8-07-09 Doctor News

OK, I'm being lazy. David R Smith wrote the following email to people and I'm copying it here in my blog tonight.

We just got back from the doctor's office (oncologist). We have now what we think is the difinitive information in her case, though as sure as I say that something else will change tomorrow. Anyway, here it is.

1. Vickie definately does not qualify for either clinical trial. In one case her liver count is about 100 too high. In the other the Her2 count is one point too low.

2. She goes in Monday morning at 10:00 a.m. to get her medaport put back in, which will allow them to give the standard chemo with less pain and bruising. Her original surgeon and favorite doctor (Dr. Laidley) will be doing this surgery.

3. On Friday afternoon Vickie will begin her new chemo routine. She will be taking two drugs. One is Herceptin, which you have probably heard her talk about and which she took before. It has no appreciable side effects. The second is Abraxane, which is part of the Taxol family. She took another drug in that family before. This drug will cause her hair to fall out and will lower her blood count/immune system. If it is like the last time, it will also cause her to have flu like aches. However, it should cause little or no nausea or throwing up, which was a real problem with her first set of drugs last time.

4. Unlike past chemo treatments, there is no set number of treatments (before it was four on one set of drugs, then four on another set). She will be taking this pair of drugs once every three weeks until either the tumor disappears or they see that the medicine is doing no good.

5. Once the tumor disappears Vickie will continue taking Herceptin every month for the rest of her life or until/unless they come up with something else.

6. This should work but the doctor says that is does not work on about 15% of patients. If she is in the 15% then things become truly critical. So she is not home free yet and we do need your prayers that, if it is God's will, the medicine would have the predicted effect.


Thanks again for all your thoughts and prayers. We'll keep you updated as we know more.