Hello Beautiful Supporters!
Yes, I am still very tired and exhausted, mostly from all the meds and being on my back for so long. So much has happened - After desperate attempts to stabilize my condition, I was released from Holy Cross Hospital, with a few unpleasant surprises requiring a few more hospital and clinic trips. But finally things have really started to improve.
No, I'm not ready to party, but can shuffle and talk, but not too much, because the main tumors are in my upper lungs and thorax. No one can do much about the cancer until the rest of my body functions adequately, and I am excited to be finally turning this corner.
Most importantly, we have a solid protocol in place. I am being treated under the guidance of Dr. Ettinger of Johns Hopkins and his student, Leon Hwang from Kaiser.
So, today, I have taken my first anti-cancer drug, Tarceva! In about two weeks, several other drugs will be added, but we have to wait until the open sore in my side clears up for those. This is where a hose drained fluid from my right lung, and on Thursday, the side stitches closing this little gap will hopefully be removed. The thoracic surgeon was very aggressive in treating this lung with 4 pluerodeses altogether, but it seems to have worked. If it did not work, I would not be elegible for many cancer fighting regimes.
So now it is a matter of adjusting my meds to keep the pain tolerable, and seeing how well my body responds to the therapies.
We are convinced we have a nice solid approach to fighting this cancer for the present time, and I wish to thank you all so much for guiding us along. The doctors and therapies have all been multiply mentioned by so many of you independently! All your emails have been read carefully and many have proven very useful, even though you may not have heard from us yet.
Now that my immediate treatment plan is in place, everyone here can enjoy life more. Please, no need to send any more medical lit or suggestions, but I'll contact you all soon about having some sort of visiting hours or something in a few weeks. Please be just a little more patient.
Love,
Janet/Aliya
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Dear Aliya,
I'm glad that your body is starting to stabilize itself and that you have a plan of treatment. It is exhausting, I know, to solve one problem and then have another problem crop up. I'm sure that you're been bombarded with all kinds of medical advice about one thing or another and I will be no exception ;)
For the pain and fatigue, you might want to supplement your medicine with 1000 mg of green tea extract a day, 20 mg of melatonin at bedtime, and a daily multivitamin with 1000 mg of vitamin C. Taking these supplements may allow your pain medicine to work longer, thus decreasing the amount you will need, and the side effects.
Try to keep moving as much as possible via walking and gentle yoga. This will help with the fatigue and pain and also keep you from losing your current lung capacity (I think you were wise to not agree to the oxygen tank!)
Foot massages are good and of course, eat well!
Bright Blessings!
Amara
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