Immunotherapy

It's been a couple of weeks since my last update, so I figured now would be a good time to sit down and write another one.

I had labs/blood work done on the 14th, which showed that my white blood cell count was still very low, as well as my red blood cell count, so I was told to basically continue to avoid all contact with anyone who has been sick recently. Considering this is the season for flu and strep and everyone has been sick, I should stay quarantined to avoid getting sick myself. My platelet count had also dropped a little bit, again, but was at the borderline for regular and low, so that wasn't concerning. I had my first of three immunotherapy treatments for the clinical trial on the 15th, which was 12 days ago. I received Pembrolizumab, aka Keytruda. This drug is already used to help in the treatment of cancers in the upper body, such as head and neck cancer, lung cancer, lymphoma, and melanoma. The purpose of the trial I'm participating in is to see if it can also help with cancers in other parts of the body. Chemo is used to slow the growth and destroy rapidly-dividing cancer cells in the body. The downside is, we also have rapidly-dividing cells in our body that are good, but the chemo can't distinguish between the two so it attacks all of them. That's why I got so sick, why my blood cell and platelet counts dropped so low, and I had to have the blood transfusion. But Pembro/Keytruda only goes after the cancerous cells, and also prevents them from hiding. I am incredibly lucky to be part of this trial to get this drug because it's extremely expensive and insurance doesn't cover it.

It was given to me through an IV in my arm, and took only 30 minutes. I did get some saline fluids beforehand, but that took even less time. They said there wouldn't be many side effects of this drug. Most common ones were joint pains, muscle pains, coughing, wheezing, general symptoms of an upper respiratory infection. I am happy to report that I've had none of those symptoms, for the most part. That first week after the treatment, I did have something - not sure how to explain it, except for like this: you know how when you work out or be very active and your muscles are tight-feeling the next morning, and you have to stretch them a lot? I had that feeling for the first week. It wasn't painful or even sore feeling, just basically a tightness feeling. I also had a sore throat for a week but that was due to pollen. If you're local in Alabama, then you know exactly what I'm talking about.

I'm no longer quarantining myself either, by default. My daughter made the soccer team at school, and due to practice EVERY SINGLE DAY after school, plus games, there's no way I could avoid human contact. Even if I'd wanted to, my two younger kids both ran fevers for days and with my husband working, I had no choice but to be around them. Zoey likes to stay right on top of me even when she's not sick, so avoiding her wasn't happening. Kollin, on top of his fever, also had diarrhea and vomiting. I thought maybe he had the flu, but a trip to Urgent Care proved otherwise. Point is, I made it through both of their sicknesses and didn't get sick myself, so I declared this QUARANTINE OVER.

I personally feel great. Every side effect I had from chemo is gone, except for my super thin hair, but I've started taking Biotin to help with that. I no longer have any side effects from radiation either, which was mainly just diarrhea and fatigue. I have my energy back and I feel like my old self again, for the most part. My brain and my body aren't on the same page - I don't quite have all my strength back yet, so when I try to do things (for example, yardwork with Kris last week) I tire out faster. That's okay though, it'll come. I'll get there again. I'm just glad to be able to do what I can now.

I go back for my next treatment on March 6th, but I'll have my labs/blood work done the day before. I'm curious and excited to see how my both of my blood cell & platelet counts are by then. As soon as they are all back up to normal range again, I am having my cancer ribbon tattoo retouched. I had it done two days after I was diagnosed, and since it is on the top of my foot, she couldn't do it deep and some of the color faded as it healed. I want to have it redone and have it healed up before swimming time!

In the meantime, it's so nice being out of the house again! I've done some yard work with my husband, went to Kylie's soccer games, painted Zoey's bedroom pink (she's only been asking for over a year), went to a birthday dinner for my friend Holli, and this coming weekend I am doing the Colors of Cancer Glow Run 5K. I won't be running, of course. I'll be walking, but it will be fun and I am looking forward to it. This will be my first 5K in the dark and all the glowing things are just a bonus. A few friends have signed up to do it with me, so I'm thankful for them for doing that. It will be fun to get out and do something. I'm a little desperate for a date night, seeing how the last one was November 3rd, the night I got the above-mentioned cancer ribbon tattoo. I realize that was only a few months ago, but so much has happened since then, that it feels like years ago. The only alone time Kris and I have had since then was going to chemo or radiation,but that's hardly a date, and definitely not romantic - but I wouldn't undo it for anything. I don't know what I would have done without him there with me every step of the way. He's the best, period.