Where I am now.

When I was initially diagnosed with breast cancer I was supposed to go on a three chemo tx.  But the breast cancer that metastasized to my bones was eating up the platelets and red blood cells, and the 3X chemo tx would eat up the blood cellls and platelets even more.  So they put me on Taxal, which is a lower dose chemo, that eats up your blood cell products less than the 3X combo.  So I have the Taxal tx every week.  But the carrier drugs and solvents that are involved with Taxal create a huge allergy factor.  I was having such a huge allergy reaction that they had to put me on heavy duty daily steroids.  Then the heavy duty steroids wipe out your immune system.  So I've had to hold chemo tx twice because of low platelets or when I had the sinus infection.

Last week my platelets went up from 21 to 25.  The normal low for anyone else is 140.  But for me 25 is good.  I haven't had to have a platelet infusion since Thanksgiving, they are maintaining in the 20's   The cut off is 20.  My red blood cells have been low, but maintaining since my packed red blood cell infusiion a few weeks ago.  So that's good.  My iron is low again, but I have increased my supplements and have been trying to eat iron rich foods.  Doc says we'll see how the fe goes in a few week.  So all of that is good and I had my taxal chemo tx last friday.

My breast tumor is being fed by estrogen and progesterone.  So I'm on a anti-estrogen/progesterone med called femara.  Between that and the taxal, the breast tumor has shrunk to a 1/3 of it's original size.  Which is really good, and has surprised my doc.  The goal is to shrink the breast tumor and get a lumpectomy, then be on the chemo, radiation  and eventually get a mascectomy.  He thinks that I may not ever have to go on the 3X chemo tx, because of how well the breast tumor has shrunk already.

So this week coming up we're weaning me off the steroids and starting a different chemo tx.  (Can't remember the name, but I'll let you know.)  The new different chemo drug has less allergy factors ( and also doesn't eat up the blood cells.), so we can stop the steroids.  Once off the steroids we don't have to worry about me coming down/or catching something.   The ultimate goal is to not hold chemo.  We need to shrink the tumor, get the mesmetastasized bone cancer under control, and keep all the blood counts up. 

So that's where I am right now.  I'll let you know how everything goes on Friday.

Pray and believe.  Love Heather