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What a jouney. It was not my intention to leave this post hanging, but the last fifteen months have been unlike anything that we've ever been through in more than 30 years of marriage. Having said that, I'm happy to say that -- after 39 weeks of chemo, 13 weeks of radiation, four major surgeries (including a week in Baylor ICU) and countless tears & prayers -- Elaine is doing very well. Last week she returned to the classroom in her new role as a state licensed diagnostician and teacher.

I have friends of various persuasions (and some who are persuaded that there is no persuasion) -- and all have been very supportive and encouraging throughout the treatment process. Just the same, I want to say "thank you" to those who shared our load through your prayers. God willing she will beat the beast over time.

Today's pathology report from the oncologist was a real disappointment. Based upon post-op lab work the cancer was discovered to be quite active. So we are going back to another 12-week chemotherapy regimen, with weekly infusions. The prognosis, based upon the clinical assessment, is not the most encouraging, with a greater than 48% probability of reoccurrence. And any reoccurrence typically (since there is no longer any breast tissue) occur in the liver, kidneys, bones or brain. Prayers are still appreciated.

God is good, but this world is broken and fragile. Can hardly wait till he fixes it...once and for all.

Elaine's recovery has begun well. Both the surgeon and the oncologist felt that she was ready to come home, so today (Saturday - my 53rd birthday no less) at noon we packed up and left Baylor. Her first words were, "It's good to be home!" I could not agree more...

Thanks for the prayers and words of encouragement. Though the battle is far from finished, coming home from the hospital today was a celebrated victory.

After an 8 hour surgery, Elaine is in recovery. She should be in a room by 4:00-4:30 this afternoon. Everything went well, with no major complications. So we're on the road to recovery . . . and I'm going home shortly to burn that ugly pink bag!

Well, chemo is done. We're moving on to the next phase...

Surgery is scheduled for this Thursday (9/29) -- a modified bilateral radical mastectomy. Elaine will be in the hospital here in Plano for 3-4 days and then return home for recovery (6-8 weeks). Then she will begin 12 weeks of radiation, with a two month interim before reconstructive surgery. We should wrap up the invasive elements of her treatment with the last surgical procedure in May 2012, and the oral chemo sometime in 2016 (yes, five years of oral chemo to, hopefully, prevent reoccurrence).

Prayer for a successful surgery on Thursday and the beginning of a strong recovery process would be greatly appreciated!

Last Monday Dr. Gupta added Elaine to a new clinical trial for another med. It is a drug to address the cancer cells that are "wandering" -- particularly those that have entered the bone marrow. This new drug seeks out and destroys those cells -- with the side effect that her bones hurt. But as part of the trial aspect, the medication, bone scans, dental appointments, and lab work are all paid by the drug company rahter than our insurance (or us).

So far so good. We are sneaking out for a few days in Eureka Springs, before going back next week for the next MRI and Pet Scan (when we will find out whether or not the chemo is working).

Thanks again for your prayers.

Brent
AKA Pug

http://www.CaringBridge.com/visit/elaineray" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

We're sitting in the chemo room finishing up the next round. The oncologist added an experimental (trial) protocol to Elaine's treatment today. It is a drug called Denosumab, used for the prevention of skeletal-related events in patients with bone metastases from solid tumors (she has no indication of metastasis of the cancer to the bone – this protocol is considered precautionary). This treatment will take place every 3 weeks for 7 rounds (21 weeks) and then every 30 days for up to 5 years.

Elaine did very well during the first three weeks of chemo. There were really only a couple of days that she was completely wiped out. And being only five minutes from Baylor is wonderfully convenient. Last week (Friday) was hair day. She wanted to have some control over hair-loss, and the beautician that she and our daughter use offered to take care of this for her. A scarf or doo-rag is the order of the day for the foreseeable future (reminds me of Persis Khambatta as Lieutenant Ilia in Star Trek the Motion Picture). Our daughter went with her a couple of weeks ago to choose the hairpiece that she will use for the next year, and they were excited to discover that the lady who runs the store (where they found the wig that she liked) is a cancer survivor and has been through all this herself. Unfortunately, the wig that I liked the most was ruled out as too risqué. Oh well…

She is learning to like food with a little more spice (yeah!) due to the constant metallic taste that chemo leaves in her mouth. In fact, this evening some friends are bringing dinner – some wonderful, authentic, spicy Indonesian food. She is sleeping well (including almost daily naps – and Booker & Brent often keep the nightly vigil just to make sure). Other than a change to taste buds and the fact that she tires a little more easily, the side-effects of the chemo have been managed by other medications. For that we are most grateful.

Grateful for the continued prayers.

This afternoon we returned to the oncologist for an update. The report was not quite what we had hoped for. Based upon the current pathology, mammograms, biopsies and MRI, she has what is called a stage 3 (aggressive) invasive ductal & lobular carcinoma. Those are a lot of big words to say that she has an inflammatory type of breast cancer that is spreading rapidly. The MRI revealed that both sides have been affected, which confirms the surgeon’s initial bent toward a bilateral mastectomy. Given these details, an all-the-more aggressive treatment is about to begin.

Tomorrow (Friday) morning she will have a PET scan in an attempt to discover how far the cancer has progressed (particularly in her lymphatic system). She will also have an EKG and a few additional lab tests done tomorrow as one of the meds being prescribed poses some risk of coronary damage. Then Monday morning we go in for her first round of chemo. Dr. Gupta did not want to wait for the installation of the chemo-port, so Monday’s treatment will be done intravenously. Later in the week we will schedule the day surgery for the installation of the port for future chemo treatments.

Given the biopsies that have already been performed, we know that the cancer has already entered the lymph nodes – we don’t yet know how far along it is. In addition, the PET scan taken together with the MRI will be used to judge the effectiveness of the chemotherapy that has been prescribed (what is called the TAC chemo protocol, comprised of Aredia, Cytoxan, and Taxotere taken all together). After the first two rounds (six weeks) of chemo she will have another MRI (and possible another PET scan) to determine how the cancer is responding to the chemo. The desired result would be that the chemo stops the progress and reduces the size of the mass(es) such that the expectation of a complete removal of the affected tissue increases.

Once again, everything that the doctors have told us thus far leads us to believe that Elaine’s condition is treatable and we will get her through this, but the road just got a little longer. Chemo will now be an 18 week regimen, as opposed to the 8-12 weeks we were previously told. After the surgery (which now looks like will take place sometime in August—but that, too, could change) she will go through radiation, and possibly additional chemo (yet to be determined). There is still a lot that we do not know, but we will share it with you as it is presented to us.

Again, your prayers and encouragement are both greatly appreciated and earnestly coveted.

Thursday 5/12/2011

Last week Elaine developed some discomfort and went to see her doctor at Baylor. That exam resulted in a sonogram on Monday (5/9), followed by a mammogram and several biopsies on Tuesday (5/10). We received the results of those exams today (5/12), and Elaine has been diagnosed with breast cancer. It was only when the oncologist's nurse ushered us out of the exam room, handing me the over-sized, ribbon-covered bag that this new reality began to sink in for us.

The cancer has already invaded Elaine's lymphatic system, so a radical treatment program has already begun. Over the course of the next 8-12 months she will undergo numerous exams, the installation of a "port" to be used in 8-12 weeks of intensive chemotherapy, surgery (a double mastectomy) and radiation therapy. The doctors believe that we have caught the cancer early enough that the prognosis is good. Just the same, all prayers are coveted and will be greatly appreciated.

This new path is not one we have chosen, yet we recognize that God is already walking it ahead of us.

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