Linda--how are you? Any word on that increase in CA125? Did you get retested?

lindaprocopio said:

Thanks so much for checking in on me! (((Cindy)))
GOOD NEWS TODAY! I was finally able to get carboplatin chemo this afternoon (after being turned away the last 2 weeks due to low platelets)! My platelets were just high enough to ‘make the cut’ . My positive segs (the immunity part of white blood count) were actually lower than the ‘go-chemo’ threshold, but I was allowed to get the chemo anyway at the fractionated 1/3 strength dose and I will come in Monday, Tuesday, & Wednesday for Nuepogen shots to bring that up. So we scheduled out the next 2 weeks: Nuepogen shots every M, T, & W; and then labs & consultation & chemo at 1/3 strength every Thursday. Of course, that’s all dependent on me being able to keep my platelets at safe levels, but I am optimistic that I’m past that now. So Vic and I were both happy that I’m still strong enough to battle on. It's scary to think that your body may not have the strength to get chemo when you really need it.

I had another CA125 drawn today and won't get that until tomorrow or next week. Today's pre-chemo labs will give a slightly truer picture of what the 2 chemo delays may have meant. Regarding the one-week 100-point jump in my CA125, my oncologist just said "we'll keep an eye on it". I know that as long as I am getting chemo, I am doing all I can about it. He also said "Sometimes cancer cells let off CA125 protein as they die and sometimes that causes a rise in the CA125 number, so let's assume that's what happened and that the carboplatin is working." He didn't look too confident in that theory, but I'll go along with that idea anyway as there is no advantage in imaging the worst.

Isn't it wierd how happy cancer patients are to get chemo after we've been denied it a couple of times? We equate it with hope and life after awhile, I guess. Going over there 4 days a week is a regular interruption in my life, but I will try and combine the Nuepogen-shot-visits with lunches with friends and shopping and other treats and it will get me out of the house during this snowy winter. (I tend to hibernate in January & February).

I just woke up from my pre-chemo benedryl-induced nap, and will probably be up all night now from the pre-chemo steroids that seem to kick in as soon as the benedryl wears off. That's the excuse for the long post: yak yak yak from the steroids! HA!

lindaprocopio said:

Thanks so much for checking in on me! (((Cindy)))
GOOD NEWS TODAY! I was finally able to get carboplatin chemo this afternoon (after being turned away the last 2 weeks due to low platelets)! My platelets were just high enough to ‘make the cut’ . My positive segs (the immunity part of white blood count) were actually lower than the ‘go-chemo’ threshold, but I was allowed to get the chemo anyway at the fractionated 1/3 strength dose and I will come in Monday, Tuesday, & Wednesday for Nuepogen shots to bring that up. So we scheduled out the next 2 weeks: Nuepogen shots every M, T, & W; and then labs & consultation & chemo at 1/3 strength every Thursday. Of course, that’s all dependent on me being able to keep my platelets at safe levels, but I am optimistic that I’m past that now. So Vic and I were both happy that I’m still strong enough to battle on. It's scary to think that your body may not have the strength to get chemo when you really need it.

I had another CA125 drawn today and won't get that until tomorrow or next week. Today's pre-chemo labs will give a slightly truer picture of what the 2 chemo delays may have meant. Regarding the one-week 100-point jump in my CA125, my oncologist just said "we'll keep an eye on it". I know that as long as I am getting chemo, I am doing all I can about it. He also said "Sometimes cancer cells let off CA125 protein as they die and sometimes that causes a rise in the CA125 number, so let's assume that's what happened and that the carboplatin is working." He didn't look too confident in that theory, but I'll go along with that idea anyway as there is no advantage in imaging the worst.

Isn't it wierd how happy cancer patients are to get chemo after we've been denied it a couple of times? We equate it with hope and life after awhile, I guess. Going over there 4 days a week is a regular interruption in my life, but I will try and combine the Nuepogen-shot-visits with lunches with friends and shopping and other treats and it will get me out of the house during this snowy winter. (I tend to hibernate in January & February).

