Tuesday, December 14, 2004 10:43 PM
Subject: Karla Update Update


Hi All,
 
Well since my last update, a few changes have taken place.  The new regimen I went on with 
the Taxotere and Xeloda was not working.  The rash has come back in the last couple of weeks
and I am getting that cough back, that is a result of the lungs being affected by the 
cancer.  Last week when I went for my treatment, it was a different outcome than I had 
thought.  Dr. Lee was very concerned and not very happy ( as well as I) that the treatment 
we had gone to was not effective.  So, we decided to go back to Navelbine, which was one of 
the three that I had been on  in the study.  Obviously, the Xeloda was not the one that I 
had been responding to in the study, because I had continued taking that with the Taxotere.  
The upside is that my hair will stop falling out and my eyes will stop watering from the 
Taxotere.  (I have lost half my hair again!)  Lucky for me I have more than enough to lose.  
Anyway, I was not a happy camper that day.  The doctors at this point are looking at my 
situation as a chronic disease, like diabetes, that is going to have to be maintained with 
some sort of treatment of some kind for who knows how long!  I am NOT ok with that.  I have 
never looked at my situation as that.  I have always felt that I will get ride of this for
good, and be in some sort of 'remission' someday.  Dr. Lee doesn't think so.  I guess I am 
going to have prove him wrong, right?  So, needless to say, I haven't been terribly upbeat 
this past week, and I haven't felt good because I haven't had the energy or breathing room 
(sorry for the pun) to deal with it all.  I am not going to be dealing with this as a 
chronic illness, doing chemo or what have you, just to live for 10 more years!  
It needsto go away!!   I will keep you all posted.

Anyway, I want to wish you all a wonderful holiday, a Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year and 
all that jazz!   I love you all and hope that Santa brings you everything your heart desires!

Love you,
KJ