We finally met with the oncology team at MSTI this morning and all test results were revealed. Are you ready? Wait for it........ Wait for it........ Julie has CANCER! Totally boring, typical, nothing special colon and liver cancers; both are stage 4. The primary tumor was removed by Dr. Verner a little over 2 weeks ago, and she will begin chemotherapy on Monday, August 13th to hopefully shrink the tumors on her liver. Unfortunately, there is no cure for liver cancer, and average life expectancy is 1-5 years.
As far as chemo treatments go - Julie is getting a very standard version called FOLFOX. She will receive one 3-hour treatment twice a month. Here's a fun fact: the FOLFOX chemo contains 3 separate drugs, one of which is a constant drip through her port for 48 hours. She will check in at MSTI, receive her 3 hour session, but one of the drugs takes much longer than the 3 hours to administer so guess what they do? They send her home with a chemo ball in a fanny pack! Doesn't that sound like fun? This chemo will continue to drip for a full 48 hours at which time she returns to MSTI and they unhook her from the cute little ball.
Side effects? There are several, but pretty mild compared to the chemo Jeff started yesterday. You heard me. Jeff started his chemo yesterday, treatments 5 days a week for 4 weeks. His therapy isn't actually chemotherapy, it's called bio therapy, but still the same nasty chemo side effects. He will feel like he's been hit by a truck after every treatment. Julie will fare much better. Her side effects consist of neuropathy (tingling in hands and feet), extreme sensitivity to cold, mouth sores, nausea, fatigue, and loss of appetite.
Julie will continue treatments indefinitely. After the first month she will receive a scan that reveals one of the following:
a. the tumors are shrinking (yay)
b. the tumors look the same (meh)
c. the tumors are growing (boo)
During the visit w/ Dr. Zuckerman we also realized that her incision from the colon resection is infected. Shoot! She started antibiotics today and there's a chance she'll need a small procedure to drain the site. She also received a chest x-ray to see if there is anything suspicious going on in her lungs. We still don't know if the cancer is contained to the colon and liver, but Dr. Zuckerman assured us that if there is more cancer, it will not affect treatment or the outcome.
Time to get our game faces on!
take care-
jen
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Saturday, July 28, 2012
From Julie....
Hello to all of my supporters!
Yesterday was the 2 week post op mark and I really feel like I've turned a corner. I've been able to cut way back on my pain meds. My caregivers who have stayed with me around the clock (my ex Jeff, my awesome daughter Caitlin, and my dear friend Zach) have started imitating what I was like fully medicated. While I find it absolutely hilarious, laughing hurts like hell so I've had to ask them to back off the funny stuff! Thank you so much to each of you for your love and support! I love sharing with my daughter the way the CHS bunch has come together to surround me with kindness! She will graduate from Capital in the Spring and has a great group of friends who I know would do the same thing for her 26 years from now if needed! Jeff starts his bio-therapy on Monday and I have my first appointment with our shared Oncologist Dr. Norm Zuckermen on Tuesday. Downtown MSTI is about to become our home away from home. Please continue to send your prayers, love, support, and positive thoughts our way as I'm sure the week ahead is going to be rough.
Love and Hugs to all,
Julie
Yesterday was the 2 week post op mark and I really feel like I've turned a corner. I've been able to cut way back on my pain meds. My caregivers who have stayed with me around the clock (my ex Jeff, my awesome daughter Caitlin, and my dear friend Zach) have started imitating what I was like fully medicated. While I find it absolutely hilarious, laughing hurts like hell so I've had to ask them to back off the funny stuff! Thank you so much to each of you for your love and support! I love sharing with my daughter the way the CHS bunch has come together to surround me with kindness! She will graduate from Capital in the Spring and has a great group of friends who I know would do the same thing for her 26 years from now if needed! Jeff starts his bio-therapy on Monday and I have my first appointment with our shared Oncologist Dr. Norm Zuckermen on Tuesday. Downtown MSTI is about to become our home away from home. Please continue to send your prayers, love, support, and positive thoughts our way as I'm sure the week ahead is going to be rough.
Love and Hugs to all,
Julie
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Moving Forward
Thank you for following our sister's journey. As most of you already know, Julie has been diagnosed with colon and liver cancer. The diagnosis was made by an ER doctor at St. Al's in Boise, Idaho on Friday, July 6th. Julie had not been feeling well for months, but because she lacks health insurance, was not able to get the medical testing she desperately needed. Finally, she drove herself to the ER after a long day of stomach cramping and weeks of liquid dieting due to her stomach upset. She gave the ER staff her list of symptoms and firmly requested blood work and CT scan. Her initial requests were rebuffed, but we all know Mama Julie does not take 'no' for an answer. Thank goodness. She convinced the ER doctor that she was in the process of applying for every form of financial assistance to offset the cost of testing, and he reluctantly agreed to the CT scan. You can imagine his utter shock and devastation when her greatest fears were realized - I'm sure it's not every day that an ER doc delivers such dismal findings - but we are so thankful he agreed to the testing.