I just woke up from my pre-chemo benedryl-induced nap, and will probably be up all night now from the pre-chemo steroids that seem to kick in as soon as the benedryl wears off. That's the excuse for the long post: yak yak yak from the steroids! HA!

lindaprocopio said:

Thanks so much for checking in on me! (((Cindy)))
GOOD NEWS TODAY! I was finally able to get carboplatin chemo this afternoon (after being turned away the last 2 weeks due to low platelets)! My platelets were just high enough to ‘make the cut’ . My positive segs (the immunity part of white blood count) were actually lower than the ‘go-chemo’ threshold, but I was allowed to get the chemo anyway at the fractionated 1/3 strength dose and I will come in Monday, Tuesday, & Wednesday for Nuepogen shots to bring that up. So we scheduled out the next 2 weeks: Nuepogen shots every M, T, & W; and then labs & consultation & chemo at 1/3 strength every Thursday. Of course, that’s all dependent on me being able to keep my platelets at safe levels, but I am optimistic that I’m past that now. So Vic and I were both happy that I’m still strong enough to battle on. It's scary to think that your body may not have the strength to get chemo when you really need it.

I had another CA125 drawn today and won't get that until tomorrow or next week. Today's pre-chemo labs will give a slightly truer picture of what the 2 chemo delays may have meant. Regarding the one-week 100-point jump in my CA125, my oncologist just said "we'll keep an eye on it". I know that as long as I am getting chemo, I am doing all I can about it. He also said "Sometimes cancer cells let off CA125 protein as they die and sometimes that causes a rise in the CA125 number, so let's assume that's what happened and that the carboplatin is working." He didn't look too confident in that theory, but I'll go along with that idea anyway as there is no advantage in imaging the worst.

Isn't it wierd how happy cancer patients are to get chemo after we've been denied it a couple of times? We equate it with hope and life after awhile, I guess. Going over there 4 days a week is a regular interruption in my life, but I will try and combine the Nuepogen-shot-visits with lunches with friends and shopping and other treats and it will get me out of the house during this snowy winter. (I tend to hibernate in January & February).

I just woke up from my pre-chemo benedryl-induced nap, and will probably be up all night now from the pre-chemo steroids that seem to kick in as soon as the benedryl wears off. That's the excuse for the long post: yak yak yak from the steroids! HA!

Sara Zipora said:

Your post
Dear Linda,

So happy you checked in and as usual you are such an inspiration. I just completed my first six round Chemo, but with an initial Dx of Stage IV B, don't expect remission to be more than six months, I hope and pray that long, dream of longer! Your posts are so positive and upbeat, thanks and we're all rooting for you.

By the way anyone out there on Macrobiotic Diet?

Sara Zipora

lindaprocopio said:

My counts were good enuff to get chemo again today 1/3 strength.
I'm relieved to be able to share that I was again able to get my carboplatin today at 1/3 strength,...2 weeks in a row now, so that I'm feeling pretty optimistic that I'll be able to safely get the carboplatin at 1/3 strength once a week instead of full strength every 3 weeks. At least I'm getting some kind of chemo to deal with whatever caused my CA125 to jump 100 points 2 weeks ago. I didn't bother getting my CA125 from my pre-chemo draw last week, and will probably wait until next Thursday to get my CA125 results from today's pre-chemo labs. I don't want to fixate on the number when I am already doing all my body will allow me to do, so why torture myself? But I will ask next week, just in case the carboplatin looks like it isn't really working and I need to start advocating for a new strategy. But I sure am hoping the carbo is getting my cancer under control again, and that my number starts dropping week by week. Like I said, I'm doing all my body will let me, so I am just leaving this one in God's hands and going with the flow here.

I ate all the potassium-rich foods I could think of all week, but today my oncologist said the most important thing you can do to raise your potassium level is to control diarrhea and vomiting. I didn't really have either, but looking back I did have really loose bowels a couple days before that blood lab last week. So that's my tip for the day! HA!

