We entered last week with two big questions lurking over us - Will I need another bone biopsy? What will the PET scan show?
I have been constantly praying for a sliver of good news. Since diagnosis, I have been trying to keep anxiety under control. The anxiety caused me to feel constantly sick. Add being mentally and physically exhausted to that and we really needed some good news.
Thankfully, they were able to get my hormone receptor status from the bone sample they had and no additional biopsy was needed.
And even better, the PET scan did not show anything other than the one lesion we knew about. Praise, praise, praise. I knew it was a good sign when the PET scan tech saw my shark tooth sticker and whipped out a pic of the huge megalodon he found when diving in the Cooper River.
Having only one spot is really, really encouraging. While the situation is still devastating, this is good news. I'm considered oligometastatic, and while I am not reading stats, I know this gives me a better prognosis. At my first oncology appointment, there was no talk of how long I'd be around (not that any of us know), but at my appointment to review the PET scan results, my oncologist was talking about 5-7 years down the road. She said she and the nurses were so happy when they read the results. I know things can change, but I am believing I will be a miracle.
This coming week holds a lot of appointments - brain MRI, chemo teaching, radiation consult, plus starting two out of the four meds. I will be on Ibrance, Lupron, letrozole, and Zometa. Ibrance will be three weeks on / one week off. Letrozole is daily. Lupron and Zometa are monthly injections. Lupron and letrozole will put me into menopause, and Zometa will help protect my bones due to my body not having estrogen. Ibrance is a CDK 4/6 inhibitor, and while it hasn't been around a super long time, there are women who are having amazing results on it. I will be one of these women. I'm guessing rads start week after next. It should give me pain relief and the hope is the lesion will disappear. I'll have another PET scan in three months.
I'm nervous about all of these new meds. The possible side effects are scary. The unknowns are scary. I'm trying to focus on God and let His peace settle over me. I'm trying to not worry about the future and take away from the present. Please pray for peace in my mind, body, and heart.
