Posted May 13, 2016 on www.caringbridge.org/visit/allisonchaput
I can't believe that it has been 2 weeks since I diagnosed with lung cancer. They always say time flies when you are having fun, but is there a saying for when time is flying and you aren't having fun? This is not fun, but I am embracing it with who I am!
I met with my oncologist yesterday for my post 1 week chemo infusion. She is just amazing, and she made me feel amazing as she commented on how good I looked! I wanted to say, "Well lady, you saw me a my worst in the ICU with no-make-up for days and greasy hair!" The results of my mutations are in and I am negative for the ALK mutation, so I will not be entering into a clinical trial at the University Medical Center here in Denver as they have just started a trial for patients with the ALK mutation and now that I am negative for that mutation I am not eligible. Ian said, "That's ok, you don't want to be lab rat for the next year, do you?" He is always finding a way to make me smile these days! However, I am positive for the EGFR mutation. This is a mutation in the epidermal growth factor receptor and is normal for healthy cell growth. Since mine is mutated, I got cancer because the cells grew too rapidly and with the mutation were unhealthy cells. If that all makes since…I have been doing my research this morning on the EGFR mutation and I am not even close to being done with researching! So, my oncologist is recommending that we continue the aggressive chemotherapy treatment (carboplatin and alimta) that I am currently on for 4 rounds, a total of 12 weeks. After the 4th round, we will do the scans again and see where we are with tumor shrinkage and decided if we will switch to the drug that specific for the mutation or continue on with the current treatment plan for several more rounds. I did have my labs drawn as my counts should be a an all time low right about now, but everything looked good. My WBCs have decreased, but are still normal! While I have been at the Porter Cancer Center, I am now going to go to the Parker Cancer Center as it is closer to my house and my oncologist goes there too! It made more sense to Ian and I to be closer to home, like 10 minutes from home!
I also had an ECHO yesterday to make sure that there is no more fluid build around my heart and that the surgery that I had on 4/30 worked….and it did! I meet with my surgeon and there is no fluid around my heart. The fluid around my right lung that was drained during surgery is not malignant!! He said, that he didn't think that it was as it looked like heart failure fluid and was caused because of the pressure on my heart. The fluid was clear, thin, and serous; definitely nothing like the fluid around my heart which was bloody!
I have been feeling great! I have more energy and my appetite is back! Although I have lost 13 lbs. in the last two weeks….but who's complaining about that…definitely not me!!! I just wish it didn't take getting diagnosed with cancer to lose weight!!! I finished my final and am just preparing for my assessment check-off and I will be done with school until probably January. I have taken a liking to herbal tea since I can't stand the sight of coffee! Even when I open the pantry door and see a breakfast blend box of k-cups sitting on the shelf, I want to vomit! I continue to get well wishes from everywhere and I am over joyed at the support that I have behind me!
This weekend, my best friend from high school and a couple other high friends are coming and we will be going out for brunch and just hanging out. Ian and I have a birthday party Saturday afternoon for one of his friends that we will go to. We have a busy weekend, but I wouldn't want it any other way!!! Busy is our normal!
Last night before I went to bed I thanked God for his almighty sense of peace, I have sure felt peace recently with how things are going and my diagnosis; I thanked him for my amazing cousins that sent the best care package ever, they sure nailed it; I thanked him for my oncologist and the professionals at the cancer center; they are all amazing; I thanked him for every breath he has allowed me to take; I sure took it for granted before my diagnosis; and of course, I thanked him for him; I am at awe at his compassion, mercy, faith, hope, and love and I am surrounded in it every day!!
I met with my oncologist yesterday for my post 1 week chemo infusion. She is just amazing, and she made me feel amazing as she commented on how good I looked! I wanted to say, "Well lady, you saw me a my worst in the ICU with no-make-up for days and greasy hair!" The results of my mutations are in and I am negative for the ALK mutation, so I will not be entering into a clinical trial at the University Medical Center here in Denver as they have just started a trial for patients with the ALK mutation and now that I am negative for that mutation I am not eligible. Ian said, "That's ok, you don't want to be lab rat for the next year, do you?" He is always finding a way to make me smile these days! However, I am positive for the EGFR mutation. This is a mutation in the epidermal growth factor receptor and is normal for healthy cell growth. Since mine is mutated, I got cancer because the cells grew too rapidly and with the mutation were unhealthy cells. If that all makes since…I have been doing my research this morning on the EGFR mutation and I am not even close to being done with researching! So, my oncologist is recommending that we continue the aggressive chemotherapy treatment (carboplatin and alimta) that I am currently on for 4 rounds, a total of 12 weeks. After the 4th round, we will do the scans again and see where we are with tumor shrinkage and decided if we will switch to the drug that specific for the mutation or continue on with the current treatment plan for several more rounds. I did have my labs drawn as my counts should be a an all time low right about now, but everything looked good. My WBCs have decreased, but are still normal! While I have been at the Porter Cancer Center, I am now going to go to the Parker Cancer Center as it is closer to my house and my oncologist goes there too! It made more sense to Ian and I to be closer to home, like 10 minutes from home!
I also had an ECHO yesterday to make sure that there is no more fluid build around my heart and that the surgery that I had on 4/30 worked….and it did! I meet with my surgeon and there is no fluid around my heart. The fluid around my right lung that was drained during surgery is not malignant!! He said, that he didn't think that it was as it looked like heart failure fluid and was caused because of the pressure on my heart. The fluid was clear, thin, and serous; definitely nothing like the fluid around my heart which was bloody!
I have been feeling great! I have more energy and my appetite is back! Although I have lost 13 lbs. in the last two weeks….but who's complaining about that…definitely not me!!! I just wish it didn't take getting diagnosed with cancer to lose weight!!! I finished my final and am just preparing for my assessment check-off and I will be done with school until probably January. I have taken a liking to herbal tea since I can't stand the sight of coffee! Even when I open the pantry door and see a breakfast blend box of k-cups sitting on the shelf, I want to vomit! I continue to get well wishes from everywhere and I am over joyed at the support that I have behind me!
This weekend, my best friend from high school and a couple other high friends are coming and we will be going out for brunch and just hanging out. Ian and I have a birthday party Saturday afternoon for one of his friends that we will go to. We have a busy weekend, but I wouldn't want it any other way!!! Busy is our normal!
Last night before I went to bed I thanked God for his almighty sense of peace, I have sure felt peace recently with how things are going and my diagnosis; I thanked him for my amazing cousins that sent the best care package ever, they sure nailed it; I thanked him for my oncologist and the professionals at the cancer center; they are all amazing; I thanked him for every breath he has allowed me to take; I sure took it for granted before my diagnosis; and of course, I thanked him for him; I am at awe at his compassion, mercy, faith, hope, and love and I am surrounded in it every day!!
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