Rare indeed

I was anxious about things after the oncologist's meeting last week; unusual to have metabolic activity in one's pancreas, so we talked about the possibility that i would have two separate cancers (yech! willing to be rare and sometimes an overachiever, BUT i don't want that distinction in this context)

I asked for the simplest next step... an additional tumor marker designation.  Once that came through if it was problematic too, then we would go forward with additional testing (a liver biopsy).  I was not even sure i wanted that!  But if it indicated that i was indeed diagnosed with a second line of cancer, the approach was to do IV chemo and a nasty backpack since it required 48 hrs administration.  miserable news!

This morning i was given the happiest outcome -- the tumor marker is well within normal range.  Breast cancer tumor marker took another jump out of normal, but that's not too surprising.

Sadly, the better half of the story is still unpleasant.   I start chemo on Friday, administered orally.  Two weeks on, one week off... indefinitely.

fascinating technology