7 down, 5 to gooooooo!!

Phew!! These treatments are just moving right along.  I never thought there would be a time when I would wish away summer.. but that's exactly what I'm doing.  One thing is for sure, I'm sooo glad this whole cancer deal is happening now when it's beautiful out versus winter when we had tons and tons of snow and the power was out for over a week.  The sun shining through the windows is making the treatments that much easier!!

Before treatment 7, I met with Dr. Marks for my monthly appointment.  Everything seems to be going smoothly.  I am responding well to treatment without unbearable side effects beyond the days immediately following treatment.  My neutrophils are in the neutropenic range, but are staying high enough to not necessitate Neulasta injections (I must have superman-like bone marrow!!).  My ESRs were in the 60's before treatment, and dropped within the normal range now (elevated ESRs are indictors of inflammation/cancer in the body).  Oh, aaaaand my PET/CT shows complete resolution with no remaining scar tissue from where the masses were located (most people with nodular sclerosing hodgkin's lymphoma has remaining scar tissue).  So basically, I'm kicking cancer's butt!! :)

updated neutrophils.. 1.3 pre chemo 7!! 

(click on image to make it larger)

Our main topic of discussion was the possibility of radiation after my 12 treatments of chemo are up.  After plenty of research, consideration, and discussion with other oncologists across the country, Dr. Marks said that if I were his daughter, he would decide against radiation.  For many many years, treatment for Hodgkin's included radiation no matter what.  However, the latest research is showing success in ABVD chemotherapy without radiation.  The ultimate decision is up to me and my family, but I definitely trust Dr. Mark's opinion.  There are many factors contributing to this decision.  First, my age... and second, how well I've responded to treatment thus far.  I am 23 years old and radiation at my age would lead to many other risks farther in life.  The location of my cancer is near my thyroid, heart, and breast area.  Exposing these areas to radiation would increase my risk to thyroid and breast cancer doubly as well as cardiotoxicity.  Risk for breast cancer for a woman my age is 1/8.  Exposing me to radiation would increase that risk to 1/4.  When you compare these numbers to the recurrence rate of Hodgkin's being 1/10, and considering how early in the treatment regimen my body responded to chemo, I think radiation is not for me.  Dr. Marks expressed if I was in my 30's, the decision would be easy.  I would get radiation.  But because I'm so young, I would almost guarantee myself breast cancer sometime in my life.  And that's a risk I am NOT willing to take.  My next PET/CT will be after my 12th treatment.  Then for the future, Dr. Marks will be keeping a very close eye on me-- I will be getting full body PET/CT's every 3 months to monitor any chance of hodgkin's reoccurrence, or anything else, for that matter.

Treatment 7 was roooough.  The treatment itself was fine-- huber, draw blood, premeds, chemo, reddish orange urine.. fun.  But on my way home I felt soooo sick.  I guess the pouring rain didn't help, roads were flooded, we had to take detours... terrible.  I've been nauseous after treatments but this was to the extreme.  Once I got home, I retreated to my princess bed and didn't get out for a good 16+ hours.   I was exhausted.  But thank goodness, after a few days, the sickness passed and I was able to get out of bed and sit in the living room. haha  baby steps.  I'm feeling better now and I am counting down these treatments!!  Let's just hope that the remaining cycles are a bit easier!