Funny, but with the pre-chemo steroids and meds in me, I feel better now than I did all week, even with the carbo cranking around in there too. Drug-induced well-being perhaps, but still nice to feel 100%. It's my husband's birthday and we came back from chemo and I made us both some Thai carrots, strip steaks, hand-cut-by-me french fries, and a raspberry dream cake from our favorite bakery. How sick can I be when I can eat like that, and an hour later the steroids are whispering to me "Be sure and get another little sliver of that cake before bed!!"

lindaprocopio said:

My counts were good enuff to get chemo again today 1/3 strength.
I'm relieved to be able to share that I was again able to get my carboplatin today at 1/3 strength,...2 weeks in a row now, so that I'm feeling pretty optimistic that I'll be able to safely get the carboplatin at 1/3 strength once a week instead of full strength every 3 weeks. At least I'm getting some kind of chemo to deal with whatever caused my CA125 to jump 100 points 2 weeks ago. I didn't bother getting my CA125 from my pre-chemo draw last week, and will probably wait until next Thursday to get my CA125 results from today's pre-chemo labs. I don't want to fixate on the number when I am already doing all my body will allow me to do, so why torture myself? But I will ask next week, just in case the carboplatin looks like it isn't really working and I need to start advocating for a new strategy. But I sure am hoping the carbo is getting my cancer under control again, and that my number starts dropping week by week. Like I said, I'm doing all my body will let me, so I am just leaving this one in God's hands and going with the flow here.

I ate all the potassium-rich foods I could think of all week, but today my oncologist said the most important thing you can do to raise your potassium level is to control diarrhea and vomiting. I didn't really have either, but looking back I did have really loose bowels a couple days before that blood lab last week. So that's my tip for the day! HA!

Funny, but with the pre-chemo steroids and meds in me, I feel better now than I did all week, even with the carbo cranking around in there too. Drug-induced well-being perhaps, but still nice to feel 100%. It's my husband's birthday and we came back from chemo and I made us both some Thai carrots, strip steaks, hand-cut-by-me french fries, and a raspberry dream cake from our favorite bakery. How sick can I be when I can eat like that, and an hour later the steroids are whispering to me "Be sure and get another little sliver of that cake before bed!!"

lindaprocopio said:

My counts were good enuff to get chemo again today 1/3 strength.
I'm relieved to be able to share that I was again able to get my carboplatin today at 1/3 strength,...2 weeks in a row now, so that I'm feeling pretty optimistic that I'll be able to safely get the carboplatin at 1/3 strength once a week instead of full strength every 3 weeks. At least I'm getting some kind of chemo to deal with whatever caused my CA125 to jump 100 points 2 weeks ago. I didn't bother getting my CA125 from my pre-chemo draw last week, and will probably wait until next Thursday to get my CA125 results from today's pre-chemo labs. I don't want to fixate on the number when I am already doing all my body will allow me to do, so why torture myself? But I will ask next week, just in case the carboplatin looks like it isn't really working and I need to start advocating for a new strategy. But I sure am hoping the carbo is getting my cancer under control again, and that my number starts dropping week by week. Like I said, I'm doing all my body will let me, so I am just leaving this one in God's hands and going with the flow here.

I ate all the potassium-rich foods I could think of all week, but today my oncologist said the most important thing you can do to raise your potassium level is to control diarrhea and vomiting. I didn't really have either, but looking back I did have really loose bowels a couple days before that blood lab last week. So that's my tip for the day! HA!

Funny, but with the pre-chemo steroids and meds in me, I feel better now than I did all week, even with the carbo cranking around in there too. Drug-induced well-being perhaps, but still nice to feel 100%. It's my husband's birthday and we came back from chemo and I made us both some Thai carrots, strip steaks, hand-cut-by-me french fries, and a raspberry dream cake from our favorite bakery. How sick can I be when I can eat like that, and an hour later the steroids are whispering to me "Be sure and get another little sliver of that cake before bed!!"