Within days of her ER visit, Julie was scheduled for a colonoscopy and liver biopsy in order to stage the cancers. During the colonoscopy doctors revealed that the tumor surrounding her colon was so encompassing she was at immediate risk for an obstruction. Doctors were not able to complete the colonoscopy because the tumor constricted the process and it could not physically be completed. Additionally, the liver biopsy was put on hold. Surgery to remove the tumor became first priority. Exactly one week from the initial ER diagnosis, Julie was prepped for surgery to remove the tumor constricting her colon.
Thankfully, the surgery went well. They were able to remove the tumor and do a liver biopsy at the same time. A week after the surgery was performed Julie was sent home from the hospital. She still feels horrible, and was beyond frustrated to learn that 'laparoscopic assisted left colon resection' is an excruciatingly painful procedure from which to recover. :( The liver biopsy results were as expected, she has liver cancer. Duh.
She has her first MSTI (Mountain States Tumor Institute) meeting on Tuesday, July 31st. It is at this appointment that her oncologist will outline treatment recommendations. We are eager to finally get this treatment ball rolling.
We will continue to use this blog to update her progress. As you can imagine, Julie's financial situation is dismal, but could be much much worse. She is in the process of applying for disability, but it is a lengthy process (2-3 months before benefits become available.) As her sisters, we are banding together to make sure that first and foremost, her basic needs are being met. Through the gracious assistance of family and others, Julie's food and shelter are being paid for. However, her monthly utilities, car insurance, and teenager maintenance x 2 is draining her bank account. It may seem insignificant to some, but maintaining simple comforts and conveniences is one of our financial goals. We are virtually powerless against this disease, but we can fight to make this journey as safe and comforting as possible for Julie and her children. Mason just graduated from summer school today and will be a freshman at Fairmont in the fall and Caitlin will be a senior at Capital. Austin works full time and is living with friends, but contemplating moving back in with his dad.
Thank you so much for supporting and loving our sister and her family. We are overcome and comforted by your love and strength. If you care to make a donation, the money collected will be put directly toward maintaining a sense of normalcy in the lives of Julie, Austin, Caitlin, and Mason Gauby. We are brainstorming fundraising ideas and will keep you posted. If you have fundraising ideas of your own, please feel free to share your ideas w/ myself, Megan, or Allison.
With love,
jen luchini
Within days of her ER visit, Julie was scheduled for a colonoscopy and liver biopsy in order to stage the cancers. During the colonoscopy doctors revealed that the tumor surrounding her colon was so encompassing she was at immediate risk for an obstruction. Doctors were not able to complete the colonoscopy because the tumor constricted the process and it could not physically be completed. Additionally, the liver biopsy was put on hold. Surgery to remove the tumor became first priority. Exactly one week from the initial ER diagnosis, Julie was prepped for surgery to remove the tumor constricting her colon.
Thankfully, the surgery went well. They were able to remove the tumor and do a liver biopsy at the same time. A week after the surgery was performed Julie was sent home from the hospital. She still feels horrible, and was beyond frustrated to learn that 'laparoscopic assisted left colon resection' is an excruciatingly painful procedure from which to recover. :( The liver biopsy results were as expected, she has liver cancer. Duh.
She has her first MSTI (Mountain States Tumor Institute) meeting on Tuesday, July 31st. It is at this appointment that her oncologist will outline treatment recommendations. We are eager to finally get this treatment ball rolling.
We will continue to use this blog to update her progress. As you can imagine, Julie's financial situation is dismal, but could be much much worse. She is in the process of applying for disability, but it is a lengthy process (2-3 months before benefits become available.) As her sisters, we are banding together to make sure that first and foremost, her basic needs are being met. Through the gracious assistance of family and others, Julie's food and shelter are being paid for. However, her monthly utilities, car insurance, and teenager maintenance x 2 is draining her bank account. It may seem insignificant to some, but maintaining simple comforts and conveniences is one of our financial goals. We are virtually powerless against this disease, but we can fight to make this journey as safe and comforting as possible for Julie and her children. Mason just graduated from summer school today and will be a freshman at Fairmont in the fall and Caitlin will be a senior at Capital. Austin works full time and is living with friends, but contemplating moving back in with his dad.
Thank you so much for supporting and loving our sister and her family. We are overcome and comforted by your love and strength. If you care to make a donation, the money collected will be put directly toward maintaining a sense of normalcy in the lives of Julie, Austin, Caitlin, and Mason Gauby. We are brainstorming fundraising ideas and will keep you posted. If you have fundraising ideas of your own, please feel free to share your ideas w/ myself, Megan, or Allison.
With love,
jen luchini
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)