Next step

(after texting, emailing and talking, plus updating Defying Melanoma, I guess I forgot to update here!!)

Here’s what I wrote over there:

I had my PET scan on Monday of this week. I wasn’t terrible, but I always feel yucky all day afterward with all of that contrast in me.

Today I finally got the results. Not as much shrinkage of the nodes as we had all hoped for.  The IL-2 wasn’t a complete failure, but it didn’t do enough to go through it again. We were all pretty disappointed there wasn’t more good news.

Alas, we have a Plan B – I’m going to start Zelboraf  when we get back from vacation. We all thought it was the best idea since we’re going to the beach and one of the major side effects of the Z is sun sensitivity. No reason to be miserable before I need to be, right?

We have additional plans in place when needed, but we’re doing this for 2 months, then going from there. There may be more of the Z, another drug or a combination of two.

Of course, I’m worried about the side effects – nausea, fatigue, rash, taste changes, fever, chills, etc. etc. etc. Maybe I’ll get lucky this time since the IL-2 sucked so bad.

Fingers crossed!

 

{the ‘all’ I refer to is my oncologist, myself & Mike – group decisions yay!}

It’s been a day of letting it sink in…I still feel ok about it.  I received an email from another woman fighting melanoma who has been on the Z for awhile now. She mentioned that it’ll be a piece of cake compared to the IL-2, so that makes me feel pretty damn good. We’re all different but it’s nice to know there is someone out there who is living her life as per usual while on it.

I’m really excited to head to the beach next week. I love that we can hop in the car for a few hours and get to the beautiful Lake Michigan.  Our plans for the week include going to the beach, swimming, discovering other beaches and going to them. hehe.

We all need this to recharge before the next course of treatments. I’m so thankful we can do it.