October 1, 2020 – Today I started a new treatment regimen: immunotherapy. For those of you following my blog, a lot has happened since my last post (
The Verdict Is In). Needless to say, we’ve taken a new path in my melanoma journey; hence, the title of this post.
A Quick Recap
After confirmation that melanoma had spread to my right adrenal gland, we were faced with a couple of options: remain on Gleevec and receive radiation therapy or try something new – immunotherapy (described below).
A New Twist
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| Waiting on treatment. |
Initially, we opted to try radiation therapy. The idea was to target the adrenal gland, which would be – we assumed – less invasive that starting an entirely new regimen. After meeting with the radiation oncologists and consulting with some other folks, we decided against that route. There were too many outcome variables and too many negatives (potential damage to surrounding tissue and organs).
We just couldn’t get comfortable with that option.
Cabin in the Woods
Up until we left on our Blue Ridge vacation (see Facebook), we continued to struggle with our first option. Several online consultations, emails with others in the melanoma community, and, simply, time to reflect brought us to a new decision: no radiation therapy, stop the current oral chemotherapy, and start immunotherapy once we returned from vacation.
I feel good about the decision. Vicki feels better about the decision to go with immunotherapy. And our oncologist assures us that if immunotherapy doesn’t work, we can always go another route.
Immunotherapy Explained
According to the American Cancer Society, immunotherapy medicines stimulate a person’s own immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells more effectively. Several types of immunotherapy can be used to treat melanoma.
Immunotherapy medicines are given intravenously, so that’s another turn in my treatment. Today, I started Keytruda (pembrolizumab), which will help my body fight the melanoma without destroying any existing, healthy (normal) cells.
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| A new turn in my journey. |
What About Your Lungs?
Another positive aspect of our decision is that Keytruda will also fight the tiny melanoma tumors in my lungs. There’s no guarantee that they will be completely gone, but our hope is that they continue to stay small, or even shrink a little more.
Thanks, Again
Thanks, once again, for your thoughts and support. We truly appreciate it. As my treatment journey continues, there will likely be more frequent updates.
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| Everyone should have a view like this. |
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Writer’s Note – I’ll continue to update my blog on a periodic basis. No set schedule. So, I want to thank everyone who continues to stop by and check out my blog. Please leave a comment or message; I’d love to hear from you.
September 12, 2020 – Bottom-line: melanoma has spread to my right adrenal gland.
While, initially, this news was distressing, it didn’t come as a complete shock. All summer, we’ve been wondering what caused the sizable blood mass in and around my adrenal gland (see Doctor Doctor…). Now we know. Melanoma some how made its way to another part of my body.
Frankly, since early June, I’ve expected this outcome. It’s the reality of living with cancer.
Now, some good news
With this sad news comes several positive developments. First, the PET scan (see The Waiting…) was negative for any additional cancer spread. That’s important because we want to keep the cancer contained as much as possible. In other words, right now, only two places inside my body have malignancy – my lungs and my right adrenal gland.
Second, the metastases around my adrenal gland, according to biomarker testing, contain the same genetic mutation (cKit) as the tumors in my lungs. That’s also important because we’re only dealing with one type of cancer (again, see The Waiting…).
Which leads to another (hopefully) positive development…we will continue my current treatment regimen – daily oral chemotherapy medicine (Gleevec) – with a new component: radiation therapy to tackle the adrenal gland.
More details to come
This post will be short and sweet. Many things are coming together even as I write this. I’ll provide more details in a follow-up post (Another Twist, Another Turn).
This is yet another twist and another turn in my melanoma journey. I’m confident the journey will continue for many years to come.
Finally, thanks!
I want to thank all of you who have made this journey with me. Your thoughts, your prayers, and your concerns are greatly appreciated. I’m absolutely humbled by it. Please focus your thoughts and prayers on Vicki, Emily, and Zach as they have been my guiding light in this crazy storm. In addition, prayers would be appreciated for my dad, my sister, my sister-in-law, and my entire extended family.
Thank you.
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| A thoughtful gift from Vicki’s true friends. |
Note: If you want to leave a comment, just choose “Anonymous” from the Profile Selection drop down bar right below the Comment box. (It’s the very last choice.) Sorry for any confusion.
Also, please make sure you leave your name or sign-in somewhere in your comment. Thanks.
Writer’s Note – I’ll continue to update my blog on a periodic basis. No set schedule. So, I want to thank everyone who continues to stop by and check out my blog. Please leave a comment or message; I’d love to hear from you.
August 4, 2019 – It’s been a week filled with a lot of emotion and humility. Mostly it’s been many highs with just a couple of lows. As cliches go, it’s been a whirlwind. I guess I’ll begin at the beginning:
During the prior week, we celebrated my six-year metastatic melanoma (Stage IV) diagnosis. Obviously, it’s a bittersweet celebration, but as long as I’m still around to celebrate – I’ll take it. Here’s an old post from the first year anniversary (July 2014 anniversary).
On Monday, July 29th, we saw my cardiologist for my six-month visit. It’s been a brutal summer here in Memphis, and the heart meds – along with Gleevec – have done a number on me. Tired, fatigued, dehydrated, etc. My heart doctor says that we should stay the course with my medications. In other words, get through the rest of summer and then we’ll re-evaluate his cardiovascular cocktail in December.
