So Im officially in remission. Thanks to my 'targeted therapy' / Chemo treatments. As Ive said before Im on 2 different therapy drugs. My doctor says I will remain on these drugs as long as they are working, and my body can tolerate it. One patient was on them for 14 years before they no longer worked. So I get the pleasure of staying on these drugs for the foreseeable future. I can't complain, as they have saved my life so far.
We are now in uncharted territory. My doctor says its a miracle. He keeps telling me my case is "seminar worthy". It is very rare that a patient with metastatic melanoma in the brain to survive this long. Or even have all the 9+ brain tumors disappear. I am pretty much the test subject for my doctor. Im still struggling with tolerating the therapy. So any progress I make is passed on to other patients. Any of the ways I find to help with my pain, or 'issues' they pass on. Im glad to be of help, but Im still figuring it all out.
My side effects honestly just suck. I still have tummy issues, and massive headaches daily. (thanks to scar tissue in my brain) The therapy makes me heat/cold intolerant. Too hot? I puke, and it doesn't take much. That said, I struggle at keeping from loosing too much weight. Ive been tasked with staying steady. (failing at the moment) Our game now to figure out how to solve my tummy problems.
While the remission is good news, Im very hesitant to be happy. The last time they said the words "you're in remission" was last year. The next time they did a scan I had 9 brain tumors. So you can understand why Im going to be cautious and hold my breath for the next 3 months. Oh yeah, I get scans again in 3 months to check progress.
Thank you all for your daily prayers. If I could just ask for you to remember me and my family in your prayers, we would appreciate it. While we had good news today, the fight still continues. We have won this round. Now to stay healthy and prepare in case of round 2.
We know you still have struggles but looking at what you guys have been thru, over the past year, this is extremely good news. We will continue to pray for your family and that the medication continues to work for many years to come. YOU are an inspiration to many around you.
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