Next steps

I'm going to start maintenance therapy in January. I'm not a candidate for immunotherapies at this point for 2 reasons. The first, I have an autoimmune disease and immunotherapy can set autoimmune diseases into a flare. Second, I had my tumor analyzed at CARIS. It indicated the first line immunotherapies would not work for my tumor make-up. But I'm HER2+. That is a bad thing, except in 1999 the FDA approved treatments to target HER2 to turn it into a weapon to fight cancer. That was for breast cancers. Today gyneological cancers that are HER2+ can use those drugs too.

To be able to receive the maintenance therapy I have steps I have to follow before starting. December 17 CT scan of chest, abdomin and pelvis. Dec 30 echocardiogram, January 6 physical exam. Plus I still have to get two more blood test for the last chemotherapy. If all these things come back clean, no disease I'll start maintenance Jan 20.

I feel blessed to have a maintenance therapy available to me. I'm really concerned about a recurrence because of the type of Cancer that I have. I feel like having this maintenance will give me extended coverage for next 13 months. I just hope I stay cancer-free. And I also think that the therapy will continue to hunt down any cells that still live in me and dismantle them. I just feel like this is my best hope for living a long, healthy life. '

I've come a long way in the past 6 months. I've stopped trolling the Internet for answers, my sleep has been amazing. I had insomnia for decades. I didn't even recognize what I was doing as insomnia. I physically feel great. I know that's weird I just completed 6 cycles of chemotherapy and I feel as good even better than I did before therapy. My mental health is pretty stable at the moment. I'm still worried about my health and future, but I'm not obsessing over it. It feels more matter of fact. Resigned and not desperate or doomed..

I've have worked so hard on being this way. I chose my medical team. Some through referral others by choice. My medical team consist of an oncologist, IBD gastroenterologist and clinic, therapist, holistic Doctor, cardiologist, dentist, optometologist, optometrist, personal trainer and I'm including my hairdresser because she is supporting me all the way through my hair loss journey.

I am doing all this because I've read about the benefits I would receive if I took a holistic approach to my health and I'm in a position to finance this. I realize I'm blessed.

Writing is therapeutic for me. I have a need to put my thoughts in writing. It think it help me organize my brain so thoughts don't fly around colliding into each other.

Yesterday was was the third day following my last infusion. I purposely scheduled a training session for that day. The third day is the day I feel the most inflammation, joint stiffness and fatigue. By scheduling a training session on that day I force myself to use my body in a riggerous way.

Im still mad about cancer, but im not enraged anymore. I love having action steps. I do well with a plan i understand. I also started asking questions and what happens should cancer return. Im creating a plan B.