Defying the odds – never give up hope!!
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Defying the odds – never give up hope!!

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Defying the odds – never give up hope!!

  • Post
    • December 28, 2016 at 6:29 pm
    sister of patient
    Participant

    Just another quick update on my sister, Leisa.

    Posted a few weeks back that latest thoracic CT showed tumour shrinkage everywhere and no new progression. Now we have a new brain MRI and the results are excellent – "There is no evidence of abnormal enhancement within the brain parenchyma, leptomeninges or pachymeningeal. The previously visualized enhancing lesions within the bilateral cerebral hemispheres have completely resolved (in the interval)." Yay!!!  This – after brain mets "too numerous to count" and WBR as the only option – is phenomenal. 

    I am so grateful to the "gods that be," there just aren't any words to describe how I feel, particularly because six months ago, it was doubtful she'd make it this far and any chance of ever seeing NED seemed impossible (there are only two organs in her whole body that were clear – heart and colon).

    I didn't want to even "dare to hope" but I sure am now. She still has a long way to go and is only approaching the halfway point of Nivo infusions (started on ipi/nivo combo but had only two infusions before the ipi attacked her retinas) but we have lots of reasons for believing that NED is in the future!

    With much gratitude, wishing everyone on here the best possible outcomes and a hopeful, healthy 2017!!

    Barb 

Viewing 29 reply threads
  • Replies
      • December 28, 2016 at 6:36 pm
      jennunicorn
      Participant

      We always love positive news on here! So happy for your sister, yay! 

      Hope you and your family have a very happy new year!

      • December 28, 2016 at 6:36 pm
      jennunicorn
      Participant

      We always love positive news on here! So happy for your sister, yay! 

      Hope you and your family have a very happy new year!

      • December 28, 2016 at 6:36 pm
      jennunicorn
      Participant

      We always love positive news on here! So happy for your sister, yay! 

      Hope you and your family have a very happy new year!

      • December 28, 2016 at 7:13 pm
      Patrisa
      Participant

      Barb, that's fantastic, i'm sooo happy for you!

      Thank you for posting, we needed some great news like yours, it brings so much hope to everyone struggling…

      Love,

      Patrisa

      • December 28, 2016 at 7:13 pm
      Patrisa
      Participant

      Barb, that's fantastic, i'm sooo happy for you!

      Thank you for posting, we needed some great news like yours, it brings so much hope to everyone struggling…

      Love,

      Patrisa

      • December 28, 2016 at 7:13 pm
      Patrisa
      Participant

      Barb, that's fantastic, i'm sooo happy for you!

      Thank you for posting, we needed some great news like yours, it brings so much hope to everyone struggling…

      Love,

      Patrisa

      • December 28, 2016 at 7:39 pm
      Bradley75
      Participant

      Very happy to hear the good news.  A glimmer of hope goes a long way in my world these days.  Here's to continued success!

      Wishing you the best!

      Brad

       

       

      • December 28, 2016 at 7:39 pm
      Bradley75
      Participant

      Very happy to hear the good news.  A glimmer of hope goes a long way in my world these days.  Here's to continued success!

      Wishing you the best!

      Brad

       

       

      • December 28, 2016 at 7:39 pm
      Bradley75
      Participant

      Very happy to hear the good news.  A glimmer of hope goes a long way in my world these days.  Here's to continued success!

      Wishing you the best!

      Brad

       

       

      • December 28, 2016 at 10:16 pm
      debwray
      Participant

      Thank you so much for posting. Just want to agree with the others that news like this is so helpful to allow hope to exist when faced with bad clinical news and a dismal prognosis.

      I'm stage 4 but am targetting a trip to Buckingham Palace with my daughter to pick up her Gold Duke of Edinburgh award….( sometime in 2017 )  Graduation from Med School -2019 , Son getting his first full time job ( 2017 hopefully )  made his graduation JUne 2016- and various other milestones……

      Thanks Barb- dareing to hope sounds good to me….long may your sisters progress continue.

      Deb

       

      • December 28, 2016 at 10:16 pm
      debwray
      Participant

      Thank you so much for posting. Just want to agree with the others that news like this is so helpful to allow hope to exist when faced with bad clinical news and a dismal prognosis.

      I'm stage 4 but am targetting a trip to Buckingham Palace with my daughter to pick up her Gold Duke of Edinburgh award….( sometime in 2017 )  Graduation from Med School -2019 , Son getting his first full time job ( 2017 hopefully )  made his graduation JUne 2016- and various other milestones……

      Thanks Barb- dareing to hope sounds good to me….long may your sisters progress continue.

