PUSH

June 3 I had a PET/CT scan at MD Anderson. I felt prepared and confident in the lifestyle choices I had made. I had made changes to my diet, extra vitamins, herbal teas and supplements. I had even fasted from carbs and sugars (of all kinds) for over 48 hours prior to the scan. I have always been a health conscience person, so a few changes like these weren't too difficult for me. I knew that the results of the scan were not going to make me question the results, or afraid that the scan would detect a false reading.

The evening after my scan, my upper left leg was hurting. I assumed it was from all the walking we had been done. I woke up in the middle of the night with that same pain to my hip. I felt to see what was hurting, that's when I felt it. A bump. It was about the size of a marble. As I laid in the dark I did not cry, I prayed. I thanked God that he showed me. I was prepared.

June 4 I met with my doctor. He told me that several of my tumors responded to the chemotherapy treatment, but I had new tumors. I told him about what I felt the night before. Yes, that was one of them. The pain I felt in my chest that I thought was a side effect to my chemo was another new one. This neuroendocrine small cell cancer of the cervix has become a neuroendocrine invasion all over my body! I have tumors hanging out around a lot of my organs. The chemo "cocktail" of Taxotore and Avistan showed promise to some tumors, but I still had others popping up.

"So, what's next!?"

I feel good, I'm strong, I am ready to keep fighting!

I am fortunate my doctor is also a professor at The University of Texas (Houston) Medical School and a researcher for small cell cancer of the cervix. He sent my biopsy for a gene analysis. I tested positive for a mutant gene. PIK3CA. This makes me eligible for clinical study. He sent me to another doctor who specializes in this.

The clinical study will involve two new drugs (pills) I will take that will stop (as we have HOPE) the tumors from mutating. Basically, the combination of these drugs is something very new. I believe there is only one other person in the study with my gene mutation. (I might have heard that wrong, my brain has a roller coaster of information wrapped around it) I called my doctor a "Smarty Pants" and he laughed. He drew me a picture of basically what the drugs were supposed to do, verses regular chemotherapy. It helped this visual person to see a picture. A LOT of information, and my A.D.D. Kicked in and I kept wishing I was on a beach drinking a turbo Piña Colada.

I had blood tested and an EKG, which both were good. I am now waiting for insurance to review and accept. Once I get the OK, I will go back to Houston for a few more tests, then I can start on the medication. I will have to go back and forth to Houston for routine testing and check ups/scans for progress.

I haven't really had time to absorb everything. Maybe I'm blocking negativity away, to just focus on a big picture. This should give me more quality of life. Let's be realistic here, we all don't know what our quantity of life is.

Be thankful for every moment, surround yourself with happiness and people you love. The goal is HEAVEN, no matter who you are.

P.U.S.H
Pray
Until
Something
Happens

I'll keep PUSHing