Hello to my Family and Friends,

Good news!  GOD HAS BEEN SOOOOO GOOD TO ME! 

"Worship the LORD your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you…" Exodus 23:25

Today is Wednesday, February 19, 2020.  On Tues, Feb. 11 I had a CT Scan with contrast of my chest and abdomen and a bone scan to see if the current treatment I was on is working to get rid of the cancer.  My treatment as of Feb. 11 was one tablet per day of Afinitor and one tablet per day of Aromasin (Exemestane).

The Doctor's office called me on the following Wednesday and asked if I had been sick, had any chest congestion, a cold or was experiencing shortness of breath.  I told the nurse that I had not been sick but I was experiencing shortness of breath when I would make up the bed, walk from one end of the house to the other or exert myself in the slightest.  I told her that I thought it was because I was not able to eat very much and had no energy which made me very tired.  The Afinitor side effects I was experiencing was, after I go to sleep I wake up with the 'mad itch' like a million fire ants were swarming over my body.  I would also have super extreme night sweats that would wake me.  So, I wasn't getting very much rest at all.  I would take tylenol and that seemed to help with the itching plus I used various anti-itch creams and lotions to help relieve the itching.  I would also get in the shower and use the hottest water I could stand for a few minutes then use cold water.  That also helped.  The extreme itching did not affect me when I was awake but there would be occasional light itching.  The Afinitor also took my appetite away and made some foods taste really strange.  As a result I have lost about 25 lbs or so.  I'm lucky that I had the weight to lose or I would look like a skeleton now.

Any way, back to the doctor's office call....  The nurse called me back and said Dr. Arb wants me to stop taking the Afinitor and we would discuss things on the following Friday during our office visit.  Friday comes and Wayne and I see Dr. Arb.  She checked my lungs and had me take a deep breath.  I could not take a deep breath without coughing.  She heard no wheezing or rattles in my lungs which was a good thing.  She then told us that I had a condition called PNEUMONITIS.  Afinitor was the cause.  1-5% of people who take Afinitor experience this side effect.  It is the inflammation of the tissues in the lungs.  It causes the lungs to become stiff and as a result I experience shortness of breath.  If left untreated it can be life threatening.  The treatment she prescribed for me was to stop taking the Afinitor and take Prednisone for two weeks, once a day to help with the healing.  My lungs will not have any residual problems or issues due to the Pneumonitis and will be as good as new once they heal.

She went on to say that my scans showed no cancer in my bones and I only had cancer in my liver.  The cancer in my liver shows signs of shrinking and that I was, once again, considered stable.  She told us that there is a brand new test that had come out for my type of cancer and she was going to have that test run on my biopsy they took back when I was diagnosed with METS.  This test will enable her to make a more informed decision on my next course of treatment.  I asked her if there will ever come a time when she will run out of treatment options for me in the future.  Her answer was no, that there was always new medications coming available.  She considers me an A+ patient due to my health and I respond well to the treatments she puts me on despite the side effects.  She said my liver is still working well and has no problems other than the cancer growing on it or in it.  My white blood count was normal, so my biggest issue was the Pneumonitis.

Dr. Arb also said that she went into practice 24 years ago and began treating a patient for the same cancer I have.  Go forward 24 years and that very same patient is still being treated by her and is still living with a full quality of life.  She said the biggest thing with patients that have METS is they get tired of going to the doctor, having tests run, waiting on the results, etc. that they come to a decision to stop treatment.  The other issue METS patients have is dealing with the psychological aspects of the disease.  You are on a medication, it's 3 months before you have your scans done then you see the doctor to find out if the meds are still working.  Some patients cannot deal with it and decide to stop the treatment.  Well, folks, that ain't me by a long shot.  I have been through a gauntlet of emotions from the time this started and I am now at the point that I don't dwell on whether or not the treatment is working.  If it were not for having to take a pill every day, or having side effects, I would forget I even have cancer.  Sure it's a bummer to have to schedule your life around tests and doctor's appointments but the alternative is not something I want, ever.

  

It has now been one week since being off the Afinitor and I am able to take deeper breaths but not a huge inhale without coughing.  It takes about two weeks for my lungs to heal so I'm getting there.  The itching that I was experiencing after going to sleep is gone!  Thank you Jesus!  I'm not sure about the night sweats at this point.  I still have them but they don't seem as bad.  I am resting better when I am asleep which was much needed rest.

