Last week I had my scheduled pet scan about 2 months after starting Trodelvy. My most recent bloodwork showed my tumor markers are way up, higher than they have ever been. So I had a feeling I knew what the scan would show. Unfortunately I was right, the cancer continues to spread. The Trodelvy failed to slow it down or shrink the tumors. There are many new bone spots, the liver spots and now a tumor on my left adrenal gland. I will need to change treatments again. We are running low on treatment options but we aren’t out yet. I will be starting Carboplatin and Gemcitabine next week. This comes with all the usual chemo side effects and also possible low platelet counts. 

After speaking with my doctor about my prognosis, I’ve decided it’s time to figure out how to stop working. I’m working on a couple of financial and benefit things through my work before I go. I will be sad to leave my job after 21 years and I will miss my coworkers. But I want to spend the limited time I have left with my energy geared towards my family. While we do have a few options left, the concern is that they may not be very effective as we’ve struggled to find anything effective this year. The cancer seems to be at a point where it is outsmarting the available treatments. 

I do have a second opinion doctor at the Mayo Clinic, and I am also checking with him. If we can find a clinical trial that I would be a good fit for I would definitely be interested in that. My doctor at the university is also talking about a trial that I might be able to get into in January if my treatment is not working at that time. So I’m not giving up hope. But I am pretty scared and sad. I’m really not ready, and it feels surreal given that I still feel ok. I mean, I have a little bit of liver pain and plenty of fatigue and digestive issues. But I’m still managing pretty well I think. So as I plan for the worst, I’m continuing to hope for the best.