A Great Grandmother with dogs who is fighting breast cancer. This blog is to keep friends and family up on the latest happenings in my life.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Cancer Marker Test

The marker blood test is called CA 27-29.  When I search for that on the web I get some explanations and discussions.  It is a way of monitoring the cancer activity and the effectiveness of the treatment.

The best I can figure, it looks at a protein that is in the blood when you have certain kinds of cancer.

The three tests before this latest one (171) were right around 50.  So a jump up is not good.  The Dr. said these pills I am taking (Xeloda) take a while to build up so we will stay with them for six more weeks.  After that I will get a PET scan to look at the spots.

If the spots have grown and multiplied the chemo treatment will be changed. 

This doesn’t really change anything in the day to day stuff.  I have accepted that this is not curable.  My affairs are in order, I have even purchased an urn for my ashes.  Actually it is a box. 

So life goes on and I’m not depressed.  I’m enjoying each day for what it is.  I am taking Cymbalta which is an antidepressant, that probably helps.

The sun flowers that Lory planted in the garden are blooming.  I’ll try to get a picture soon.

The rabbits have eaten all the bean plants.  There are rabbits living under the deck.  Bandit pees on the deck.  I think he is trying to tell the rabbits something.  Of course, he pees in the middle of a board and it doesn’t go down under the deck at all.

Bandit is no longer able to get up onto the couch.  He likes to stay in the bathroom so I got him a cushy dog rug for in there.  He is about 12 years old I think.  I’ve had him about one year now. 

He had to stay in a kennel before I fostered him.  If I have to give him up he will probably go back there.  He has some bad habits but he has improved over the past year. 

He only barks when I am getting his food fixed and he has never howled.  I think he is happy as he comes and lays nearby wherever I am.   I give him a massage every night before bed.  When I get done with his legs and back he rolls over for the tummy part. 

We could all do with that treatment.

Later….

 

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