That's it for now and I will update again when I see the doctor on the 28th to discuss my next treatment.

God hears your prayers and I thank you all so very much for praying for me.  I could not ask for a better group of friends and family.  I love you all.

Glenda

December 12, 2015

Hi Everyone.  I hope you are all doing well and getting into the Christmas Spirit.  Christmas will be here before we know it and the mad rush will soon be over.  It's a special time of year and sometimes it's forgotten why we even have Christmas.  So, keep Christ in your hearts as you go about your busy day(s) and be thankful for all the blessings in your life.  I wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

Again, I would like to thank everyone for the phone calls, flowers, texts and emails.  They absolutely lift my spirits!  My health at this point in time is great.  I still have some residual lingering effects of the Xeloda such as still lightly shedding skin and it comes and goes.  No rhyme or reason why it's doing this.  I noticed a few days ago that my feet no longer hurt and my fingers also felt 'normal'!  I didn't notice it until the next day because I had gotten used to having pain.  Weird, I know.  My new meds still have not given me any side effects that I can tell.  Mouth sores are a common problem for the first 6 weeks after beginning taking them.  There is a steroid mouthwash that I use to swish around in my mouth and it's working because I haven't had any mouth sores.  Sometimes the top of my tongue seems 'rough'

but never sore.  I have prayed and prayed and prayed that this medicine will beat the cancer back and I will know for sure after I have CT scans done in January.  I am also praying for friends and family that are having health problems.  Some are in constant pain and others have intermittent pain, mobility issues, etc.  The list goes on and on.  Some have had very serious surgeries and have made remarkable recoveries.  They never gave up and kept on fighting to get better.  Giving up is easy but the end result of doing nothing means dying and I am nowhere close to wanting to die.  I have to admit that when I was going through all the pain Xeloda caused me, my mind went to a dark place.  I cried out to God to please stop the pain and he did.  I could feel the pain subsiding and I would get some relief but it would come back and I would pray again and the same thing happened.  I was finally able to go to sleep during one of the lulls in the pain.  God didn't give up on me and I didn't give up on him.  During that time I thought about people who commit suicide.  I never understood how anyone would want to kill themselves.  That window of pain that I experienced gave me the answer.  If the rest of my life meant I was going to have to live with the pain I had, I couldn't and wouldn't do it.  I wouldn't kill myself, ever, but I would stop taking the medication that caused all the pain.  So, me, understanding that there are millions of people who live with constant physical pain and some live with crippling emotional pain gave me the answer as to why someone would commit suicide.  We all have our limits on what we can endure and those poor souls had lost the will to continue on with what they were dealing with.  It made me sad then and makes me sad now to think about those people.  I always try to be kind to strangers I meet and try to remember that I have no idea what they are going through at any moment in time and things they may be dealing with.  Maybe a kind word, look or gesture is all they need to get them through another day.

Sorry to get so heavy there at the end but that's my memories from that small window of time in my life.  May you all be blessed with all you need and have a safe and wonderful Christmas.

I love you all,

Glenda

Lizard SKin (Warning: Graphic Photos)

Psalm 73:26 King James Version (KJV)

26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

______________________________________________________________

Thanks for all the prayers and phone calls.  It means a lot to me to have so much support as I continue to deal with the 

November 6 was the last day I took Xeloda, 20 days ago.  As time has gone on, all of my skin that had burned like fire has died and started to peel.  Prior to taking the medicine my feet were as smooth and soft as ever.  Not now, though!  The skin on my hands and feet is coming off in large pieces.  The skin on my chest, shoulders and back is flaking off daily and doesn't seem as if it will stop any time soon.  I am posting some photos I took today of my hands and feet in their current condition.  My hands have been peeling for over a week and are still very sensitive to heat and are very tender.  I can now grip things without pain if I use a towel.  My feet started peeling yesterday in huge sheets.  They are very, very tender today.  Walking on carpet feels cool and walking on tile feels like walking on ice.  There are areas on my feet that are super sensitive and other areas, not so much.  Below are pictures of my hands, feet and the skin I peeled off of them.  There is still a lot more skin to come off my feet.

Feet before peeling:

Feet after peeling:

This the skin that came off my right foot:

This is skin that came off my left foot:

The cloud has lifted

Isaiah 43:1-2 New King James Version (NKJV)

The Redeemer of Israel

   43 But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob,
And He who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name;
You are Mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you.

