Thankful for cancer.......REALLY?

It's the day after Veteran's Day...and Veteran's Day is almost always an EVENT in our house since my husband is a veteran. It was a great day...and I am thankful for all of our veteran's no matter what end of the earth they may be on...or if they gave their life for our country. God Bless them ALL!

I just finished writing my second children's book to sell for our Relay for Life team. Don't go and get all excited...now comes the hard part of illustrating and painting the pages before taking it to the printer. Irene Goes To The Beach is sure to be a hit......or atleast I think it will be.

My Dr in Effingham called yesterday evening about 7 p.m. This is my local oncologist that I still see on a monthly basis to keep in contact and get my blood drawn to check my Anti Xa and CA 19-9. It is still holding at 9 with my local lab. Dr. Dy said after my last visit, he had a meeting with many doctors about my case. I am talking about a Dr from Mayo Cinic, and a couple that he works with.  On the last scan at MD Anderson, it showed some nodules in the lungs which could indicate the beginning of metastasis. I have had SOME nodules for almost the whole time I have had CC, but they are just there....and of no concern. Well...they weren't until this last scan. Dr. Dy and the dr's he talked to believe the nodules could have a slight uptake from the radiation injected into me before the scan. My CA 19-9 is too stable for the cancer to be jumping to other places....or that is their assessment. And...if it really has metastasized, it REALLY is so slow growing, I could go another year without  treatment before we have to worry about doing anything new. It is STILL considered cholangiocarcinoma that has metastasized to the lungs and NOT lung cancer. So my CA 19-9 is still what they keep a close eye on with me.  Dr. Dy also talked to Dr. Javle about a company he works with (outside of MD Anderson) and they draw blood to do a more intense study of the genomic mutations in your body. So if Dr. Dy draws blood to send to a new company, they see  if there are more types of mutations that might have better results to a targeted therapy.  From the Foundation One test (where they sent a small hunk of my liver for genomic testing) I have only two mutations in total. They are P-Ten and FGFR2.  Both are hard to treat and not a lot of clinical trials out there for them. MD Anderson has one for the P-TEN but Dr. Javle does not think it is doing too well so he would rather not put me in it...and because I am so stable. .....he wants to wait as long as we possibly can so maybe a better option becomes available. Sounds good to me.......but it is also like a ticking time bomb in your body.  This is where I really have to lean on my faith and not on my own understanding. God hasn't kept me here on this earth for this long....in this good of shape....No, I believe with all my heart, God has a plan for me. It might not mean living until I am 80....but who'da thunk I'd still be here today!!!! Pardon my grammar....but it's so true.  I am thankful for Dr. Dy taking the time after our last visit to contact other doctors to "pick their brains" about my case and to also call Dr. Javle to discuss what his plan of action is for me.

I am thankful I can stay home, spend days with my grandchildren, take trips with my husband, exercise as much as possible at any time of day. I am thankful for friends....family....and most of all, God.  When I lay in bed at night, I pray for many people, I ask God why I am worthy to have this terrible TERRIBLE cancer and to be so stable. I have became friends with CC patients who were diagnosed after me and are no longer living. Dr. Dy says I am the longest living CC patient he has ever had as a patient. ME?  REALLY?  I know I am not worthy.......but as I lay there in bed, I ask God to forgive me of my sins. Believe me...I've had some whoppers!  But I 100% believe He forgives me or I would not be here. He is guiding me on this journey and without His guidance, I would be one lost person! Thank you God...Thank you!

I have been walking 2 1/2  miles a day or getting on the elliptical for 30 minutes since it has gotten cold the past few days. I am thankful I feel good enough to exercise at all. God is Good...ALL the time!

The Feeding to Heal Program at Richland Memorial Hospital is just running so smoothly. The patients we feed really do appreciate our hands preparing food for them as they get pumped full of toxins!  Right now, I have every week filled with businesses or families preparing food until the end of January. My goal is to get the month of February filled up and that covers all the vacation time I will be gone PLUS my checkup at MD Anderson in Texas the first week of February.

I am thankful for each and every person who takes the time to read my blog. To all the people who donate food for the Feeding to Heal program, and to all of the people who pray for me. Please don't stop...and let's pray for a cure for all cancers!!

In closing, yes, I am thankful for the way I have changed as a person since getting cancer. I am not thankful that I have cancer.....but I am thankful God is in my heart and in my soul. He is beside me every step in my day. For without Him, I am nothing. NOTHING.........

Peace be with all of you this Thanksgiving!

Patty Corcoran