Now that I know I can send in posts from my phone I may post more often. Or I may stop again before I get started because life is too overwhelming.
First, a little bit about me. My name is Heidi and I live in Michigan – hence, the Mitten. I’m in my late 40’s and don’t have any kiddos. My pets are my kids. Currently I have 2 dogs – Dasher and Willow – and 2 cats – Lily and Jasper. Some of my favorites right now are: purple, pears, squishmallows, dinosaurs, The Golden Girls, rainbows, glitter, and those decorative birds that Target sells for $5.00. I don’t do a lot of reading these days, and I like watching documentaries, anything 90 Days, and comedies. Music I love varies but P!nk and Billie Eilish are favorites. I am sarcastic, quick witted, a democrat, and I believe love is love. I am an Ally to LBQTIA+ and people of color. I am also a realist – I may say this a lot.
Now onto the cancer part. I was first diagnosed with uterine (endometrial) cancer in 2011. I had a total hysterectomy and radiation. All was good, right? My mom was also diagnosed with the same cancer and had a hysterectomy and never had issues. Apparently, I needed to overdo it.
Fast forward to 2019/2020 – yep, right at the start of the Pandemic. I noticed a lump in my stomach and pain in that same area. It would keep me up at night sometimes. Initially, I thought it was Diverticulitis because it would sometimes feel better after I went to the bathroom. I got an x-ray and then was referred to a surgeon. I had an MRI and was scheduled for surgery. They were preparing for a hernia surgery because they just wasn’t sure what it was.
Surgery was in August, 2020.
Once the surgeon removed and saw the mass, he contacted my Oncologist. The result? Cancer. The same type/kind I had before. This is the first recurrence. So how they explained it was that there was a cancer cell left on the robot when they did my hysterectomy back in 2011 and that cell has been growing for the past 8/9 years. Endometrial cancer is a slow growing cancer. The oncologist gave me a few different options but the treatment he recommended was radiation to the surgical area and chemo.
I went to University of Michigan for a second opinion and they said basically the same thing. I should also add that I had a CT scan and it showed nodules in both lungs. Anyway, I decided to stay with the more local hospital and my old Oncologist for treatment.
I had my Medi port placement in October, 2020 and was scheduled for a course of chemo (6 cycles – 3 weeks apart) with radiation in the middle. So basically, I had 3 chemo, then radiation, then 3 more chemo. The chemo was Taxol and Carboplatin. I’m not going to talk side effects yet – don’t worry though, that will be coming soon.
I had another CT scan in March, 2021 and the lung nodules were gone – good news! I continued with the three cycles of chemo.
I didn’t have another CT scan until June, 2022. Results this time were not as favorable. The lung nodules were back as well as a couple of other suspicious spots. This is now my 2nd recurrence, I believe.
I guess with Endometrial cancer (not sure if this is true of other cancers) they don’t restage the cancer. So you stay at whatever stage you were diagnosed at. For me that was Stage II – I believe. Although my original Oncologist did say that this was now considered Stage VI cancer at one point. My original oncologist left the practice for Michigan State at some point during my care.
This meant more chemo for me. I completed another course of chemo – same as before with the Taxol and Carboplatin. I had another CT scan in September, 2022. The lung nodules were reduced, but everything else was as it was before.
The chemo wasn’t working anymore.
In October, 2022, I had my last chemo of that course – #7, I believe. I was tired. The side effects were getting worse with every round of chemo and I needed a break. I also needed to go back to work for a little while. I asked the oncologist to take a break and she agreed.
My next CT scan was in December, 2022 – again, everything was the same.
When I saw the oncologist again we discussed options. Immunotherapy is what sounds most promising. However, because of how insurance works – I work in insurance – so I won’t complain about it, but I KNOW it’s a pain sometimes, I need to essentially be a “chemo failure” in order to start immunotherapy.
Back to chemo I go – same as before – another course so hopefully I can be approved for Immunotherapy.
My latest CT scan was in February, 2023. The lung nodules are not showing again, which is good news. However, the other masses/tumors/lesions/spots (whatever you want to call them) are still there and the biggest one is now hurting like the one was in 2019. I can feel it also.
So this is my story so far….well, the gist of it anyway.
More coming soon as I have a lot to share.