in one source had "100% morbidity," & then fearing the chemotherapy regimen--I'm very happy now to be feeling so well. Thanks again, & good luck to you!

    Amazing numbers
    Your drop in numbers is amazing and you should be celebrating. The 100% morbidity is wrong. I have a friend who I met through our mutaul PPC condition. She was diagnosed 5 years ago and is in complete remission. The hospital have discharged her and her oncologist promounced that she was CURED. Her numbers were 17. She only ever needed 1 round of Carbo/taxol where her numbers dropped to below 30. They have always been in the low teens at her every check up and she has remained healthy and well.

    So yes, I know someone who has been cured of PPC :)

    Tina xxxx
  • seatown
    seatown Member Posts: 261 Member
    #6
    Tina Brown said:

    Amazing numbers
    Your drop in numbers is amazing and you should be celebrating. The 100% morbidity is wrong. I have a friend who I met through our mutaul PPC condition. She was diagnosed 5 years ago and is in complete remission. The hospital have discharged her and her oncologist promounced that she was CURED. Her numbers were 17. She only ever needed 1 round of Carbo/taxol where her numbers dropped to below 30. They have always been in the low teens at her every check up and she has remained healthy and well.

    So yes, I know someone who has been cured of PPC :)

    Tina xxxx

    Thank you, Julie & Tina!
    I appreciate your encouraging words. Yes, Julie, I agree that a positive attitude makes a difference. I never thought of myself as much of a Pollyanna, but in these circumstances I've decided optimistic is the only way to be. Tina, I know you're right that a lot of what one finds on the web may be wrong or out of date.

    Both my family & my medical team have been trying to keep me from dwelling too much on the negative info I find. And I'm trying not to obsess too much about the numbers. But when I think back to my reaction to my oncologist's original July report of a CA125 marker of 2,700+, then compare it to my reaction this week when the number was 173, I find my optimism hard to contain.

    Thanks again for your comments!
  • PatsieD
    PatsieD Member Posts: 99
    #7
    seatown said:

    Thank you, Julie & Tina!
    I appreciate your encouraging words. Yes, Julie, I agree that a positive attitude makes a difference. I never thought of myself as much of a Pollyanna, but in these circumstances I've decided optimistic is the only way to be. Tina, I know you're right that a lot of what one finds on the web may be wrong or out of date.

    Both my family & my medical team have been trying to keep me from dwelling too much on the negative info I find. And I'm trying not to obsess too much about the numbers. But when I think back to my reaction to my oncologist's original July report of a CA125 marker of 2,700+, then compare it to my reaction this week when the number was 173, I find my optimism hard to contain.

    Thanks again for your comments!

    You
    I was so pleased for you. It's really great news. This journey can be a rollercoaster can't it.
  • westie66
    westie66 Member Posts: 642
    #8
    PatsieD said:

    You
    I was so pleased for you. It's really great news. This journey can be a rollercoaster can't it.

    Great news!
    That is wonderful news. May we all have news like that soon!
    Cheryl
  • seatown
    seatown Member Posts: 261 Member
    #9
    westie66 said:

    Great news!
    That is wonderful news. May we all have news like that soon!
    Cheryl

    Thanks
    Thank you, Patsie & Cheryl. I appreciate the kind words. (LOVE the Westie!)

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