and yet another update...

Deborah and I saw Dr. Smiley yesterday - she had a chest CT and blood
work last week.

Markers were up about 20% from last month and the CT scan showed a
small increase in the size of a couple of nasties in her lungs, so it's
time to start chemo again. Joy. But markers are still low and the
biggest of the lung nasties was only 17mm - there was one on the other
side that was 12mm but the rest are all really, really small. She's
still in remarkably good shape.

Last week we dropped all the paperwork for the Tykerb (Lapatinib)
expanded access program by Dr. Smiley's office his office and Deborah
wrote him a long note explaining that she'd prefer to receive
treatments close to home rather than driving to Ann Arbor or Detroit to
receive them. Dr. Smiley said that he applied to GlaxoSmitkKline for
access to the drugs and was turned down.

But - he also said that Tykerb is pretty much on-target to receive FDA
approval sometime in the first quarter of 2007 and since Deborah is
pretty healthy we don't think the delay will really matter all that
much. He said we'd continue Herceptin and Faslodex and gave her a
choice between Xeloda and Gemzar. We all agreed that since she's gonna
get both anyway it really doesn't matter which one she has first.
Deborah said she'd like to think about it so we're starting treatment
next week.

She talked to a couple of nurses and she and I talked about it last
night - and after comparing side effects she's decided to do Gemzar
first - we've got a week in the sun down in Texas planned for February
and since the likelihood of fatigue will be higher with Gemzar than
with Xeloda she decided she'd rather be tired now than then. I think
that was a pretty wise choice.

Life is good - I'm a little unsettled but that happens every time we
switch treatments. I'm getting used to it and it usually passes in a
couple days so things are working pretty well.

On another note I met a man with breast cancer yesterday - first one
I've ever met face to face. He and I took turns giving the chemo
nurses hell and they gave as good as they got so a good time was had by
all. My new friend Richard still has some hair - he was there for his
third AC treatment and we talked about this group, the chemo basket
Tim's got on cancersupporters.com and why Goddess gave us nose hair
;-)

hugs to all -

"allan" <wizard10000@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1161864364.520300.51720@b28g2000cwb.googlegro ups.com...
> Deborah and I saw Dr. Smiley yesterday - she had a chest CT and blood
> work last week.
>

....

>
> hugs to all -

And to you, both of you, and one for Dr Smiley too.

Mary
>

"allan" <wizard10000@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1161864364.520300.51720@b28g2000cwb.googlegro ups.com...
> Deborah and I saw Dr. Smiley yesterday - she had a chest CT and blood
> work last week.
>
> Markers were up about 20% from last month and the CT scan showed a
> small increase in the size of a couple of nasties in her lungs, so it's
> time to start chemo again. Joy. But markers are still low and the
> biggest of the lung nasties was only 17mm - there was one on the other
> side that was 12mm but the rest are all really, really small. She's
> still in remarkably good shape.
....snips...
> Life is good - I'm a little unsettled but that happens every time we
> switch treatments. I'm getting used to it and it usually passes in a
> couple days so things are working pretty well.

Thanks for the update, Allan -- I understand how it must make a bit of a
speed-bump in the road when Deb has to switch regimens, but here's hoping
this'll go very well. Give her my best - think of you both often!

Ann T.
Remove 'dontsendspam' from address to reply by email

"allan" <wizard10000@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1161864364.520300.51720@b28g2000cwb.googlegro ups.com...
> Deborah and I saw Dr. Smiley yesterday - she had a chest CT and blood
> work last week.
>
> Markers were up about 20% from last month and the CT scan showed a
> small increase in the size of a couple of nasties in her lungs, so it's
> time to start chemo again. Joy. But markers are still low and the
> biggest of the lung nasties was only 17mm - there was one on the other
> side that was 12mm but the rest are all really, really small. She's
> still in remarkably good shape.
>
> Last week we dropped all the paperwork for the Tykerb (Lapatinib)
> expanded access program by Dr. Smiley's office his office and Deborah
> wrote him a long note explaining that she'd prefer to receive
> treatments close to home rather than driving to Ann Arbor or Detroit to
> receive them. Dr. Smiley said that he applied to GlaxoSmitkKline for
> access to the drugs and was turned down.
>
> But - he also said that Tykerb is pretty much on-target to receive FDA
> approval sometime in the first quarter of 2007 and since Deborah is
> pretty healthy we don't think the delay will really matter all that
> much. He said we'd continue Herceptin and Faslodex and gave her a
> choice between Xeloda and Gemzar. We all agreed that since she's gonna
> get both anyway it really doesn't matter which one she has first.
> Deborah said she'd like to think about it so we're starting treatment
> next week.
>
> She talked to a couple of nurses and she and I talked about it last
> night - and after comparing side effects she's decided to do Gemzar
> first - we've got a week in the sun down in Texas planned for February
> and since the likelihood of fatigue will be higher with Gemzar than
> with Xeloda she decided she'd rather be tired now than then. I think
> that was a pretty wise choice.
>
> Life is good - I'm a little unsettled but that happens every time we
> switch treatments. I'm getting used to it and it usually passes in a
> couple days so things are working pretty well.
>
> On another note I met a man with breast cancer yesterday - first one
> I've ever met face to face. He and I took turns giving the chemo
> nurses hell and they gave as good as they got so a good time was had by
> all. My new friend Richard still has some hair - he was there for his
> third AC treatment and we talked about this group, the chemo basket
> Tim's got on cancersupporters.com and why Goddess gave us nose hair
> ;-)
>
> hugs to all -
>
Not perfect news,but very good. Best wishes.

