Category Archives: Bone marrow

I said I would never do that again 😭

Posted in adrenal cancer, adrenal insufficiency, Bone marrow, cancer, cancer blogger, cancer fabulous, cancer scan, Cancer treatment, Caregiver, Chronic illness, chronic pain, Clinical trial, Cortisol, endocrine, Endocrinology, Health, health advice, health monitor, Immunotherapy, information, inspirational, Love, malignant, Mibg, Montreal, net cancer, nuclear medicine, Octreotide, palliative, pheo mets, pheochromocytoma, PRRT, Radiation, rare disease, Rare disease day, surviving cancer, terminal illness, young cancer, zebra by

But I learned something new again yesterday

these bodies we think are ours?

They’re not.

We think they own them, we signed them over the moment we agreed to save our selves from the disease that’s killing us every day, see how that works?

Cancer: you get to kill me.

Doctors: you get to save me by any means necessary

Me: I TECHNICALLY have a say… but…

Believe me, there is ALWAYS a but

If you start saying no to things, how can they save you by any means necessary?

Anyone can go on from the outside and say there’s always a choice etc etc, and yes there absolutely is. We always have choices, mine often look something like this:

your veins aren’t working for the 189th time in your life, let’s rush you off to a secret room after after having poked you 7 times – and we will surprise you with a procedure you swore you would NEVER.EVER.EVER do Again – (text here)  I wrote about in previous times to GREAT lengths because it caused you such trauma the last therapy during MIBG (and out of all the things you’ve had done.. that’s saying a lot), just the mention of it is traumatic. 

My words aren’t coming out, no one is listening to me. What good would it do anyways? It’s now my only alternative to receive the treatment I’m here for. 

Ever wonder why the term cancer sucks is so popular? Why so many people want to say fuck cancer? ….

this is why. 

It’s because of situations like this, when you are no longer a person, when you no longer have a say in your own body in order to save yourself.. because you know that you’re damned if you do and you’re damned if you don’t. 

Facetune

Part 1: 05/23/2017 – PRRT treatment prep

jugular insertion 

Facetune

But I’m tired now

Facetune

I’ll leave you with something good, as I always do… I was greeted with my Doctor cupcakes (my husband), after some kisses 💋, and pain control, I was ready to start my treatment in a little less agony.

(My clinical trial doctor) is amazing, and does everything to administer the treatment in a comfortable fashion.

The treatment itself was a bit improved VS the last few times.

More on that later once I’m not so traumatized from the morning, and tired & in pain.

FABULLLLUS IS EXHAUSTED. 🖐🏼🏥

more fun trial stuff soon, byeeeeee

#pheovsfabulous

Day 42, M.I.A

Posted in adrenal cancer, adrenal insufficiency, Bone marrow, cancer, cancer blogger, Cancer treatment, Chronic illness, chronic pain, Clinical trial, Endocrinology, Health, health advice, net cancer, nuclear medicine, Octreotide, palliative, pheochromocytoma, PRRT, Radiation, rare disease, surviving cancer, terminal illness, young cancer by

I really must apologize for those of you who follow my blog, and expect a semi regular posting of updates. I honestly do get an overwhelming feeling of responsibility towards my blog, to the people who I am sharing with. My goal was to be able to share EVERY part of my journey while it was happening.

I think I was a bit ambitious… as most things are that I set out to do.
Not realizing that every year, month, even days, cancer will continue to make my life and the things in it that I once thought ‘simple’…a little more of a challenge. 

Most of you have probably gathered from my last couple of posts
“Leaving Today” & “What’s going on – 2016” that I am participating
in a radiotherapy clinical trial, called PRRT. As of October, things got a little bit busy…
When November hit, it was like an instant ON switch flipped, then someone pressed GO!
Everything just got out of control, things got real. 

You never know just how difficult something will be until you actually go through it,
that’s why here I am writing to you all 42 days post treatment, only now having the mental stamina and energy in order to begin sharing, thinking, or doing anything besides …. well, suffering. Did I say suffering? I meant convalescing. Hehe.. I may even be getting some of my sarcasm back.

So, the point is… I wanted to let everyone know that although I am not what you would call ‘okay’, I am here, and doing my best to adapt to this new phase of treatment. I figured since I am now in a place where I can finally see the screen without the words being blurry, or stay awake for more than 5 minutes in a row, and not be distracted by the pain of my kidneys feeling like they’re going to erupt… I should give a small update of where I am currently. That might be nice, since I am not quite at the point where I am able to give the breakdown of what PRRT therapy IS yet & all of the details of what it entails
(future post *coming soon* I PROMISE!) 