Tuesday, July 30th, brought me a sense of relief. With the help of my editor and friend, Jayden Terrell, I completed my novel manuscript sample and submitted it for agent/editor review. The agent/editor critique will occur during the Killer Nashville International Writers Conference, which will be held later in August in the Cool Springs area, just outside of Franklin, Tennessee. I’ve been writing this book – off and on – for almost ten years. Wish me luck.
Wednesday, July 31st, I took part in a video conference panel on living with melanoma sponsored by Skincancer.net. It was both an eye-opening and humbling experience to share survival stories with other melanoma warriors.
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| My teammate!
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Note: Skincancer.net is part of the Health Union family of online support communities. Earlier in July, I became a paid contributor (known as an advocate). My work will appear on their website.
Later that afternoon, I found out that my melanoma journey story was published online by Coolibar Sun Protective Clothing. My skin diary story is now on a national website along with survivor stories by Holly Rowe of ESPN and Nora O’Donnell of CBS News. To say that I was psyched would be an understatement.
On Saturday, August 3rd, was the Miles for Melanoma – Memphis (5K) held at Shelby Farms Park. The run/walk is an annual fundraising event for the Melanoma Research Foundation (MRF). I am highly involved with the MRF and their various advocacy initiatives. This was the fifth year that I participated in the Memphis race. It will likely be my last year of active involvement in this event.
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| Very cool!
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To top off a crazy week, I was recognized by the MRF for my fundraising efforts. Another cool, yet humbling, experience.
Let’s hope next week is a little more calm.
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Writer’s Note – I’ll continue to update my blog on a periodic basis. No set schedule. So, I want to thank everyone who continues to stop by and check out my blog. Please leave a comment or message; I’d love to hear from you.
Week Four
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
After four weeks of treatment, I’m actually feeling pretty good. I saw my doctor last week (on September 11th), and he said that it’s not unusual for patients to tolerate Gleevec (my oral chemotherapy medicine) with only minimal side effects. Most of my initial side effects have seemed to wane, and I’m hoping that is a good sign. My blood and glucose levels were normal or, at least, in the acceptable range. Now, I will be on this medication for about another thirty days.
On October 9th, I will have a CT scan performed. We will immediately look at the results that day to determine if my tumors have grown or stayed the same. My doctor did tell me that it typically takes 3 to 4 months for tumors to shrink when treated with Gleevec. So, what we’re hoping to see is that my tumors have not changed or grown. I’m glad I have people much smarter than me monitoring my cancer. It’s a blessing to have some many folks “in my corner” as I continue my journey with melanoma, which brings me to today’s thoughts on being watched over.
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Spending a lot of time at home has been both a blessing and a curse. Luckily, I have not had to endure being at home by myself. I have a shadow – literally – who follows my every move. Nixie, our six-year-old Border Collie has always been my constant companion. Now that I’m home more, it’s a given that I will be continually watched over or “guarded.”
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| Who’s watching over you?
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If you know anything about Border Collies then you know that they are highly intelligent, extremely focused dogs who fixate on their work with the intensity of a sixteen-year-old video game fanatic. These dogs also have boundless energy and a fervor for completing a job that would make any office manager jealous. Prior to last month, Nixie’s “job” was to chase balls and catch Frisbees. As long as Nix – as we call her – was busy then everything was fine. If we didn’t keep her busy, or give her enough exercise, there was “heck to pay.”
Now, her job is to watch over me…at least that’s what she thinks she is supposed to do. Nix is almost always by my side while I’m at home or outside in the yard. When I return home from running errands or from an appointment, she greets me as though I’ve come back from a long journey. I know most dogs are like this, but Nixie’s intensity has seem to grow ever since my diagnosis. Does she sense that something is wrong? Is it true that dogs can tell when their owners are ailing? I don’t know, but I do know that I’ve got a four-legged family member in my corner as I deal with my cancer.
In fact, I would think that everyone would want to have someone or something watching out for them. Whether or not you’re a spiritual person, there’s something comforting knowing that you’re being watched over…even if it’s a sometimes neurotic, always attentive thirty-eight pound fluff-ball.
And the journey continues…..
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Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Not much new to report this week. As I mentioned in an earlier post (see School Daze), we took Emily back to college this weekend, and the heat along with the meds took their toll on me. That’s been one of the more frustrating aspects of dealing with my cancer – I don’t know what is affecting me: the tumors or the medicine. I discussed in the Week One post that Gleevec has several side effects, which may manifest themselves in different ways. Unfortunately for me, I also have some other ailments that may or may not be “masked” by these side effects. So, it gets frustrating trying to figure out which ailment is a side effect and which is something unrelated to my cancer.
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| Say “Hello” to my little friend |
(Note: I find it interesting as this newest phase of my journey continues, that I am now able to say “my cancer.” Prior to that I was saying that I was “very sick.” Perhaps that’s a sign that I’m acknowledging my situation and not running from it.)
The worst side effect so far has been the fatigue, which may impact my ability to volunteer and work outside of the house. I will continue taking Gleevec for the remainder of this month. On September 11th, the doctors will analyze my blood to see if my “counts” are in order and I’m not in danger of liver failure or internal bleeding. I also have occasional chest pains that, according to the nurse, may be the cancer or another side effect of the medicine.
As always, thanks for listening.
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Writer’s note: I’ve been on a brief hiatus since before Labor Day. You’ll see several posts today and tomorrow as I play catch-up.
