Roxanne's Cancer Journey

I am officially weaned off my steroid DEXAMTHASONE!!! I have been on it for about 7 weeks for pain. I started at 2mg and tried to wean off twice in last few weeks, but today marks 48 hours off of it with no increase in pain. I am now on Tylenol only. I will take this as a minor win. I gained 14 pounds on DEXA and it totally disrupted my sleep and made me wired all day and all night. But I needed it to decrease bad bone pain and cancer soft tissue pain. My cancer numbers must be low enough now that I don't need it anymore and I am very happy to not be on it!!! DEXA is pretty strong and they use it for cancer often. The conversion to the more known steroid of prednisone is 0.75 mg Dexamethasone = 5 mg Prednisone so my starting dose was kinda high. Plus, the KISQALI increases the amount in circulation two fold. My face was getting really puffy and I am now trying to get rid of oral thrush as a result of the steroid (it lowers immune system). I'll take this little win!!! Bye, Bye, ...

My eldest daughter is back at college. I was well enough to drive there (only 10 minutes away) to bring her a few things. She wanted me there to help her make her bed and I wanted that memory for her. It's funny now I think about making memories a lot now that time has a different value to me. I will be spending time with my other daughter this weekend- maybe going for a walk and out to breakfast. People who I love matter so much to me; they did before and it is just amplified now. I feel like time is so undervalued- I definately took it for granted before this diagnosis. And now that I am grieving what might be lost- in terms of days I have here- I want to be sure that I spend every day doing something that I love or spending some time each day with someone I love.

Finally some good news, because the ZOMETA gave me the worst flu of my life. Here is the news: After three weeks on Kisqali (round 1) and 6 weeks of Anastrozole there is a downward trend in my CA 27-29 tumor marker which is a highly encouraging early sign. YIPPPEEE! In the context of cancer treatment, a rapid drop indicates that the medication is actively working against the cancer cells. However, oncologists generally view this as a positive first step rather than a definitive final result, as tumor markers can fluctuate early on. Why a drop is a great start: The combination of Kisqali (a CDK4/6 inhibitor) and anastrozole (an aromatase inhibitor) is designed to halt the growth of hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer. Seeing your numbers fall so quickly suggests the tumors are sensitive to this combination. Markers are only one piece of the puzzle: While a declining CA 27-29 is a great indicator, oncologists do not rely on blood tests alone. I am working hard with my medical team...

This morning I had my first ZOMETA IV! Zometa (zoledronic acid) is an intravenous medication given to patients to strengthen bones and prevent complications when cancer spreads to the bone. It belongs to a drug group called bisphosphonates. It targets osteoclasts, which are cells in the body that break down and destroy bone tissue. By slowing down these cells, Zometa helps keep bones dense and stable.Reduces fractures: Lowers the risk of painful bone breaks.Relieves pain: Helps ease bone discomfort caused by the cancer.Delays complications: Decreases the need for radiation or surgery on affected bones. Delivered directly into a vein through an IV drip.Time: Takes at least 15 minutes per session. Schedule: Often given once every 3 to 4 weeks, though doctors sometimes space treatments out to every 12 weeks after the first year. My doctor ordered it every 4 weeks because I have exetensive (hundreds of subcentimeter) bone lesions which makes my bones hurt and brittle. In 6-12 months the...