More Good Progress

Had another dose of Chinese hamster juice on Monday and another blood test.  My billies are down to 9!!.....8 more points and I will be clear!!!  Also, on the positive side of the ledger: I put on 4 pounds last week, my strength is better, my mental clarity has come back, my energy is much better, and my cancer pain has dropped so much that I'm not even taking my oxycodone anymore!  All excellent signs that I am going to get through this.  Not out of the woods yet, but I can see the light coming through the trees!!

So, I'm just gonna stick to my plan of rest, germophobia and eating like a Viking at a Smorgasbord!!  Thanks again to everyone for your good wishes.BB

All Hail the Chinese Hamster

I have some good news to report. My first dose of Vectibix has produced some excellent results! I am not out of the woods and frankly I have been whip-sawed so many times this past month by things I thought would work and then didn’t, that I am not yet able to say I know that I will get clear. But I am cautiously optimistic that – with another dose scheduled for the 17th and adherence to my other precautions – I may get there in a few weeks.


Here’s how “progress” is measured: My jaundice is the result of tumors pressing on the bile ducts in my liver. The severity of the obstruction is measured by the level of bilirubin in the blood. A normal bilirubin level is between 0 and 1 mg/dl. If it gets elevated, say to a 2 or a 3, a person will likely jaundice and issues arise, most importantly around getting sepses. When I first jaundiced in early September, my billies were at 8 – a level the doctors were very concerned about. My weekly readings since then were 13, 24 and 32. At 32, the doc switched me to the Vectibix and told me to prepare my family for a possible negative outcome.

This Tuesday, I went in for a consultation and blood work. I felt better and had a lot more energy over the weekend and so, I felt like I’d get a good result. To my great joy, my billies have dropped to 12!! Vectibix not only broke my horrific trend line up Jaundice Mountain but has made a major dent in getting me back to a safe landing. Robbie and I are very encouraged by this initial reaction and I hold out hope that it’s not just a one-time thing. So, I am not counting this as a home run yet, but the ball’s trajectory sure looks good!

As an aside, I did a little research into what Vectibix is. It is a monoclonal antibody, which means that it is engineered to only attack cancer cells. Most chemotherapy drugs attack fast growing cells generally, and since the fast growing/replacing cells of the body include hair, skin, digestive tract and the like, they have side effects like hair loss, rashes, mouth sores, nausea, constipation, etc. By comparison, Vectibix is easier on the side effects, other than the rash. Vectibix attacks the “epidermal growth factor receptors” (skin thingamajiggies?) of cancer so I guess that’s what produces the acne-like rash. But it’s not always easy for me to understand some of the medical jargon they put in the fine print – perhaps I can get my friend Ellen with her PhD in Pharmo-smartocology to explain it to me!

Notably, Vectibix is “produced” in – get this – Chinese Hamster ovaries! How they zeroed in on the Chinese Hamster, I will never know. But I suppose that in China – where I have heard that hamster ovaries are traditionally served with warm brie and a glass of chardonnay (I am told they have a succulent, slightly tangy flavor) – the dish must be known for it’s cancer fighting benefits. Of course, I am taking the Amgen-designed, weapons grade derivative which is a lot more concentrated but this blend of traditional and advanced bio-engineering seems to be working. So, all Hail the Chinese Hamster!! If they get me out of this mess, maybe I could get one as a pet – it might be good karma!

Tipping Point

Well, I have reached a tipping point in my cancer treatment. In short, my health has deteriorated rapidly over the past month. My jaundice continues to worsen as my liver function declines. The drugs I was taking no longer work and the location of my bile duct obstruction relative to the tumors rules out both potential surgical options. Last Tuesday, we stopped my FOLFOX chemo protocol and switched to a drug called Vectibix. It is my final option. If Vectibix cannot shrink the tumors enough to relieve the obstruction, I will be done with the treatment phase of my disease. On the other hand, if it works, the obstruction will clear and that will make me eligible to use a second drug that I have never taken before (but cannot in my current condition.) If that happens, I should have the opportunity to get some effective chemo and (hopefully) a new extension of life. So, there is still a path out of this mess, if I can catch a break. If not, I am uncertain how long it will be before my liver fails. It probably won’t be a lot of time.

So, hope is not lost, but I’m right at the edge of the chasm with one last chance to pull myself back. As a result, the Onc suggested that I prepare my family with the news since any breakdown, fever, failure or other complication may occur on very short notice and have dire consequences. We’ve done that and we are all ready for whatever comes.

I really hope it works. I really want to believe that this will all be a near miss we can laugh about later. But, I have to be practical and so I’m letting you all know as well. And I look forward to the opportunity to write a new entry sometime soon to say “Nevermind!”

On the good news front, after dropping 20 pounds in the last month, my appetite is re-emerging and with a lot of prompting and doting by Rob, I think I’ve got it leveled off. I’m going to work on gaining some of it back. Also, the last two days have been much better in the energy department - probably because of the high calorie food - so I feel much better. The uptick in energy is also very encouraging in that I think, maybe, it’s a sign that I have seen the worst of it.

In any event, the next 2 to 4 weeks are make-or-break. If the Vectibix works, I’m told I should break out in a big acne-like rash over my head, face and torso. So unlike my teenage years, I check desperately every day in hope of finding some pimples! Other than that – and barring any new, unexpected downward event – I just need to be patient and give this stuff a chance to work some magic for me. I meet weekly with the Onc now, with treatment every other visit, and just blood work to monitor my progress on the off weeks.

So that’s my story – any good vibes or pull you have with the Gods of Biochemistry are much appreciated. I hope to write again in coming weeks to let you know its working and this episode was just a scary, near miss. Thanks again for all your support and good wishes.