Saturday. May 9, 2026. I know it’s been a minute since my last post. Truth be told, I just haven’t been in the mood to write. Life gets busy sometimes, and writing about me and my life with cancer feels like one more thing I just don’t feel like talking about…right then. That’s my excuse, and I’m sticking to it.
Here’s the latest. I had CT scans on April 14th as well as a full body bone scan. The bone scan showed no evidence of metastatic disease in my bones. Yes!
The CT scans showed a slight increase in size of the left lower lobe pulmonary nodule in my right lung. As well as a fibrin sheath forming around my port which explaines why it’s been challenging to get a good blood return. A good blood return is necessary to get an infusion. However, over the last few months, I’ve been putting heat on my port for 15 minutes at bedtime, and that has proven to be very helpful.
On the 15th I met with Dr. Huppert. After discussing the CT results, it was decided to do another CT scan in 10 weeks rather than my normal 12 to see if the nodule growth continues. Unfortunately this is the same nodule that was zapped in early December, so it can’t be reradiated.
As for the port, it was recommended a port check be done by IR (interventional radiology).
Sunday. May 10, 2026. The following Monday, April 20 was infusion day. Then on Thursday, April 23rd I made the 3-hour drive to the Sacramento Airport to fly to Spokane on my way to Priest River, Idaho. I know that’s pushing it so soon after infusion. However, a high school friend of nearly 60 years who married one of my best friends in 1969, passed away in early March and his memorial was on the 24th. He had lived with prostate cancer for over 20 years and managed his disease with grace and lived his life to the fullest every day. His wife and I have been the closest of friends since we were 6 years old. His passing will quietly linger in the hearts of so many of us who admired and loved him. He was certainly an inspiration and role model for me.
I flew home on the 28th, followed by a busy week and weekend. I was exhausted, but in a good way. More American Ginseng, please.
On May 4th I drove to UCSF to have my port checked. It was a pretty simple procedure. They gave me a MRI contrast dye through my port and examined it with a flat scanner as I lay on an examination table. The monitor they viewed the scan on was bigger than our big screen TV at home! It was determined that the small irregular fibrin sheath at the tip of the cathetar can be stripped off. Way better approach than replacing the port. A small incision will be made in the groin area, and the IR ream will snake their way up to the port for the stripping. I’m hoping to get that done around the same time (day before, day of, day after) my next CT Scans and oncology appointment on July 1.
Lest I forget, Happy Mother’s Day!
Tuesday. May 12, 2026. Yesterday was my 17th infusion since starting Dato DXd on May 19, 2025. I’ve been asked several times how many more treatments are ahead. This course of treatment is indefinite. Meaning this is what I will continue to do every three weeks until such time as it quits working. Triple negative breast cancer is so clever and adaptable and chameleon-like, it’s never a matter of if it will get active, but when. So no end date is more than fine with me.
On a brighter note. This time my oncology nurse Cathy was new to the team, but she wasn’t new to me. She was one of my scholarship students at Mendocino College in the nursing program in 2009. I love how the universe finds a way to circle things back around. She is the third oncology nurse in the past 7 years who I was able to help fund her education, and she is now helping me to stay alive. What’s not to love about that!
So until next time, my sweet supporters, be happy and peaceful, be healthy and strong, be safe and protected, and may you live your life with ease.
What is it called when you move through the world gracefully & you still wake up every morning & find new bruises where you bumped into things? (I’m currently calling it gracing-the-shit-out-of-things. Until I come up with another name.) –Brian Andreas
lana has cancer 