Today is a new day and a better day.  In my last post I was one miserable human being.  The scripture above reminds me that through all I was going through and will continue to go through I can count on the Lord to help me weather the storm.  In my deepest, darkest moments I called on him to ease my pain and he did.  It kept coming back but each time I asked he would respond.  As of today, I am absolutely getting better.  I still have pain in my feet and hands although it is substantially less.  There are a lot of things I cannot do using my hands due to their sensitivity to pressure.  The pain in my feet have moved from the bottoms to the sides and I still cannot walk heel to toe.  I have to walk flat footed or the friction from rubbing inside my shoes, even with socks on, causes pain.  It's like having blisters on my hands and feet.  My chest still burns and itches but it's more like an old sunburn.  My nostrils are not as sensitive but still bleed when I blow my nose.  My fingers are beginning to itch and I am hopeful that is a sign of healing.  

We saw Dr. Arb, my oncologist on Friday and she told us that my body lacks an enzyme that metabolizes the (capecitabine) Zeloda.  1% of the population cannot take Zeloda and I am in that 1%.  It's a genetic disorder.  So, basically, the Zeloda was poisoning me and that's exactly how I felt.  I likened it to Radiation poisoning.  We asked about all the burning and itching and peeling of my skin and she said Zeloda goes after precancerous cells and any place I have had a sunburn the Xeloda will react with the skin.  That explains why my chest, arms, top of the hands, face and lips were burning so bad. She likened it to the effects of Efudex used to treat skin cancer.  (Note: The only genetic testing I had done was for the ovarian cancer gene and it was negative.)

EFUDEX:  It is a cream that is applied to the skin where there is the presence of skin cancer cells.  Wayne and my Step Dad have both used it.  And, what happens is the skin will redden (severely in some cases), it makes the skin raw because it is eating through the layers and your skin looks like angry sores.  It is very painful and burns really bad.  Your face looks like a monster.  You continue to apply the cream and gradually the cancer cells die, the skin heals and you're good to go.  

So, the doctor said it will take 4 to six weeks for the effects of the medicine to go away.  She has prescribed two new meds for me to take.  My treatment plan is called AA Therapy.  I will take Aromasin (exemestane) 25 mg. daily, once a day.  It is available through my local pharmacy. And also take Afinitor, 10 mg. daily once a day.  This medicine enhances the effectiveness of the Aromasin.  I will also use a prescribed mouth rinse, Decadron (dexamethasone) 4 times daily to prevent mouth sores.  The mouth sores are a common side effect and it is within the first 6 weeks they will show themselves.  Also, a skin rash similar to acne may happen and the doctor will prescribe something for that should I experience it.  I will take these meds continually without a break like the previous meds I was taking.  There will be a high out of pocket cost for the Afinitor and we'll find out Monday what that will be.  I will still get an Xgeva shot to protect my bones once every 3 months.  I will follow up with the doctor again on Dec. 20 for labs and to assess my tolerability of the AA Therapy.  I have a CT Scan scheduled for January, 2020. 

Thanks for all the phone calls and prayers, it means a lot that so many have reached out to me.  May God bless you all.  If you didn't reach me by phone just know that I was overwhelmed and I was also sleeping a lot.  I am looking forward to getting back to 'normal' whatever that may be. 

I love you all,

Glenda 

Here is info on the enzyme my body is lacking:

Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase deficiency

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Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase deficiency
Other names	DPD deficiency
Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase deficiency has an autosomal recessive pattern of inheritance.
Specialty	Medical genetics, endocrinology

Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase deficiency is an autosomal recessive^[1] metabolic disorder in which there is absent or significantly decreased activity of dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase, an enzyme involved in the metabolism of uracil and thymine.

Individuals with this condition may develop life-threatening toxicity following exposure to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), a chemotherapy drug that is used in the treatment of cancer.^[2][3] Beside 5-FU, widely prescribed oral fluoropyrimidine capecitabine (Xeloda) could put DPD-deficient patients at risk of experiencing severe or lethal toxicities as well.^[4][5]

Genetics[edit]

DPD deficiency is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner.^[1] This means the defective gene responsible for the disorder is located on an autosome, and two copies of the defective gene (one inherited from each parent) are required in order to be born with the disorder. The parents of an individual with an autosomal recessive disorder both carry one copy of the defective gene, but usually do not experience any signs or symptoms of the disorder.

