Well, Monday morning came and I received a call from my clinical trial research nurse. I have been approved to enter the trial...that is, IF I pass the eye tests, blood tests, heart tests, etc. I will leave for Houston approximately March 1st and we will drive straight thru. Not 100% sure where we are staying yet....the rodeo is going on during this time so a lot of hotel space was booked up long ago. We're working on it and we also have Linda Burgener who has graciously opened up her home to us. It's a 40 minute drive into MD Anderson so it's a big decision if we want to be that far away from the medical center.
The first week is all tests and I would take the first magical pill on March 10th as of right now. As I said before, I take the pill PLUS one to lower your phosphate level once a day for 3 weeks, then you are off the pills for a week. That is one cycle. After two cycles, they will do another CT scan to see if we have had any results yet. If it's stable, I will probably still be on the trial for 2 more months. IF it grows, I will probably be off the trial immediately and look for something else. I have faith it will all be ok and this is going to do the trick to settling things down inside this one nodule between my heart and my liver. O.N.E. N.O.D.U.L.E..........
I will have to go to MD Anderson once a month for blood work and to see the dr. That's a lot of driving but flying every time is just not an option right now. I am anxious to start the trial. Side effects are mainly slight nausea and fatigue. Also slight hair loss in some people. You know me...if it's hot, I'll shave this beautiful head and go "naked!!" Wouldn't be the first time! ;-)
I am painting so frantically to get my children's book painted. I was up until midnight last night but I painted two pages yesterday from 10 a.m. to 12 midnight. It seems like I should be able to paint faster but it just doesn't work like that. I will say...this book is pretty cool. MUCH better than the last one. We are looking at doing it in hardback this time. The cost might be $5 more but it's HARDBACK! It just looks a little better. I hope it doesn't detour people from buying it for an extra $5. ALL funds go to our Relay For Life team and a part goes to the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation.
We have a few fundraisers coming up. We have a multitude of vendors that will be at the St. Joseph Multi Purpose Room from 9-12 on March 28th. We will have something for everyone. I think all or almost all vendors donate their commission (or most of their commission) to our relay team. Please mark it on your calendar! Our food is always good so order something and eat BIG! :-) We will also have (DRUMROLL PLEASE) a second Italian Beef Fundraiser at the VFW on April 24th. Not sure on the time...probably 5-8 or something like that. It would be nice to get a band or someone to donate their time and play some tunes.....HINT HINT to anyone out there who might know of anyone.
I mainly wanted to update on the clinical trial. I will take this journey down to Houston and step by step, find my way back to Olney after I am "settled and the trial is working well in my body" and I will then just travel to MD Anderson once a month for checkups. Prayers are always encouraged and appreciated!!
The Feeding To Heal chemo program is working amazingly well. There has been a change where you sponsor a day and just pay $40 to feed the chemo patients. SO much easier than taking breakfast....then taking lunch. RMH will provide it all for such a reasonable cost!! Thanks to RMH for allowing me to start this program, to Mary K. Kocher who nudged me to get it started, To Debbie Lynch who is there to help find a donor when I am getting low on people signed up AND to ALL of the people who have/are donating to this worthwhile program. I couldn't do it by myself so once again....."It Takes A Village."
I will keep you posted on this never ending cancer journey as it takes a turn here and there. I am blessed to be able to say I am starting my fifth year as a cholangiocarcinoma survivor! I AM BLESSED!!!! I AM A SURVIVOR!
God is Good ALL the time~~
Patty Corcoran
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