Update:
Since getting home from having radioactive therapy mid November… 
 
-I’ve been bed ridden
-Unable to leave my upper floor
(well, I’ve managed to now leave the upstairs a total of 3 times in 42 days)
-My body has went through every side effect and stage of pain imaginable listed as a potential option, and I think made up it’s own list to add 
-We have had to get a team of people to help with my care 
-I am starting to feel a tiny bit better, I’m no longer having pheo attacks every half hour (*more like every few hours now*) and I can eat now without nausea most of the time, I am able to go pee without feeling like I’m going to have a heart attack afterwards (well, SOMETIMES)…!, we are making a bit of progress. I won’t get too far ahead of myself here. 

Of course when I give my detailed post about PRRT I will write way more about my symptoms, side effects, and current state, super in depth by date and comparisons. Right now I just wanted to let everyone know that this has been incredibly tough on me and this is the reason why I have been completely unable to communicate.

This treatment is done in rounds, which means I am coming up on my next one in January, probably why I am starting to feel a little bit better, ha! My body is finally to begin to have a bit of strength for the next blast.

Nonetheless, this is where we are currently, and why I have been unable to communicate with the rest of the world. Those of you who have kept in contact with me despite my hiding out, bless you and your concerns
❤
If I haven’t been able to answer you or gotten back to you, please know that I am thinking about you and appreciate your words, prayers, and messages so so much.
I have read every single one of them.

I love you all, 

Fabulous 
XOX 

img_3572

Coming soon… 
A detailed overview of my PRRT clinical trial

Remedy for the rare: PRRT (Overview) 

Leaving today…

Posted in adrenal cancer, adrenal insufficiency, advocate, Bone marrow, cancer, cancer blogger, cancer fabulous, cancer scan, Cancer treatment, Chronic illness, Clinical trial, Endocrinology, Health, health advice, information, Mibg, MUHC, net cancer, nuclear medicine, Octreotide, pheo mets, pheochromocytoma, positivity, PRRT, Radiation, rare disease, Rare disease day, surviving cancer, young cancer, zebra by

Oh hey guys 👋🏼

You may have to do a slight refresher from my last post, but otherwise I’m going to keep it short. I will definitely go more in detail about what’s to come soon…

I’m just so exhausted and can barely keep my eyes open while I’m typing and covered in my favorite fuzzy blankets and every pink and purple unicorn pillow/stuffed animal I own

🦄✨💜

You guessed it…… LONG DISTANCE ROAD TRIP!

To where you ask? To do what you might be wondering? We will get to all of that!

First off, I’m kind of sorry and not sorry for dropping off the planet for a little while. Since I’ve started at home chemo that is EVERYDAY, twice a day, it’s a bit hard to want to then blog about cancer when you have very little left to give. What I did have left, I ended up having to use to prepare for the upcoming cancer CLINICAL TRIAL 👏🏼  Yes, that’s a whole lot of cancer. Which we will get more into when I have more time/energy. So you can see why I am sooooo sleepy 😴😷😪

Remember back when we discussed doing the first clinical trial? The very exclusive nuclear scan that was only being done on a limited group of people to see if their tumors would light up and be eligible for ANOTHER clinical trial?

Basically, it was a special scan to see if you could participate in another form of radiation type therapy. Well… Here’s a recap of everything.

So I did that, and passed the test! My tumors lit up, lots of them, so… That means I can have the special radiation called PRRT radiotherapy. (Similar to what I did back in January, the MIBG radiotherapy) but still different.

Don’t worry, I’ll be writing all about this when I’m not so depleted.

I just wanted everyone to know what was happening so far. This week has been very overwhelming, everything has been so last minute, we were informed of my acceptance within a few days of admittance, and all I can say is how grateful I am to not be a beginner at this whole treatment thing. This last minute…. We would be FREAKING out way more, but we’re veterans, so we’re only freaking out on the inside….. A little…. Ha

-This morning we left, today is a hours and hours full of travel where we will eventually make it to our hotel and check in, and spend our last night together  😰😝

– Tomorrow (Monday) I unfortunately get checked into the hospital, alone. A new unknown hospital….! 😳🏥

(I have to start getting prepped with special meds, since the treatment will make my pheo tumors angry. Hopefully by being admitted into the hospital and being prepped with special medications, this will lessen my chances of complications)

– Tuesday @ 7:30am I begin to get prepped for treatment ⚗☠

-Tuesday @ 9am treatment commence! 🎉✨☠

The rest of the week is unknown, I do know I will be less radioactive this time in comparison to last time’s treatment. Which means I shouldn’t be isolated as long.

