Back to Grand Central (chemo) Station

Hello all,

At 9am today we left home to return to Maine Center for Cancer Medicine, Sarborouth to start Anne's chemo treatments. It was a challenge to make the 9:45am appointment this morning. Anne was dragging a bit what with the past 2 days at Maine Med and all that she accomplished there, but we got to the parking lot here on time and got a handicapped parking slot in front of the door.

We learned we'll be having 2 hours of chemo while were here, and when we leave Anne will have a chemo pump attached and working for the next 48 hours. On Friday we return, just to have that disconnected. That'll be the routine every 2 weeks for the next 2 months. Then they'll evaluate the progress of the treatment by comparing a CT to the one taken on 10/20. If necessary, the treatments can then be altered or continued for up to 6 months.

When we first set down, they administered anti-nausea drugs, followed by steroids which facilitate the anti-nausea meds. Then the chemo was 'hung' and it will flow for 2 hours. We'll leave then with plumbing attached.

Anne didn't eat sunday night or Monday. Since Tuesday night she has been OK'd to eat soft things, chicken noodle soup, yogurt, cooked cereal, etc. With that she's had very little, but some, stomach pain after eating, nothing like it's been for the past 18 months. We're wondering just how long the bile duct had been clogged, regardless it is clear now and it's a good thing.

Dr. Wu installs Anne's medi-port

Hi everyone,
Anne has been doing very well today. They had her spend the night last night because of the rigorous surgery done on her insides yesterday. Dr. Howell stated again this morning how much work they had done, and how tricky it was to clear her bile duct. He reiterated that it was however, FIXED. I told him we didn't want him getting bored, and Anne said she came to him so to make his life interesting. He is a fantastic doctor.

At 11am today Anne was taken to surgery with Dr. Wu to install the medi-port. She was cheerful when she left the room. Dr. Wu called me while I was in the cafeteria at 12:15. She said Anne did well, and is in recovery for an hour or so more. She expects it all went very well and that Anne will get to go home later today.

We learned that the medi-port will be used as early as tomorrow, so that's a positive takeaway. No IV's will be done to Anne for awhile.

Thanks everybody for reading and for your messages. They help so much. I read all of them to Anne and they are a blessing.

Pray for miracles as Anne fights one day at a time, to put out "one fire at a time".

Successful ERCP Today !!@@!!

This morning Dr. Howell successfully cleared Anne's clogged bile duct. He told me it was a difficult challenge. It took 1 1/2 hours longer than the usual. He told me it would make her feel better. Our prayers were answered this morning. We knew we had found the right man for the job.

Anne will spend the night here, and tomorrow morning have surgery to install the medi-port.

Hi, It's late 2011 and we're back to blogging

Hello readers,

It's been awhile so lets see if we remember how to update this blog. We haven't done this since our whirlwind USA tour this past winter. Unfortunately we're here updating this to let you know that Anne's cancer has returned. It is called recurring esophageal cancer. This girl has no esophagus anymore, as you know, but that's what they call it. The oncologist says the cancer was undetectible last May, apparently it layed dormant, now it has come alive in two small spots in Anne's chest. We are encouraged that there is treatment. New chemo-therapy drugs that we're not available a year ago. Please pray that Anne responds well.

Back in September Anne began to experience shortness of breath. She told me in mid-October. We saw our PCP, Pamela Courtney, and Anne described the problem as a feeling of having a 'belt round my chest'. A catscan was done 10/20 which showed a 'shadow' in her chest and a blockage in the bile duct in her tummy.

Dr. Stern performed an ERCP at Mercy Hospital in Sept/2011 to try and dredge out the blockage in the bile duct. He was not successful because he 'couldn't find the door'. As you know the furniture in Anne's chest and stomach has been re-arranged. Anyway, he didn't get the job done.

At end September Anne found she had an 'incisional' hernia bothering her. It's located at the top of her tummy, on the incision where the esophagectomy was performed. We have seen Dr. Dougald MacGillivray who is scheduled to fix the hernia on 12/09/2011.

Meanwhile we are at Maine Medical today with Dr. Howell (the best around) who is performing another ERCP at this very moment, 11/28, to solve the problem in the bile duct.

Anne decided she wanted to see her Cardiologist, Dr. Carl Sze, in late October. She felt her symptoms were similar to last year when she had troubles with fluid around her heart following the esophagectomy. Over time he performed several tests (echo, chemical and resting stress tests, etc.) and determined, in Anne's words, that she has "heart like bull". He gave his blessing to Anne having hernia surgery in December. It was good news to hear that Anne's heart is especially strong.

On Nov 10, 2011, Thursday, Dr. Milspaugh was called on to perform an EUS (electronic? ultra sound), to examine and do a biopsy of the 'shadow' found on 10/20. This day he informed us he found cancer in a lympthnode next to Anne's heart. To me it felt as if a dark could had come over head. No matter how terrifying, Anne remains strong, determined to "put out one fire at a time". I don't know how she does it. It's a special quality she has, but I pray it rubs off on me so I never do anything other than encourage her.

We called our Encologist, Dr. Kurt Ebrahim right away when we got home Thursday night, and were able to have a petscan scheduled the following Weds., 11/16, and a visit with him on Friday, 11/18. He reviewed the petscan with us in detail and showed us 2 spots of cancer in Anne's chest. (He gave us the good news that there is no cancer in Anne's bile duct)!! He said the spots would cause shortness of breath because one of them is swollen next to Anne's windpipe. The other, as I said, is next to her heart. He said there would be no radiation treatment this time, and no surgery, however, there are new cancer drugs that we'll treat this with, beginning Nov 30. He will examine the cancer to determine whether there is a certain kind of protien in it, then he'll prescribe the appropriate chemo-therapy, "cocktail" as they call it. He states there is no cure, but we'll work together to 'manage' the disease and prolong Anne's life. Dr. Ebrahim has never 'pulled any punches". Your prayers are very helpful and we know that the Good Lord is in control and will intervene. Everything is possible.

Today is Nov 28. I'm back blogging from the waiting room. Anne will soon be out of the ERCP procedure with Dr. Howell. He told us she must spend the night here tonight. We didn't expect that. Believe it or not, Anne is due here at 9am tomorrow to have surgery with Dr. Wu to have a medi-port installed in her chest. This is needed to facilitate chemo-therapy treatments (as well as any other needed IV's). Chemo starts day after tomorrow. I don't know how she does it.... Another bump in the road that Anne will bravely travel.

Through all of this Anne has never utterred the words 'Why me?', never once. She's an amazing person, determined to fight and live. I believe there's no doubt she will out live any forecast. Comically, she lifted her leg in Dr. Ebrahim's office and asked him, "Do you see any expiration date on the bottom of my foot?" She keeps her sence of humor and strong will. Prayer warriors are much needed, that's you,,, especially this week and the coming 1-2 months.

Thanks for being there and thanks for you're continued prayers as we fight "one fire at a time." Most important for the moment, pray for success today and for Anne to feel well.