Thought I should clarify...

Attached, is a photo taken of me at our recent "Pass It On!" photo shoot. I am not sure if I am going to use this specific photo in the campaign, or just use it on the web site and for other things. Regardless, this is what I looked like a couple of weeks ago. This is what a cancer survivor looks like. I am a little down on my weight because of the last bit of chemo, but I am starting to have more energy. It will take time, but I will get back to a normal version of me.

Sometimes, cancer interrupts. It takes over my world and demands attention, yet other times I am able to manage my disease well and keep it stable. When it is like that, our life is pretty normal. I can work out a lot and I have great energy, which helps. Working out while on meds helps because it helps my body tolerate the side effects very well. For the most part, I do handle the side effects very well. I can live a very normal life where I can be a part of the kid's days in a major way.

I will tell you that I can't always get everything done, like house cleaning. It tends to go to the wayside because the kids come first. Michael and I focus on them as much as we can. However, I do have a point. I will finally get to it!:)

I just wanted to clarify that all the cancer I am dealing with is breast cancer. It gets really confusing once cancer starts affecting other organs, but the cancer that I have had on my liver is actually breast cancer. That is the only cancer I have. I thought this would be a good thing to point out because I forget how confusing this disease can be from an outsiders perspective.

What happens is that cancer originates in one area and is named for that area. There are sub-categories of breast cancer and various types within the type...so it gets pretty confusing. However, all of it is breast cancer. What happened with me is that breast cancer originated in my left breast. Small cells broke off from that primary tumor and moved through my blood stream. Breast cancer likes to travel and "stay" on the liver, lungs, bone and brain. That doesn't mean my little cancer cells didn't go to another organ, it is just likely breast cancer would not grow on another organ like it has on my liver.

All cancers are unique and each person is unique. So, doctors try to speculate, based on clinical trials and working with colleagues, to figure out what meds will work great for what type of cancer. However, cancer has DNA just like any other cell in your body and the problem takes place when the DNA in cancer cells evolve and work around the medicines to find other ways to fuel the disease.

What does this mean? For example, my cancer is not fueled by hormones, but it is fueled by an oncogene. An oncogene is a protein that is found on cancer cells that allow it to multiply out of control. It is the gasoline for the car. My oncogene is "her2neu"...we will abbreviate this as "her2". I take a targeted drug called Herceptin that tries to squash this protein from developing new cancer cells.

For me, my cancer has a potent amount of her2..which means it is an aggressive cancer. I have known this from the beginning and have just decided that this is just information. I don't give it any more power than it needs...because having this characteristic also helps my doctor feel comfortable with us trying certain meds. These meds are focused on attacking her2. For the most part, these meds have done wonders for me....truly, they have saved my life.

But...remember that cancer has DNA and it is smart. Cancer can find a way to go around the her2 cell to fuel growth and it can use her1, her3 or her4...which are other oncogenes similar to and present with her2. I don't really understand the cell biology, I just know we need to shut her 1 through her4 down. Untiil then, I believe we will be on meds for about three to six months and then will make switches.

My own speculation is that after about three to six months my cancer cells find a way to work around the meds and find a new way to grow a little. This last string of meds really shut the cancer down in many ways, but it is still on the liver. Please know that with breast cancer, the goal is to shut down growth...not necessarily for cancer to disappear. It would be nice if it would totally go away, but it will take time for that.

I am always hopeful regardless of this aggressive disease. We are contemplating new meds right now. I will stay on two drugs that block her1 and her2. We are just trying to figure out what other medicine to get on for now. The purpose, once again, is for no new growth and I think we can do that. I know we can.

There is a new drug being studied right now that shuts down all four her proteins. I believe I will eventually be on this medicine. It is not available on the market yet, but if the study goes well...it will be available in a year or two. Also, there is another drug that has the power of chemotherapy, but is tagged for only her2neu cells. It is being studied now too.

FIve years ago...or even just before I got diagnosed with cancer, which was three-and-a-half years ago, these drugs were not even available. They were only in clinical trial. But, Herceptin became available to me immediately during treatment. I believe it is one of the tiny miracles that have taken place in my life to prolong and ensure healing.

I have always believed my story is about healing...about living with cancer. I plan on living a long life and I also believe this cancer will be deemed "stable" consistently over time. We may have some more bumps in the road along the way. But, I am young so my cell division process moves pretty quickly right now. Eventually, that will change too...which will slow growth.

Alright, enough with the confusing medical information. Let me know if you have questions.

Blessings,
Lolo