Sandy L

"allan" <wizard10000@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1161864364.520300.51720@b28g2000cwb.googlegro ups.com...
>
> .....Last week we dropped all the paperwork for the Tykerb (Lapatinib)
> expanded access program by Dr. Smiley's office his office and Deborah
> wrote him a long note explaining that she'd prefer to receive
> treatments close to home rather than driving to Ann Arbor or Detroit to
> receive them. Dr. Smiley said that he applied to GlaxoSmitkKline for
> access to the drugs and was turned down.
>
> But - he also said that Tykerb is pretty much on-target to receive FDA
> approval sometime in the first quarter of 2007 and since Deborah is
> pretty healthy we don't think the delay will really matter all that
> much. .....
---------------
I'm very excited by what I've heard about lapatinib, and am eager to hear
what it does for Deborah. I'm sure she can't wait to start on an oral med!

Best wishes, Eva

Sure hope all goes well with additional treatment, Allan. Fingers crossed
for maximum benefit, with fewest side effects. Give Deborah a hug for me!

Barb

Well, it's a couple days after a new treatment and time for an update.

Tuesday night Deborah got a little worried about her first Gemzar
treatment - her father was on Gemzar when he died of a heart attack a
bit more than a year ago. We'd been through all the literature and I'd
explained that there aren't really any cardiac side effects from Gemzar
and even Deborah admitted that her fears were a bit baseless - but
fears don't have to be rational ;-)

I think the echocardiogram she got last Friday kinda helped feed the
fear a little bit but that's just lousy timing ;-)

So Wednesday morning I called Dr. Smiley's office and said I needed to
talk to the doc before Deborah's treatment that afternoon. Dr. Smiley
called me back about half an hour later.

I explained to him that Deborah was pretty frightened and that her dad
had passed away while doing Gemzar, that I knew his death wasn't
treatment-related but that Deborah could use a little reassurance. He
said that he'd make a point of explaining that there really wasn't any
cardiac risk, that at 50, her LVEF was still in the normal range and
she didn't have anything to worry about.

Sometimes people can't help what they're scared of, but Dr. Smiley did
a pretty good job of explaining that her father just died of heart
failure and that Gemzar really didn't have anything to do with it.

Anyway, it was a pretty quick infusion and we went out to dinner
afterward. She feels pretty good right now and is planning to get out
of town for the weekend with her girlfriends, so things are working
pretty well.

It's been an interesting week, anyway ;-)

hugs to all -

"allan" <wizard10000@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1162569214.912582.138580@h48g2000cwc.googlegr oups.com...
> Well, it's a couple days after a new treatment and time for an update.
<snip>

> Anyway, it was a pretty quick infusion and we went out to dinner
> afterward. She feels pretty good right now and is planning to get out
> of town for the weekend with her girlfriends, so things are working
> pretty well.
>
> It's been an interesting week, anyway ;-)
>

Thanks for the update, Allan - sounds like so far, so good on the
side-effects front. Hope the rest of the cycle plays out equally smoothly,
and that the Gemzar helps beat BC back again. Best wishes & hugs to Deb
(and you!)

Ann T.
Remove 'dontsendspam' from address to reply by email

Wishing Deborah an uneventful treatment, Alex
"allan" <wizard10000@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1162569214.912582.138580@h48g2000cwc.googlegr oups.com...
> Well, it's a couple days after a new treatment and time for an update.
>
> Tuesday night Deborah got a little worried about her first Gemzar
> treatment - her father was on Gemzar when he died of a heart attack a
> bit more than a year ago. We'd been through all the literature and I'd
> explained that there aren't really any cardiac side effects from Gemzar
> and even Deborah admitted that her fears were a bit baseless - but
> fears don't have to be rational ;-)
>
> I think the echocardiogram she got last Friday kinda helped feed the
> fear a little bit but that's just lousy timing ;-)
>
> So Wednesday morning I called Dr. Smiley's office and said I needed to
> talk to the doc before Deborah's treatment that afternoon. Dr. Smiley
> called me back about half an hour later.
>
> I explained to him that Deborah was pretty frightened and that her dad
> had passed away while doing Gemzar, that I knew his death wasn't
> treatment-related but that Deborah could use a little reassurance. He
> said that he'd make a point of explaining that there really wasn't any
> cardiac risk, that at 50, her LVEF was still in the normal range and
> she didn't have anything to worry about.
>
> Sometimes people can't help what they're scared of, but Dr. Smiley did
> a pretty good job of explaining that her father just died of heart
> failure and that Gemzar really didn't have anything to do with it.
>
> Anyway, it was a pretty quick infusion and we went out to dinner
> afterward. She feels pretty good right now and is planning to get out
> of town for the weekend with her girlfriends, so things are working
> pretty well.
>
> It's been an interesting week, anyway ;-)
>
> hugs to all -
>