That’s all for now.

Will share more about our previous trip to Quebec City to prep for the trial, acceptance, and WHAT IS PRRT?

Until then…

Stay fab

💖

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The Choice

Posted in adrenal insufficiency, Bone marrow, Cancer treatment, Chronic illness, Cortisol, Endocrinology, Health, Mibg, Montreal, net cancer, pheochromocytoma, positivity, Radiation, rare disease, surviving cancer, young cancer, zebra by

“

“Should I do this treatment?”

Read this first:

https://pheovsfabulous.wordpress.com/radioactive-therapy-mibg-overview/

And then read…

Source: The Choice

After

Posted in Bone marrow, cancer, Cancer treatment, Chronic illness, Endocrinology, Health, Mibg, Montreal, net cancer, pheochromocytoma, Radiation, rare disease, surviving cancer, young cancer by

A few days ago I made a promise that I would compile all of the last few months worth of information regarding MIBG Therapy – and put it into one informative place.

I said I would reveal more details about the aftermath, as I had about the before, and spared no details during the procedure. It took me a little while, as it’s been quite hard to get to this point as some of you know… and only now have we just started to receive some information regarding the results. You can read all about it in the overview & more.

I am hopeful this will provide you with an understanding of what goes into to this type of treatment, before, during and after. To get a better look at how hard everyone works, in an effort to keep me alive.

With so little information about metastatic pheochromocytoma available, and even less about the treatment options, etc… I will continue to help fill that space for those of us who need it most, the patients.

I hope you will have questions answered that only someone like me who has experienced it could answer for you. I am hopeful for those of you preparing for this treatment, I wish you the very best in your own personal journeys…

Permanently available in the ‘Menu’ – Radioactive Therapy – MIBG (Overview)

Now Available

🙂

Remember… it can’t take away your ‘fabulous’ 

Pheo VS Fabulous ❤

MIBG Therapy – it’s here

Posted in adrenal insufficiency, Bone marrow, cancer, cancer fabulous, Cancer treatment, Caregiver, Chronic illness, Cortisol, endocrine, Endocrinology, Health, inspirational, Mibg, Montreal, MUHC, net cancer, pheo mets, pheochromocytoma, positivity, Radiation, rare disease, surviving cancer, young cancer, zebra by

Therapy, treatment, normally implies some sort of relief right? Well let’s hope so, because I don’t think it sounds very therapeutic, but what do I know… 😂

Today is the day!

Its 6:41am and I’m about to go have a fight with the shower, be assaulted by my tumors for a good hour, and then once all at calms down… Think about leaving for the hospital for admissions, yesssss honey! It’s a glamarous life 😜

‘Mibg’ radioactive therapy should start to be administered around noon.. I have no idea what to expect… We are anticipating my body to not cooperating during the injection, it’s just a fact that the tumors are going to uptake the radioactive isotopes, and they’re going to essentially explode their adrenaline, leavin me littered with the aftermath, this is the part where they have to be extremely careful to balance with medications to protect my heart and so on! Yikes 😬

I got the greatest gift of all yesterday, because of the kindness and generosity of so many … Serge is able to stay 10 minutes away while these complications arise, being right there, VS being 3.5 hours away.. He is literally my husband and yet my caregiver, and it’s hard enough being isolated during this whole event, and several days after, knowing he is there if something goes wrong… is the best gift anyone could have given me.

gofundme.com/a7k4rbek

Yesterday was one of the most difficult days of my life, but my heart was full of warmth and happiness because of every single one of you reaching out to me… Today you will be with me in my heart 💖 Getting me through each step, until I can update again! We love you all so very much, merci and thank you for your continued support in my journey 🏩

I must be off for now, tata my loves!

See you after I’m radioactive and a little less pleasant … 😈💖

Pheo VS Fabulous

And so it begins..

