Cherie, I was able to get opinions over the phone from two doctors regarding HIPEC. Dr Labow at Mt. Sinai in NYC, and a surgeon at UC San Diego. Dr Labow was julieyw's surgeon, and Rhealiza's. His office requested medical records, he reviewed my scans and his PA talked to me, she answered many quest...

I believe that having a virus can make your white cells, neutrophils, etc higher. Your immune system is working on whatever bug you have. Your values are barely above normal. I think in people with leukemia, those numbers would many, many times the normal value. I am not a medical person, so definit...

Julie, my CEA at MSK is consistently 3-4 TIMES higher compared to local. I asked both dr k and my local onc what gives. Dr k just said "I'm not worried about your CEA." Local onc mentioned the difference in labs and methods, but admitted in his experience that it usually isn't this big of ...

Celeste, I am sorry you are at this point. Praying for your family as you make decisions, and choose your next steps. I can't imagine. I am also praying that Pete's blockage resolves so you can all be comfortable, and at home. Words seem inadequate, but know I am thinking of you.

Thank you for asking, Celeste. I am OK. Mostly, I feel like I am in no place to complain. I am dealing with ongoing peritoneal mets in my pelvis. I had one removed in December, just to have another one pop up about a month ago. I have been enjoying folfox and panitumumab, which I would not describe ...

That is wonderful, so happy for you both!

Do you wear any sort of support over your pump? I am a girl, so this probably wouldn't work for you, but I wear spanx to kind of hold it in, keeps it from jiggling around. I have found if I wear loose clothing and am active, it feels kind of sore by the end of the day (if I don't wear any support ov...

Have you ever had a scan at MSKs Breast Center? That place is pretty classy... I have been to the 55th st place a couple times and walked right past it twice. And yes, I love how you have to go ask for your clothes back at 53rd st. Maximin humiliation indeed! At my local facility it's much more low ...

Julie, I hope you called dr k. I was on xeloda, and had a nasty incident with blisters all over the bottoms of my feet. I was told to stop the xeloda for a few days and stay off my feet. Worked wonders! I hope he's feeling better.

Colleen

Sorry Kenny. I had 2 PETs on avastin and my mets were more than happy to light up. If you truly aren't comfortable just waiting until your next CT, I would suggest taking a more emphatic approach with your onc. Like I believe Pete's julie describes it: pushy nice. I have found that approach also wor...

Please, get a 2nd opinion from an aggressive hepatobiliary surgeon, preferably at a major cancer center. I had a liver resection over a year ago, and I had 7 tumors in my right lobe of my liver. My liver has been clear for over a year. (Knock on wood.). Real estate is the key to resectibilty. I also...

Celeste,I am glad to see an update on you and Pete. I so enjoyed meeting him last summer at MSK. I am only sorry things have been difficult for you both. It's a long road. I pray that this trial he is on turns things around. (If you aren't pray-ears, then positive juju and thoughts your way.). Hopin...

I am not a medial professional, but I believe that ovarian cysts are actually more common in post-menopausal women than pre-menopause. They can also cause a great deal of pain. A friend of mine in college had one, it was awful. Ended up having the ovary removed and solved the problem. It sounds like...

Ugh. I am pretty sure "routine surveillance" accounts for the difference between me sitting here alive and well, versus being 6 feet under. Considering my cancer has been asymptomatic thus far. I really hope Chang was playing devils advocate here. I would like to think we live in a world w...

Mine went from 2.7 to 7.3 in 3 weeks. CT the next day showed one new tumor (peritoneum) just under 2cm. CEA is very sensitive for me and has been spot on so far. My other recurrence it went from 4.3 to 51 in 4 weeks. CT the next day had a new 4 cm peritoneal tumor. I hope your appointment with your ...