Diagnosis[edit]

Detecting DPD deficiency[edit]

A small number of genetic variants have been repeatedly associated with DPD deficiency, such as IVS14+1G>A mutation in intron 14 coupled with exon 14 deletion (a.k.a. DPYD*2A), 496A>G in exon 6; 2846A>T in exon 22 and T1679G (a.k.a. DPYD*13) in exon 13. However, testing patients for these allelic variants usually show high specificity (i.e., bearing the mutation means that severe toxicity will occur indeed)but very low sentivity (i.e., not bearing the mutation does not mean that there is no risk for severe toxicities). Alternatively, phenotyping DPD using ex-vivo enzymatic assay or surrogate testing (i.e., monitoring physiological dihydrouracil to uracil ratio in plasma) has been presented as a possible upfront strategy to detect DPD deficiency. 5-FU test dose (i.e., preliminary administration of a small dose of 5-FU with pharmacokinetics evaluation) has been proposed as another possible alternative strategy to secure the use of fluoropyrimidine drugs.

Epidemiology[edit]

Current research suggests that nearly 8% of the population has at least partial DPD deficiency. A diagnostics determination test for DPD deficiency is available and it is expected that with a potential 500,000 people in North America using 5-FU this form of testing will increase. The whole genetic events affecting the DPYD gene and possibly impacting on its function are far from being elucidated, and epigenetic regulations could probably play a major role in DPD deficiency. It seems that the actual incidence of DPD deficiency remains to be understood because it could depend on the very technique used to detect it. Screening for genetic polymorphisms affecting the DPYD gene usually identify less than 5% of patients bearing critical mutations, whereas functional studies suggest that up to 20% of patients could actually show various levels of DPD deficiency.

Women could be more at risk than men. It is more common among African-Americans than it is among Caucasians.^[6]

XELODA: THE PILL THAT KEEPS ON GIVING!

Joshua 1:9 

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

XELODA:  THE PILL THAT KEEPS ON GIVING!

On Wednesday, November 30 I had an appointment with my Oncologist, Dr. Birgit Arb.  Since the new cancer was found in my liver we discussed my treatment going forward.  She recommended Xeloda and prescribed 4 pills at 500 mg each in the morning and 3 pills of 500 mg each at night (12 hours apart).  My first dose was taken on Wednesday night.  Zeloda is a Chemotherapy drug.  She forewarned me of a common side effect that usually showed itself in about 2 weeks.  She said my feet and hands would start drying out and cracking and to start applying creams, lotions, vaseline, etc. to those areas and sleeping with socks on in an effort to ease the discomfort.

Two days and 5 doses of medicine later the bottoms of my feet began to hurt.  The best way to describe how they felt was as if I was walking on hot asphalt imbedded with glass.  My underside of my hands began burning, too.  It all seemed as though I may be able to bear the pain so I continued taking the medicine.  I had made plans to visit my niece and her family in Bluffton, SC on Tuesday, November 5 and I seemed well enough for the trip so, off I went.  That Tuesday night I took my 13th dose of the medicine and that was the 'tipping' point for me.  Almost at once the skin on my face felt like I had 3rd degree burns.  My hands and feet also started burning.  Inside my nostrils and my mouth were on fire.  My eyelids felt as if they would burst into flames because my eyeballs were so hot.  My chest began to burn.  The tops of my shoulders developed water blisters.  It was just like someone who had radiation poisoning and were burning from the inside out.  There is no way to describe just how much pain I was in.  I shed many a tear over the pain.  I had Ursula, my niece, check my temperature several times and it was alway 98.1.  Inside my mouth began to swell and my tongue, too.  I got worried about my throat possibly closing up and seriously contemplated going to the ER.  I took a few benadryl to help with the swelling as a precaution.  What I really needed was some pain meds.  Since the opioid crises I didn't think the ER would give me anything for pain so I didn't go.  I took a couple of extra strength tylenol and suffered through the night.  The next day I didn't take any of the medicine and knew there was no way I would ever take another one of those pills.  First thing Wednesday morning I called my DR.  She called me back and said to stop the meds and to see her on the 15th and let the medicine get out of my system.  Well, I seriously thought after stopping the meds I would have immediate relief.  NOT!  Things only got worse.

