....it's all good....
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
one more piece of good news
yep, indeed. one more yabadabadoo!!
my cancer marker reading when i was hospitalized @ 31 Oct 09:
CEA - 414.5
CA 125 - 148
and the most recent reading reviewed @ 23 Nov 09:
CEA - 266.5
CA 125 - 79
my onco said "this is good. very positive results. the x-ray and the marker. looks like IRESSA is working."
that said, i took out a piece of paper to show him my marker reading taken on 30 Sept 09 (which i have conveniently chucked aside because i was so fed up with the results and i was too sick to bother .. back then):
CEA - 649.1
CA 125 - 183.3
my marker already came down before i started IRESSA (649 to 414), even before i was hospitalized. how are we gonna explain that? surely there are things that cannot be explained medically, for instance
(1) why my marker came down without medical treatment? .. especially so, when i was so sick at that time.
(2) why the old metastasis dissappeared or diminishing without medical treatment? while there are new mestastasis to the bones at the same time?
(3) unlike conventional chemo, IRESSA don't kill cancer cells or get rid of tumours. it's supposed to stop cancer cells from dividing and growing and hopefully it will help patient to live longer. i don't think there is any survival under IRESSA treatment. eventually the body will get immune to the drugs and cancer cells will continue to grow.
so, i'm not convinced how IRESSA can get rid of all the nodules in such a short period of time. even if its true, i'm probably the first to yield this kind of result.
actually i don't expect my onco to give me an answer to any of the above. i don't think it's fair to him. moreover, he is my new onco.. he has no idea what i have been doing so far.. so, let's give him more time to know me better.
actually i kinda figured it out myself already.
for now, like what he said, just be happy with the positive results. yay! :D :D
btw, i do think that IRESSA is working for me.. and that is good news too cause at least i know i have something to fall back on. besides, if it's effective in stopping cancer cells from growing, i guess it's easier for us to just tackle existing cancer cells. so, i'm not taking off IRESSA at the moment but when my onco re-emphasized that i will have to take IRESSA indefinitely (i have a feeling he can sense i'm already plotting to get rid of IRESSA soonest possible :P), i told him,
"IF we manage to bring my marker down to normal and another PET SCAN show no more cancer cells.. i would like to stop IRESSA."
he looked at me like i'm a nut case but hey, i was still smiling at you when i was half dead... i wasn't smiling then... i was dead serious. then he said,
"no lisa, that's impossible. if you stop it will come back."
then i smiled. i understand and glad that he wants to keep me alive as long as possible, but...
i'm at advanced stage.. what's the survival rate?.. zero! even if IRESSA works wonder on me, how long can it keep me alive? 3 months., 6 months ..one year? is that good enough?
no, it's not good enough for me. i need to explore the impossible...
and i'm not afraid to.
but for the time being, just be happy with the positive results. yay! :D :D
my cancer marker reading when i was hospitalized @ 31 Oct 09:
CEA - 414.5
CA 125 - 148
and the most recent reading reviewed @ 23 Nov 09:
CEA - 266.5
CA 125 - 79
my onco said "this is good. very positive results. the x-ray and the marker. looks like IRESSA is working."
that said, i took out a piece of paper to show him my marker reading taken on 30 Sept 09 (which i have conveniently chucked aside because i was so fed up with the results and i was too sick to bother .. back then):
CEA - 649.1
CA 125 - 183.3
my marker already came down before i started IRESSA (649 to 414), even before i was hospitalized. how are we gonna explain that? surely there are things that cannot be explained medically, for instance
(1) why my marker came down without medical treatment? .. especially so, when i was so sick at that time.
(2) why the old metastasis dissappeared or diminishing without medical treatment? while there are new mestastasis to the bones at the same time?
