Some good news for a change!

I didn't know they did CEA with my labs yesterday. I think it was a slip-up because my oncologist said we'd wait and check after my next round of chemo. The nurse called me today. My CEA was at 2 last December and stayed there through May. At my first 3-month check in August it was 8. CEA has been a good indicator for me - cancer was back. 3 weeks ago I had my first round of FOLFIRI w/AVASTIN. My CEA that day was up to 12. I tolerated this chemo cocktail lot better than FOLFOX, except that my white counts were even worse, so I couldn't have chemo yesterday, which was 3 weeks out from the first tx. I won't get my next tx till next Thursday now, and was warned that it is possible that I might not have rebounded enough by then either. As soon as my bone marrow has repaired itself enough I'll have chemo again, and from now on I'll have Neulasta every round. I have the option of Neupogen, but the onc says 4 days of them if I go that route. On FOLFOX I did 3, and was able to reduce to 2. NO WAY do I want to go in 4 days a week for shots! I need to have a life - to work and have some energy for my family.

I was freaking out - doing nothing to fight back had me so worried. But, my CEA yesterday was down to 5.7!!!!! WOW! I am so excited! Maybe FOLFIRI w/Avastin can finish the job that FOLFOX couldn't quite do! From 12 to 5.7 with one treatment!

And I've been contacted by another cancer family that has unused Neulasta and Emend that they have offered. WIth my awful prescription co-pays, this is amazing for me! Our insurance changed this year to remove prescriptions from major medical, so we have no maximum out of pocket on them now. We hadn't bargained for that - especially with so many expensive drugs. Thank you to the angels willing to share their extra drugs! (Oncologist office says, "We can't endorse you using someone else's drugs, but make sure the dosing is correct and expiration is ok." They understand the financial end of things too.)