So, Wednesday was a continuation of Tuesday night, my nostrils were raw, my lips looked like raw meat, the bottoms of my hands and feet were as red as fire.  My fingers looked like Vienna Sausages.  My face, chest and shoulders were red and splotchy.  My gums had receded from my teeth and would bleed with the slightest brushing.  My nose began to bleed when I had to put vaseline in it or blow it.  On Thursday, I seemed to be better but then experienced stomach cramping and vomiting.  Later on I began to feel good enough that we made a trip to Walmart for a few things and I quickly ran out of gas.  I had not been able to eat very much at all due to the sore mouth and mangled lips so I had very low energy.  Ursula nursed me through all that and I started feeling better.  Friday, I was better and I limited myself on how much I was walking.  Every step was like walking on sharp glass.  My hands were so bad I could not open a coke bottle, turn the knob on a table lamp, floss my teeth and could barely suffer through holding a toothbrush.  Buttoning my shirt, zipping my pants, pulling on a pair of socks, putting on my shoes and tying my shoes were an effort of sheer will power.  Anything I tried to do with my hands that required the slightest pressure felt as if I were grabbing hold of a tennis ball embedded with razor blades.  Never, ever in my life have I experienced such pain.

On Saturday, Ursula had a yard sale and I tried to help her.  It wasn't much but it was all I could do and of course, Ursula didn't want me to do anything.  By then, my skin had started to peel as if I had been sunburned.  The burning sensation in my skin continued but it started to get better then come back again.  The tip of my middle finger on my left hand had a place on tip that turned bright red.  It looked like a blister under the skin.  To even lightly touch that spot felt like I was slicing it with a razor blade.  On Sunday, was better than the day before but that's not saying much.  My quality of life from the beginning of taking Xeloda was a 10 and quickly went to a ZERO!  Ursula and I did a few home improvement things to her house and took it easy for the most part.

On Monday, the 11th I prepared to go home.  It was another bad day, feet wise.  Ursula had to load the van for me and I headed home.  As I was driving home the fire in my body started getting worse.  I stopped in a rest area for a bathroom break and didn't think I would make it back to the van because of the foot pain.  I also notice my nail beds were turning yellow.  I called the doctor's office and left a message with my concerns and then called Wayne.  He was working and was in the Raleigh area and he arranged for his co-drivers to take him to I 95 at Lumberton so he could drive me the rest of the way home.  I was sooooo happy to see him.  The doctor's office called back and said I just needed to give the medicine time to get out of my system and I would get better.  I really thought she might tell me to go to the ER but she didn't.  After arriving home, Wayne did all the unloading and I parked on the couch.  Walking was still causing excruciating pain and my hands were still painful as well.  Before I went to bed I found a pain med I still had from my gall bladder surgery and took that and it definitely helped with the pain and allowed me to get some much needed sleep.

Today, Tuesday, November 12, I woke up around 3 a.m. and my lips were stuck together and I was thirsty.  I got up and my first steps seemed that my feet were a little bit better.  I had to walk flat footed and hold onto the wall and anything else in my path to keep from losing my balance.  I managed to get my lips parted and drank some water, watched a little tv and started falling asleep on the couch.  Wayne got up and checked on me and I went back to bed soon after.  I was able to get even more sleep and make up some of the deficit.  My feet are better and walking on our thick carpet is somewhat comfortable.  It's the hardwood floors that create pain due to the pressure.  The end of my heels are super tender.  My face and chest are still hot and itchy.  My eyes are itchy, fingertips are numb.  Still can't open a drink bottle or turn on a lamp unless it has a push button.  Gums are getting better so, all in all I can see improvement.  I have no idea what treatment options are still open to me but we will find out on Friday and I will update this blog once we know.

As always, I appreciate all the prayers.  All of this is in God's hands and I have to trust in Him 100%.

A new diagnosis...........

Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

http://glenda2013.blogspot.com/ Link to my 2013 Cancer Blog.

First I want to thank my Husband, Wayne for his unwavering support through my ongoing illness.  He has been my rock and he is my heart.  I love him more than words can ever say.  I also want to thank my family who have been there for me through thick and thin and all my friends, some whom I have never met.  I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers and constant support.  I could not do this without any of you being there for me.

Today is October 31, 2019.  It has been 6 years since I completed all my treatments related to my initial diagnosis of breast cancer in February of 2013.  Fast forward to October of 2018 and I began to have gall bladder problems.  I had no idea what was wrong so I ended up in the emergency room on a Friday afternoon.  My sister, Cindy took me there and she already knew it was my gall bladder because she had been through it all herself.

Two years prior (2016) to this ER visit I had been admitted for emergency surgery to remove my appendix, which had burst.  I was a sick puppy to say the least.  I was 'septic' with infection.  God willing, I made it through with no lasting problems.