Posted in adrenal insufficiency, Bone marrow, cancer, Cancer treatment, Chronic illness, Cortisol, endocrine, Health, Mibg, Montreal, MUHC, net cancer, pheo mets, pheochromocytoma, positivity, Radiation, rare disease, surviving cancer, young cancer, zebra by

It’s here, that inevitable day has come.. The one I leave my warm comfortable bed at home once again, and will travel to my ‘super hospital’ in Montreal, and receive MIBG radiotherapy…

Tomorrow the actual process starts, but of course we have to leave a day in advance in order to be there, get admitted, be ready in the morning and make sure my body doesn’t have to endure TOO much stress and travel time before the actual procedure – as it’ll be dangerous enough to administer the treatment… Eeeeek! Okay. Getting a little nervous, understandably, when I did my surgery… It was basically – that was my only option for a real chance, when I still woke up with the unfortunate news that there was disease left in me and of course that disease had multiplied within just months …. You can understand  our thoughts when it comes to this. I’m a  realist, I know there’s no cure to this disease, but it would be REALLY lovely to not have these tumors adrenaline attack me every couple hours… And feel like I’m in a war zone with my own body, and waiting to die every minute of the day. I’m not asking for a lot, just a bit of relief, a little less pain, a little less symptoms, some better quality of life.. That way I can focus on being a little more fab for a while, help some others along my way, and perhaps take a small break from this constant battle? Here’s to hoping.

We must get through the hard part first, administering the treatment which will wake up all of the tumors… Sending all of the adrenaline into my body at once, while I’m awake, (amazing) being incredibly sick, potentially wiping out my bone marrow, monitoring my adrenal insuffiency as I’m going to always be going into adrenal crisis with the stress my body will endure, being locked away in isolation as I will be radioactive until further notice, and then hopefully… With time and lots of positive energy, we will hope I will come out free of a few friends, and a little more fabulous 😉💗

you can read about the special treatment Here

what I had to do to prepare 😖 Here

Pheo VS Fabulous

#mirandastrong

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Day 1 – bone marrow collection

Posted in adrenal insufficiency, Bone marrow, cancer, cancer fabulous, Chronic illness, Cortisol, Endocrinology, Health, inspirational, Mibg, Montreal, MUHC, net cancer, pheo mets, pheochromocytoma, positivity, Radiation, rare disease, surviving cancer, young cancer, zebra by

I have a whole big schedule planned and everything, it’s very formal 🏩😁

First I’m going to get some bloods…

Second im going to get a big garden hose inserted into my tiny neck… AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Then I will go get my garden hose attached to the machine where I will be hooked up for 6 hours atleast that will steal all my of my bone marrow stem cells, while I watch I love Lucy and sleep and talk to all of you.

At the end of the day I will see how I did and then repeat all over again, except I go back to the hotel with the garden hose still in my neck (ew ew ew) lol. It’s a big IV BY THE WAY…

My goodness, ok I’ll update more later – I just had to let everyone know it’s STARTING ….!!!!!

XOX

Pheo VS Fabulous 💗

Pain pain go away…

Posted in adrenal insufficiency, Bone marrow, cancer, cancer fabulous, Caregiver, Chronic illness, Cortisol, Endocrinology, Health, inspirational, Mibg, Montreal, MUHC, net cancer, pheo mets, pheochromocytoma, Radiation, rare disease, surviving cancer, young cancer, zebra by

Bone marrow injections 💉

Yesterday we started the special injections needed to stimulate the growth of new stem cells in my bone marrow, so that when we actually start the transplant/collection process on Monday it will be easier to collect.

Asides from the obvious pain of  being injecting by a needle, the burning sensation of a foreign liquid going into your body, and the look on your husband’s face while having to do this to you… It’s the pain it causes AFTER I wasn’t quite prepared for. I suppose I should have, given the fact that all of these new stem cells need room to take shape in your bones, but I wasn’t quite expecting a literal feeling of my bones being ripped apart. Well there you have it, I’ve learned something new.

Be prepared for your bones to feel as though they’re being ripped apart, your knees to feel as though they’re being hit with hockey sticks, your chest to feel like it’s being split in two, your rib cage to feel like it’s being pulled on either side, and your lower spine has become someone’s instrument in a very aggressive band. Yes, this is what my body has become, a painful symphony of well, PAIN. My pain level is already incredibly high, and this new development of bone pain and side effects has put my body into almost a shock like state, a trauma if you will. I didn’t mention the skull bashing headache, the intensity of nausea, and many other lovely symptoms, I think the bone pain is the main event worth noting.

We arrived home yesterday after having gone through the day of testing and first injections and appointments, I was exhausted. I slept immediately as I got home, and everytime I would wake up, I couldn’t stand the thought of being conscious for this magnitude of pain… So I would drift off into another sleep, this continued the entire night, or until I lost track of time.

