March 6th to April 26th, 2023 - New Challenges

 

The Good News

In a few days, I will celebrate my three-year "cancerversary" -- a date I originally thought I would never see. I feel pretty good. My last three CT scans have shown that my cancer is "stable." But I've got complications.

The Not-So-Good News

I mentioned in my last post that I had been diagnosed with severe aortic stenosis. My cardio-oncologist referred he to a valve clinic to see if I would be a candidate for valve replacement. Both my cardiologist and oncologist did not think I would be a candidate for an open-heart valve replacement as I have a lot of scar tissue from my chest cancer surgery.

There is a procedure called (TAVR) where they send a replacement valve to your aortic valve by way of an artery in your groin -- similar to what happens with stents for clogged heart arteries. After undergoing a cardiac CT and visiting with their thoracic surgeon, I got the word that I've been approved. Surgery is scheduled for May 22nd. This should really help with shortness of breath.

My visit with my oncologist presented me with an additional concern. The cardiac CT showed that I had some "ground glass opacity" in my lungs. This just looks like a shadowy overlay in my lungs. She explained that this is caused by one of three things: 1) infection, 2) inflammation or 3) cancer. She quickly added that it didn't appear to be cancer. This condition is a rare (about 2%) complication of taking Ibrance, so I've had to stop taking it until further notice.

So I started on a round of antibiotics to take care of the possibility of infection. (I don't think that's the problem). On May 10th, I have to get another CT to see if there is improvement. I see my oncologist on the 11th. The goal is to get my lungs healthy before the valve replacement. At this point, I'm just glad that I'm still on the list. 

I also have a history of Afib, that may or may not be related to the aortic stenosis. I have a referral to an Afib clinic this Friday. I hope all of these developments keep me on track for replacement. I was told by both specialists that I have less than a year if the valve can't be replaced.

I Am Not Depressed

As the surgeon said, your treatments may have contributed to your complications, but you've had three good years -- and they are going to try to mitigate these issues as best they can. I can only hope for a few more good years. Enjoy what you've been given.

Kathy

December 7th to March 5th 2023 - New Year, New Challenges

 

At this stage of my life, I am excited about every extra six months I get. My oncologist, who is reluctant to offer a prognosis, is willing to say when she is confident I'll be around another six months. Such was the prognosis in December. I happily said that gives me a new year, an additional birthday and even a third anniversary of my cancer journey.

We immediately started making plans to visit my sister in Mt. Dora, FL in mid-February. We love visiting Karen because, in addition to her kids' company, we can leisurely decide what to do when. Even our dog, Adie, loves staying with her.

This year we decided to take the canal boat tour in Lake Dora. I can't recommend this enough. The flora and fauna were amazing. We were joined by cousins Barb and Jim Pharo, pictured below. We rode our bikes on the Wilderness Nature Trail where we encountered numerous bird species and alligators. We traveled to Clearwater to visit Julie and had a great lunch at an oceanside restaurant followed by a visit to a local state park. The weather was great for the 10 days we were there.

The Health Update

My most recent CT scan still described my cancer as "stable." The drug regimen I am on is working for now. The same CT scan, however, identified that my previously identified "moderate aortic stenosis" had progressed to "serious." I visited my onco-cardiologist who scheduled me for an echocardiogram so he could compare results to last year's echo. Not only did it also identify "serious" aortic stenosis, but I experienced atrial fibrillation (AFib) throughout the procedure.

If you are unaware, aortic stenosis, I've included an image and a link to an explanation:

What is aortic stenosis?

Atrial fibrillation is an irregular and at times very rapid rhythm (arrhythmia) that can lead to blood clots in the heart. This increases the risk of stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications.

Next Steps

My doctor is referring me to a stuctural heart valve clinic and an Afib clinic. Their job will be to determine whether or not valve replacement is the best choice for me. There are many options to be considered.

So spring is in the air, I'm feeling pretty good and I plan to carry on -- at least in six-month increments. I hope this finds you well.

Kathy