October, 2018.  So, when the Doctor did an ultrasound on my abdomen, they had the scan from 2016 to compare it to.  The Doctor comes back in and I knew immediately something was very wrong.  He said yes, I had a gall bladder problem and that I also had spots on my liver.  I asked if it was cancer and he said yes but it wasn't liver cancer.  I told him about my breast cancer and he said yes, it was breast cancer in my liver.  Now he had super powers by being able to do all that diagnosing with just an ultrasound!  When we left I was told to see my oncologist asap.  So Wayne, my husband, my sister Cindy and I all had the entire weekend to dwell on this.  It was probably the worst two days of my life.  Come Monday morning we were in the oncologists office and she took us right in.  I was a nervous wreck.  She was incredulous that the ER doctor would even tell us I had cancer just from the ultrasound.  She had me go through a battery of tests and when we went for our next consultation she confirmed I had stage 4 metastatic breast cancer.  She said a small percentage of women diagnosed with breast cancer will have the cancer come back somewhere else in the body.  I still have my breasts and it did not come back there.  She said all it takes is for one cancer cell to come 'wake up' and then begin multiplying.  They don't understand how or why this happens and researchers are continuing to try to find answers and cures.  I am grateful I had a gall bladder problem (which I had removed) because otherwise I may not have known I had cancer until it was too late.  As it was, we caught it early.

Treatment:  Dr. Birgit Arb is my oncologist.  She has taken care of me since day one in 2013 with my treatments.  For the MBC (Metastatic Breast Cancer)she started me on a shot of Faslodex once every 28 days.  I took IBRANCE 100 mg. for 21 days and then off for 7 days.  Once every third month I get a shot of XGEVA for my bone health.  Wayne and I went to MD ANDERSON CANCER CENTER in Houston for a second opinion and they agreed that what my doctor recommended was what they would also recommend.  I have never been in pain, not once.  I have felt tiredness from time to time and I won't be running a marathon anytime soon but it's not enough to stop me from doing things I want and need to do.  At that point in time I was considered STABLE.  They will never say I am cured or cancer free, ever.  Now, go forward another year to October 2019.

NEW DIAGNOSIS, OCTOBER 2019:  As part of my ongoing treatment I have CT scans done every 3 months.  She will also order a bone scan about every 6 months.  On Monday, October 21, 2019 I had a CT scan done of my chest, abdomen and pelvis.  Dr. Arb's office called me on Friday afternoon October 25.  The nurse apologized for calling so late but they needed to schedule an appointment for me to see the doctor asap.  She told me new cancer had been found in my liver.  There was no new cancer any where else in my body.  To say we were upset to find that out is a gross understatement.  My normally positive attitude took a vacation and I threw myself a big pity party!  It took me til about Monday to pick myself up and get on with life.  I can't let the unknowns of my life control me.  It's hard to get a grip when you get a big kick in the head like that but you have to find a way.  Now, go forward to Wednesday, October 30. Wayne and I went to see Dr. Arb and she said I will no longer get the Faslodex shot nor will I take Ibrance anymore.  She has put me on XELODA.  500mg tablets.  The tablets are smaller that I thought they would be, thank goodness.  I take 4 in the morning with breakfast or a piece of toast (I eat some yogurt) and I take 3 tablets at night with supper or a snack.  She also prescribed ondansetron for nausea.  I will get my CT scans done every 3 months and the Xgeva shot every 3 months.  I have taken two doses of Zeloda and thus far I have not had nausea.  She did tell us that they cannot do surgery on my liver or radiation.  Immunotherapy is not an option and the drugs advertised on tv are not for my type of cancer.

The positives:  My hair has been getting pretty thin taking Ibrance and the Xeloda (pronounced Zeloda) does not cause hair loss.  I still have a lot of hair and keep it really short so maybe now I can let it grow.  Also, the Ibrance fell into the heading of prescription medication.  I am on Medicare and have supplements to help with medical expenses.  Out of pocket costs for the Ibrance was $10,000+ a year.  Xeloda falls under the medical part of my insurance and costs me nothing out of pocket.

Below is the most recent scan of my liver.  The dots you see are the cancer tumors.  They have increased in size.  I highlighted them in pink, though not very well.  The pink dots are way bigger than the spots on my liver so do not be alarmed.

Please continue to pray for me, God hears each and every one of you.  Thanks and God bless you all.

Glenda Fincannon