A Month of Ups and Downs (from Andrew)
In support of
The Steinhaus Family
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The Steinhaus Family
Sorry for not updating the page in a while. Chemotherapy has been taking its toll, and I’ve had to conserve my energy wherever I can. It’s been a month filled with its fair share of ups and downs, and I want to bring you up to speed.
First, the downs: Unfortunately, I’ve been battling several upper respiratory infections, including pneumonia, which might be the culprit behind a persistent cough. This brought a new specialist onto my care team—a pulmonologist. He’s thorough and working hard to pinpoint the exact cause of my symptoms. It could be related to the pneumonia, swallowing issues from a past stroke, or another factor entirely. In the meantime, he’s started me on asthma medication, which has already helped. I’ll have a full pulmonary function test and chest CT later this month to get more clarity.
Chemotherapy has also been hitting harder than before. Nausea and fatigue have been particularly tough. Thankfully, my team adjusted some of my anti-nausea medications, and that’s made a noticeable difference.
Another challenge: my CA 19-9 marker has been creeping up. It’s gone from a low of 29.7 to 46.2 as of Monday. My oncologists aren’t concerned yet, explaining that fluctuations at these low levels can happen without signaling anything serious. But I am a bit anxious.
On a brighter note, I had a consultation with an oncologist at Dana-Farber in Boston. He confirmed that I’m in excellent hands at NYU and MSK but shared some fresh perspectives. He’s in favor of immunotherapy but less enthusiastic about the Whipple procedure. It’s reassuring to get an external perspective on my care plan.
Despite the challenges, the month hasn’t been without its joys. I’ve managed my energy carefully to focus on what matters most—spending meaningful time with my family. Highlights include taking Vivian and Wesley trick-or-treating and celebrating Vivian’s fifth birthday. These moments are everything to me, and I’m eternally grateful for the time I get to share with them.
As always, thank you for your continued love and support. It makes all the difference.
Comments
Deb Long
Teri Garner
Love always, Teri
Kimberly Yates
Mary McGill
Chris Reynolds
Bonnie Ferrando
Mary Alice Cashin
Karell Roxas
David Tamayo