(3) unlike conventional chemo, IRESSA don't kill cancer cells or get rid of tumours. it's supposed to stop cancer cells from dividing and growing and hopefully it will help patient to live longer. i don't think there is any survival under IRESSA treatment. eventually the body will get immune to the drugs and cancer cells will continue to grow.
so, i'm not convinced how IRESSA can get rid of all the nodules in such a short period of time. even if its true, i'm probably the first to yield this kind of result.
actually i don't expect my onco to give me an answer to any of the above. i don't think it's fair to him. moreover, he is my new onco.. he has no idea what i have been doing so far.. so, let's give him more time to know me better.
actually i kinda figured it out myself already.
for now, like what he said, just be happy with the positive results. yay! :D :D
btw, i do think that IRESSA is working for me.. and that is good news too cause at least i know i have something to fall back on. besides, if it's effective in stopping cancer cells from growing, i guess it's easier for us to just tackle existing cancer cells. so, i'm not taking off IRESSA at the moment but when my onco re-emphasized that i will have to take IRESSA indefinitely (i have a feeling he can sense i'm already plotting to get rid of IRESSA soonest possible :P), i told him,
"IF we manage to bring my marker down to normal and another PET SCAN show no more cancer cells.. i would like to stop IRESSA."
he looked at me like i'm a nut case but hey, i was still smiling at you when i was half dead... i wasn't smiling then... i was dead serious. then he said,
"no lisa, that's impossible. if you stop it will come back."
then i smiled. i understand and glad that he wants to keep me alive as long as possible, but...
i'm at advanced stage.. what's the survival rate?.. zero! even if IRESSA works wonder on me, how long can it keep me alive? 3 months., 6 months ..one year? is that good enough?
no, it's not good enough for me. i need to explore the impossible...
and i'm not afraid to.
but for the time being, just be happy with the positive results. yay! :D :D
posted by lisaOne at 11:30 PM
23 Comments:
haha, your words must have resonated in your onco's head the whole day. he must have been totally amazed at your gungho-ness. but he must know you better mah, give him time, lol!
and you're not going to give him (and the cancer cells) a good time eh? :P
this is a miracle in action.
i am very thankful to hear what's happening, lisa. thankful that you're writing, laughing, jumping around i bet, and breathing!
love you sweetheart! xxx
now go live life!!
hooray! way to go lisa!
HAPPY TO READ THIS PIECE EARLY MORINING, LISA!!
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound.. a miracle from God...
Yes, whatever it is, u r here with us...
Praise the Lord! Amazing miracle God has worked for you! Keep fighting!! Love you..
I think this is God miraculous healing on u. PTL
congrattsss....
Great to hear the good news. Keep going! Praise the Lord. - Ee Von -
that's a miracle, and i am so happy to read it! Lisa, kampateh!!!
good good...jia you!
=D
Weng Soon
wow you go girl!
Hey Lisa actually you have not told us about the Chinese med you took. Although I am never a fan of Chinese medicine, but could it have killed some of those cells while giving you a lung infection? But for now, don't stop Irressa pls pls....
hugs, Dawn
Wonderful...fantastic news.
Keep u in my prayer every nite...Praise the Lord!!!
Helloooo Lisa...
Rye Li's mum told me that you're blogging again and I thought I'd pop by to say hi!
*Happy* for you and your good news :)
Catch ya later as I need to catch up on my ZZZs breastfeeding my baby girl LOL
Keep up that happy face!!!
happy for you. Keep the good news coming.
yey! that's very good to hear. :)
It's all good news!!! muaks
Alice
Way to go Lisa, I'm so glad to come back to this blog and find such happy news. Whatever you were doing, keep it up!
This is indeed a very good news....
Take care....
am so happy for u, LISA. Keep going!Am sure you can chase those cancer cells out for good with all the macrobiotic food, smoothies, crucifiers, prayers & most importantly your sheer determination & POSITIVE attitude! We'll support U all the way! ~wai leng~
alicia
good job. we have faith in you.
That's really great news.
Looks like your positive attitude and mental state is working better than the Iressa.
:)
hey,Lisa, I have been so busy that I did not check your blog but it is really good news for you and everyone.. there is definitely the right way to challenge this dreadful thing but you will win..looks like it goes well..I am not a doctor but will continue to pray for you and know you will make the right choice.
Esther
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