CT scan shows good news!

Hello everyone...

I am so grateful and pleased to be able to report good news......

I received the results of the CT yesterday and it was GOOD news... the chemo is working! Overall, there was a significant improvement in all of the cancer nodules and no new areas of involvement!!

The largest lung nodule was 1.3 cm and is now 6 mm....... the number of spots is fewer, some can no longer be seen....... The largest mediastinal node was 2.5 cm and is now 1.2 cm. My chest wall area, liver, abdomen and pleural area are all clear... no solid masses and no unwanted fluid anywhere that can be detected by CT.

So..... more of the same treatment....... since it is working, I get more.... I had Cisplatin + Gemzar today and it is tough, but it is certainly easier to tolerate knowing it is working ! At the moment, I feel semi-tough myself, I'm not big on the battle analogies with cancer, but I feel like bit of a warrior myself today..... Even my blood counts have improved to the point that we did not have to consider the blood transfusion that was on the table two weeks ago. Glory be.... They (blood counts) seem to have bounced back for no good reason, but overall it is a also a good sign that for now I am tolerating this regime... it will likely come to some intervention, especially with the Hemoglobin, but for now I am holding my own...

I'm in Winnipeg having my treatment, so I miss Brian's first day of school tomorrow, a big day for him.... Good luck Brian, he is a real trooper, very brave and he has maintained such a positive attitude about moving that we are just amazed with him..... He starts school - Grade 10 at Dr. Martin Leboldus Catholic High School, in Regina, tomorrow....

So, I am a lucky girl, and I feel very grateful for this good response, not everyone is so fortunate, and to a certain extent, finding a chemo that works is a crap-shoot..... We take every bit of progress and good news with a huge amount of gratitude... and we thank you all for the continued support of our family and friends, it really does make a difference in our lives...

Joanne and family

Some of the "Pink" Crew: Cheering and Fundraising...

This photo is from two years ago, but it does show some of our "supporters" from the walk... This year, in ADDITION to exceeding their donations for the walk, my sister and brother's families held a garage sale, with proceeds to the Weekend to End Breast Cancer. They sold toys, kids items and pink lemonade and pink cookies and raised $400 to donate.

Weekend to End Breast Cancer

This is a photo from two years ago, when (from left) my dad, my sister, brother and Michelle participated in the "Weekend to End Breast Cancer" in Vancouver.

I find it kind of hard to express how I feel about people who will walk 60 km in a weekend for any cause, and then most especially as it relates directly to me and to breast cancer. I find it very humbling and overwhelming.

At any rate, I am proud to know so many people who are again doing the walk this year. Michelle volunteered as 'crew' for the Winnipeg walk..... my sister, brother, sister-in-law and my niece Heather are all walking in Vancouver this weekend. Many friends are also walking in Calgary, Edmonton and Toronto, as is my cousin Erin (Toronto).

Even though the reality of "ending" breast cancer is many, many years away, and may seem frustrating....I am a living someone who is benefitting from research. The chemotherapy that I am now on would not have been available to me, even ten years ago, and is the result of newer research, as are the newer anti-nausea drugs and also newer chemos that may still be in line for me next.... My life is directly impacted by research advances, even if they don't seem "good enough", I'm still exceptionally grateful for it, and to everyone who contributes to this research in one way or another....

I send my congratulations and heartfelt thanks to everyone involved.

Hello Joanne's Blog "fans" - sorry for lack of communication

We've been busy at the new house and it is going very well..... my mom has been working tirelessly, and my great friend, Anne, also spent a long day of hard labour with the unpacking......... and boy has that made a difference.... when you are unpacking alone it seems so overwhelming, you just want to sit and cry more than once during a day.... but with "outside" help it just makes a world of difference.....

A few more days should have the whole house done, but we already are happily living in the two main levels, almost everything is "good to go".... I am headed back to Winnipeg - another treatment on Tuesday and I have the "big scan" (CT rescan) on Thursday.

We do not have internet until later this week, we will have new email addresses at that time. I'll figure out how to create a link to the new addresses once I am back at my computer.....

Thank you everyone for leaving your comments, it is very exciting for me!!!

Cheers - Joanne