Cancer Across the Pond...con't

daylady

Hi Ladies!  Well I have just returned from my third cycle of transarterial chemoembolization in Germany.  After almost no good news in nearly a year, the last two months have felt good.  Last month, before doing cycle #2 they did an MRI and could see shrinkage from cycle #1.  This time they could see continued shrinkage and growth having stopped.  So next month, they will do the final cycle #4, and then two days later they are going to go in and do laser ablation on the largest tumor, and the following month they plan to do ablation on the remaining tumor.  If all goes well, the liver should be clear at that point.  We will do scans at that point to see what else might be going on that needs to be monitored or maintained, and develop a less rigorous schedule of visits moving forward.  Obviously, I can't continue to travel to Germany every month so figuring out what the future is going to look like will be interesting. 

I continue to take things one day at a time, and live each day as well as the Good Lord allows.  I am hesitant to just drop back into the Kaiser system here in the States as they offered me no options except continued high dose chemo.  This cancer is notoriously chemo resistant.  The chemoembolization treatment can be repeated if there should be future liver spots, and the ablation can be done on liver tumors, lung tumors and soft tissue tumors and can also be repeated.  Some combination of working with my German doctors, my naturopath, and perhaps identifying a more natural, holistically focused, clinic here in the US may be my long term plan.  I have discovered that putting all the energy you can in staying as healthy as you can is probably one of your most powerful tools.  So...that's what I try to focus on.   Hope everyone is doing well and looking forward to a healthy summer!  Hugs, Helen

 

TeddyandBears_Mom

Hi Helen, As always it is so

Hi Helen, As always it is so great to hear from you. And, what a major story you have to tell! I'm so happy for you and will continue to pray for additional good news as you near the end of this wave of treatments.  Thanks for sharing your journey. It sure seems that your USA doctors would be interested in learning from this. We can only hope that someone is listening on our side of the pond.

Continue to take care of yourself and maintain your wonderful attitude. Looking forward to hearing more good news.

Love and Hugs,

Cindi

ConnieSW

TeddyandBears_Mom said:

Hi Helen, As always it is so

Hi Helen, As always it is so great to hear from you. And, what a major story you have to tell! I'm so happy for you and will continue to pray for additional good news as you near the end of this wave of treatments.  Thanks for sharing your journey. It sure seems that your USA doctors would be interested in learning from this. We can only hope that someone is listening on our side of the pond.

Continue to take care of yourself and maintain your wonderful attitude. Looking forward to hearing more good news.

Love and Hugs,

Cindi

Thanks for the update

I've been wondering how you're doing.  I'm tickled to hear things are moving in such a positive, hopeful direction. Keep it up. 

Nellasing

That's great news Helen!!!

Wow- couldn't be a better update.  I agree with everyone else- sure wish they had some better options available here but so glad you and Chris were able to go there and have such good results.  Thank you for sharing your journey with us!  Looking forward to the next chapter.  We'll be thinking about you and praying for you.  (((HUGS)))

derMaus

So Good to Hear from You!

Helen, it's SO good to hear from you and to know that you're getting good progress! Continued shrinkage is great, growth having stopped is even better. I love your idea to 'see what needs to be monitored or maintained'. That is exactly how I want to think of this disease we have: something maintain-able. I would be very, very curious as to what you find for clinics in the U.S. that take a more comprehensive approach. You'll be in my thoughts and prayers! B