Today was a new day, a new injection, no change as far as pain or fatigue. If anything .. it may have been worse if that’s even possible. They say to rate your pain on a scale from 1-10, I’m no longer sure if I can do that. My pain level has been at a ’10’ so often, it no longer seems adequate. I couldn’t keep my eyes open for long enough to care, and since I normally am plagued with the inability to sleep at night as part of my disease – I welcomed the change. What I didn’t realize is that this exhaustion was more than exhaustion, it was my cortisol once again depleting from the amount of pain I was in, and this inability to stay awake was a sign I was much too low, and needing steroids. All I cared about was not feeling pain.. So I ignored the fact that I should be watching out for this, I just wanted to not feel anything. It was when Serge finally woke me up and demanded I take steroids, I knew he meant business. What I didn’t realize is that I had been unresponsive for quite some time. Oh, what fun he must have had, wondering if I’m just tired or unconscious. I feel bad for him quite often, I must get him a present – like a whole year worth of steak.. Or perhaps the greatest gift of all would be to just see me without pain for a little while, yes I think that would do 💗

Tomorrow will be day 3 of the injections, and hopefully the last day needed. We may need more depending on collections, but so far as planned, it’s the last day for injection times… I’m not quite sure how long these side effects will go on for, a few days, everyone is different.

Tomorrow (Sunday) we will do our last injections here at home, and then leave for our hotel. Monday early morning we are scheduled to do blood, and then….. THE MOST DREADFUL PART – I have to have a line inserted into my neck 😫 My veins aren’t very good, so I will have to go to radiology, and have a procedure done where they will literally put in a big fat tube into my artery in my neck – while I’m awake. I’ve only ever had this done while out, during prep for surgery, and taken out awake… And let me just tell you, having it taken out, was one of my worst memories. LIKE THIS IS JUST MY WORST FEAR … So Monday is basically my nemesis. 😰 They will keep this in for the few days of collections, and then take it out once they’ve gotten enough stem cells. (UGH) So after I have that installed, I will go and get comfortable in the lovely machine, where I will spend approximately 6 hours a day .. and see at the end of the day if they’ve gotten enough etc! Can I just say.. It’s a good thing I absolutely love my hospital?! I spend half my life there and they treat us like.. family. Everything about this is awful, but atleast I have the comfort in knowing I’m in good hands 💗

Thats my update for now, pain 😂😁

The good news is… Our hotel is fab, I couldn’t possibly recuperate without a fabulous place to lay my poor body!

(I knew I would sneak fab into there somewhere)

💗💗💗

Pheo VS Fabulous

Gross!

Posted in adrenal insufficiency, Bone marrow, cancer, cancer fabulous, Chronic illness, Cortisol, Endocrinology, Health, inspirational, Mibg, Montreal, MUHC, net cancer, pheo mets, pheochromocytoma, positivity, Radiation, rare disease, surviving cancer, young cancer, zebra by

GROSS 

That’s the only word I have for you today, gross. LOL

OKAY, okay… It’s day 1 of the bone marrow transplant (injections first) – as a reminder to those of you just starting to read, I am transplanting my own marrow in order to be prepared for a high dose Mibg  radioactive therapy incase it kills my bone marrow.. I’ll have some for later, you know for a rainy bone marrow-less day.

So we got up at 4:30am, I consider this a good start because my pheo tumors aren’t as angry with me today, my cortisol doesn’t seem as hungry, and I’m all fab for my bone marrow injection. What more could I possibly ask for?! ☺️

Well, my husband sang the miss America song as I walked down the stairs… I guess there really is more I could ask for 💁🏻💏

I will be getting the very first injection today – to help ‘stimulate’ my stem cells.  😆 Then once Serge has seen how to do it, he will be responsible for the ridiculously expensive injections for the next two days, and we all know how much he loves giving me injections… and then Monday morning … The collection process starts. That’s the super fun part where I get to actually sit in the machine for 6-7 hours each day and have my blood and stem cells separated, with a big tube in my neck. It’s going to be A-MAZING!

For now we will start with these super painful injections – bring on the bone pain!

It’s way too early for this much sarcasm, I promise it’s all good natured, I’m smiling as I’m writing this. I have nothing better to do on my 3 hour drive 😈💉

Enjoy your day, be good to your bones, eat your vegetables, and do something kind 💗✌🏼️

Pheo VS Fabulous