Back on the Trial

I saw Dr. Bergen, my oncologist, on Tuesday. My side-effects have subsided enough that I went back on the clinical trial that day. My dose has been reduced by half. The first day, the rash started up, my foot swelled up some, I had a low-grade fever, and a little nausea. All the symptoms passed. I slept really good that night without any sleeping medication. I am still on the steroid taper, and I'm taking benadryl religiously. So it looks like I'm back on track.

I also attended a support group for women with cancer at St. Mary's that day. I could only go for thirty minutes before my appointment, but it was wonderful. The facilitator did a great job, and I like all the group members. The chaplin from the oncology center was there as well, and she was very nice. I have also contacted Bossom Buddies in Montrose, and they said I can join their group as well.

Dr. Bergen said that we shouldn't have high expectations for my next scan, scheduled for May 9th, because I haven't been on my medication that long. Plus, my last scan was February 24th, and I didn't start the clinical trial until March 21st. I was on the trial med for two weeks and then off two weeks, and now I'm back on at a reduced dose. But given my rash and side effects, we know it's doing what it's supposed to do. So we are hopeful.

I told him I was trying to study chemo options, and he said if I do chemo, it won't be for a while. He's trying to get other clinical trials set up at St. Mary's, so maybe there's another I can try if this doesn't work out. I had asked him once about a stem cell trial, but he said that's kind of like a hail-Mary approach.

So that's it for today. I have to run as we are driving to Denver today to be in a gem & mineral show there this weekend. I may not have access to the internet until next week, so I may be on blog vacation for a few days.

Thanks to everyone for their prayers, particularly my former mother-in-law, Juanita Cook, whom I heard from recently. I feel an extra "oomph" with her in my corner.