Sent: Tuesday, June 18, 2002 11:24 AM
Subject: Karla Update


> Good Morning Everyone!
>
> It's that time again.  I bet you just sit at your computers waiting 
> impatiently for the next chapter!  Like you don't have other things to do 
> with you time....
>
> Well, let's see.  I was supposed to get my next treatment yesterday,  but 
> that was a no go.  My neutriphils (which are your white blood cells that 
> make up 50-70% of your wbc's and their primary function is fighting off 
> infection) were very low.  The count for them generally has to be between 
> 1.2 and 1.7 to be able to do the next chemo.  That's why there is a 3 week 
> interval between treatments, to give your body time to rebuild your cells. 
> Well mine were at .6 this time.  So, it has been postponed a week.  I 
> guess this can be a fairly common occurrence, but if the count isn't up by 
> next week, there is some kind of shot they can give you to help in 
> stimulating production.  So we will see next week.
>
> The doctor says that my progress is looking good.  The lymph up in my 
> shoulder, near your collar bone, is pretty much non-existent, which is 
> good.  That one was very swollen in the beginning.  There was also a 
> cluster to the right of my boob that was very pronounced, which has gone 
> down also.  So this is all good.  There was another smaller tumor in that 
> same area that has disappeared.  Yea!  The tumor is still very large, but 
> it is responding well.  The choice I have now is to decide whether I want 
> to do surgery now and then follow up with the 4 rounds of Taxol or 
> continue with the chemo and do the surgery after.  Taxol or Taxere is 
> another type chemo treatment which has become common breast cancer 
> treatment to tag team with the AC mix (Adriamyacin/Cytoxan) that I am on 
> now.  This next treatment will be the last of the AC and we will now 
> follow it up with the Taxol.  This is so the cancer doesn't become immune 
> to the one type of treatment and we can continue to decrease the size of 
> the tumor.  So, my decision is to continue the chemo and see how far we 
> can shrink the tumor before going into surgery.  As it stands right now, I 
> would have to have a full mastectomy with reconstructive surgery.  If I 
> continue to respond to the Taxol, then the possibility of a lumpectomy is 
> there.  There are no conclusive studies to show that surgery before the 
> last 4 rounds of Taxol is more beneficial than continuing with the chemo 
> and doing the surgery after.  Either way, we do the 4 rounds of Taxol.  It 
> still makes your hair fall out and cause fatigue and all of that lovely 
> stuff, so I might as well stay bald for a few more months.
>
> I am finding that I am tiring much quicker now.  I am still working but it 
> gets harder to hang in there, especially if I go go go during the day and 
> don't get my cat nap before I go to work.  I really feel it then.  But the 
> restaurant is really being great and I pretty much get whatever schedule I 
> want, so that's nice.  I am still running (believe it or not!), but I am 
> not able to go my 3 miles anymore.  I did that the other day and it was 
> just too much.  Plus the heat here is awful (for those of you who don't 
> live here).  If I don't get out there before 9:30, forget it!  Anyway, I 
> can do about a mile and a half.  It feels good but not too much.  I am 
> trying to keep that up to 2 or 3 times a week.  I have slacked off on the 
> biking, don't ask me why.
>
> What else?  I am moving this week too!  Like I don't have enough on my 
> plate already.  I always have to be doing multiple tasks in my life, don't 
> I?  Well, it was just time.  I am moving in with Sally, who lost her 
> roommate 2 weeks ago.  As you know, Sally and I have lived together 
> before, so we know we can.  My situation here with Kay has gotten more 
> complicated since her boyfriend moved in in February.  I am very much the 
> third wheel, even though they don't purposely make me feel that way, it 
> just happens. He's never felt real comfortable since he got here.  He 
> moved into "our house".  You know how that goes.   I have been living here 
> for 3 years now and the emotional part is harder than I thought it was 
> going to be.  But, that's where the chips fall.  Sally needs the financial 
> help and I need a place to stay until this whole cancer situation is 
> behind me.  So my new address will be 6923 Gabbro NE, Albq, NM  87113.  My 
> phone will stay the same (cell phone).
>
> Well, I think I covered everything for now.  I am keeping my spirits as 
> high as I can.  It does seem to be increasingly more difficult to stay 
> positive the farther I get,  but I do the best I can.  You know me, I 
> don't like depending on others, and I have no patience for not being able 
> to hang.  You know?  Anyway, thank you for all of your continued support 
> and caring.
>
> Until next time!
> Love ya,
> KJ
>
>