The update of all updates!

Well Dan and I made it to Houston around 4:00 yesterday!  We left Omaha around 8 on Tuesday night and made it to Wichita around 1:00 am.  We slept for about 5 hours and then got back on the road.  As I said multiple times throughout the trip...we're not screwing around!  As Dan said, we're on a road tour only with better goals!  We made great time and didn't run into any problems.  Oh and Mogi was a trooper...she slept the entire way...rough life! 

When we got to Houston my aunt Sherry had gotten us all checked into our apartment, so we got settled in some.  The apartment is very nice and is about the best thing I could ask for as a "home away from home."  We went to dinner that night and tried to navigate our way around the apartment complex and Houston.  Already today we are doing better with the navigating and Dan has done a great job with being Sherry's and my chauffeur.

Sherry and I started our day with lab work at 12:45 and an EKG.  After I got done with these I had three missed calls from an Unknown number.  I checked my voicemail and it was Dr. Janku's office wanting to see me right away as they could get me in earlier.  This was a great surprise as I usually have to wait at least an hour after my scheduled appointment time to see Dr. Janku.  So Sherry and I hurried up to his office.  Once we got there we got the word that Dr. Janku was out sick.  I think my nurse Jackie saw the fear in my eyes and quickly assured me that the doctor I would be seeing is aware of my case and "knows what is going on."  I was somewhat relieved. 

Dr. Ganeson (Dr. Janku's fellow) came in to see us first.  He didn't seem to have a clue what was going on and that we were still waiting for insurance approval.  This is where I may have lost it on him a little.  I stated to him in my teacher voice that I was told if I wasn't approved by now there was going to be something else for me to get started on.  He then started mumbling and left the room very quickly.  I think he then went out and told everyone that there was a crazy lady in that room and they needed to figure something out.  Cue...Dr. Subbiah.  Dr. Subbiah came in and at first was very saddened to see a 29 year old in his office with a re-occurrence from cervical cancer.  He was then appalled to hear that it had been 2 months since the last time I had received treatment.  Finally...a doctor who thinks like I do!  He then stated that he was going to find me something and not leave here today or let me leave without a plan in place.  I wanted to jump up and hug him at this point!  He then left and got all his colleagues working on my case.  He came back pretty quickly with a plan: 

• 2 IV drugs: Avastin and Bendamustine
• Avastin is designed to block the growth of blood vessels that supply the nutrients needed for tumor growth, which will hopefully prevent or slow down the growth of cancer cells.
• Bendamustine is designed to damage DNA (the genetic material) or cancer cells.  It also interferes with the creation of new DNA, which will hopefully keep cancer cells from repairing themselves or forming new cancer cells. 
•  This trial runs on a 28 day cycle and I will receive the drugs on days 1, 2, and 15.
• I will have a scan after 2 cycles to determine if they are working.
• If they are working I will continue on the drugs.
• If they are not working, I will start on something else.
• I will have to stay down here for at least 2 cycles (so about 2 months)
• If after 2 cycles I end up staying on these drugs, hopefully I'll only have to be down here for days 1 and 2 and can get the day 15 drug back at home.

Dr. Subbiah was very positive about this treatment and kept calling it the "home-run" treatment.  As with any treatment, it has risks but as he stated:  You're only 29 years old, you've got a lot of life to live, we need to be aggressive, and hit a home-run.  I couldn't have agreed with him more!  I was falling more and more in love with this doctor the more he said.  He then went on to tell us that he wasn't going to force me into anything, but stressed again how he thinks we need to be aggressive and I'm the perfect patient to do an aggressive treatment.  Besides having cancer I am young, strong, and healthy!  He really seemed to take a vested interest in me and my individual situation.  Before he left he gave me his card and told me to contact him at any time with any questions or concerns.  He is the first doctor to give me his card...continuing to fall in love with him!

After he left someone else he works with came in to introduce herself.  She then went on to tell me how great Dr. Subbiah is and how he started working on my case right away at 8:00 this morning when he found out he would be seeing me today for Dr. Janku.  She then told us how he specializes in cancer patients age 19-35 as we are the generation who is getting "lost" in all of the cancer treatment.  She went on to say how she has worked with a lot of doctor's and she knows that Dr. Subbiah is going to do great things and make great strides in cancer treatment because his heart is truly in it.  Hearing all of this was very reassuring.  This is when I decided that I needed to switch doctor's and Dr. Subbiah needed to be my doctor.  Sorry Dr. Janku, no offense, but I'm the boss now and Dr. Subbiah is my man!  Before leaving a trial nurse came to talk to us about getting enrolled in the trial and all the hoops I need to jump through now.  So off we went...

Can you guess what the biggest hoop is? :)  Yep...insurance!  Luckily, Jerrid and I are both teachers and don't make a lot of money (don't worry Jill...I won't go on a rant now about it) so I should be eligible to get the Avastin covered and the other drug is already covered.  We met with a lady from the pharmacy who files drugs to insurance companies.  I had to fill out a couple papers, get her our tax return (which I luckily had in my email), and now she just has to submit them.  I should be conditionally approved right away and therefore, able to start this trial next week!!!!!

Until then, right now I'm getting some magnesium through an IV because my magnesium was really low and that has to be up before I can start.  I'm also going to get some more fluid drained soon...woo hoo...more relief!!!  As my aunt Sherry put it today, you're walking like you just had a c-section.  Yep...pretty much...it's so uncomfortable, it's hard to stand and walk upright! 


I feel unbelievably positive about everything we heard today and where we are headed.  People really seemed to be working for me today and not just some "typical cervical cancer" patient.  They all have the same sense of urgency as I do regarding wanting to get started on a treatment right away, and wanting to be aggressive with the prescribed treatment.

Thank you too ALL of you for your thoughts, prayers, messages, texts, emails, and phone calls!  I'm sorry if I haven't replied, but honestly I don't know if it's physically possible for me to reply to all that I get.  Such a good problem to have, I know!  My group of supporters is HUGE and just keeps growing!  I couldn't do this without all of your support!  THANK YOU!

Love,
Meighan