      Deb

       

      • December 28, 2016 at 10:16 pm
      debwray
      Participant

      Thank you so much for posting. Just want to agree with the others that news like this is so helpful to allow hope to exist when faced with bad clinical news and a dismal prognosis.

      I'm stage 4 but am targetting a trip to Buckingham Palace with my daughter to pick up her Gold Duke of Edinburgh award….( sometime in 2017 )  Graduation from Med School -2019 , Son getting his first full time job ( 2017 hopefully )  made his graduation JUne 2016- and various other milestones……

      Thanks Barb- dareing to hope sounds good to me….long may your sisters progress continue.

      Deb

       

      • December 29, 2016 at 2:15 pm
      sister of patient
      Participant

      Thank you so much everyone for your encouragement – it means alot!!

      Jenn, I've been watching your updates and sincerely hope that your current course of treatment will be your last too!!!!!

      And Deb – what an exciting year you have coming up!! Congratulations to your whole family and I wish you many, many more great milestones to celebrate!

      Cheers to all.

      Barb

      • December 29, 2016 at 2:15 pm
      sister of patient
      Participant

      Thank you so much everyone for your encouragement – it means alot!!

      Jenn, I've been watching your updates and sincerely hope that your current course of treatment will be your last too!!!!!

      And Deb – what an exciting year you have coming up!! Congratulations to your whole family and I wish you many, many more great milestones to celebrate!

      Cheers to all.

      Barb

      • December 29, 2016 at 2:15 pm
      sister of patient
      Participant

      Thank you so much everyone for your encouragement – it means alot!!

      Jenn, I've been watching your updates and sincerely hope that your current course of treatment will be your last too!!!!!

      And Deb – what an exciting year you have coming up!! Congratulations to your whole family and I wish you many, many more great milestones to celebrate!

      Cheers to all.

      Barb

      • December 29, 2016 at 4:11 pm
      cancersnewnormal
      Participant

      Congrats to Leisa! What a wonderful way to step into a new year! Keep up those hopes and positive thinking…. your sister sounds like quite a fighter! : )

      • December 29, 2016 at 4:11 pm
      cancersnewnormal
      Participant

      Congrats to Leisa! What a wonderful way to step into a new year! Keep up those hopes and positive thinking…. your sister sounds like quite a fighter! : )

      • December 29, 2016 at 4:11 pm
      cancersnewnormal
      Participant

      Congrats to Leisa! What a wonderful way to step into a new year! Keep up those hopes and positive thinking…. your sister sounds like quite a fighter! : )

      • December 29, 2016 at 4:27 pm
      maperny
      Participant

      Thank you so much for posting this.  So uplifting and hopeful for everyone!  Congratulations to your sister and Happy New Year to you all.

      Maria

      • December 29, 2016 at 4:27 pm
      maperny
      Participant

      Thank you so much for posting this.  So uplifting and hopeful for everyone!  Congratulations to your sister and Happy New Year to you all.

      Maria

      • December 29, 2016 at 4:27 pm
      maperny
      Participant

      Thank you so much for posting this.  So uplifting and hopeful for everyone!  Congratulations to your sister and Happy New Year to you all.

      Maria

      • December 29, 2016 at 6:13 pm
      Maria C
      Participant

      Barb, thanks so much for posting about your sister's triumph against the odds! I am likewise a survivor of brain mets, retina-detachment side effects, et.al. and am grateful to both medical miracles and powerful prayer chains. May your sister continue on the path to recovery in 2017!!

      • December 29, 2016 at 6:13 pm
      Maria C
      Participant

      Barb, thanks so much for posting about your sister's triumph against the odds! I am likewise a survivor of brain mets, retina-detachment side effects, et.al. and am grateful to both medical miracles and powerful prayer chains. May your sister continue on the path to recovery in 2017!!

      • December 29, 2016 at 6:13 pm
      Maria C
      Participant

      Barb, thanks so much for posting about your sister's triumph against the odds! I am likewise a survivor of brain mets, retina-detachment side effects, et.al. and am grateful to both medical miracles and powerful prayer chains. May your sister continue on the path to recovery in 2017!!

      • December 29, 2016 at 7:11 pm
      Scooby123
      Participant

      So happy for you  keep smiling xx

      • December 29, 2016 at 7:11 pm
      Scooby123
      Participant

      So happy for you  keep smiling xx

      • December 29, 2016 at 7:11 pm
      Scooby123
      Participant

      So happy for you  keep smiling xx

      • December 29, 2016 at 11:45 pm
      snow white
      Participant

      such fantastic news!!!  Thanks for such a great positive post.  I remain hopeful for my Dad.  Hope he will attain NED status sometime in the near future.

      Jen

      • December 29, 2016 at 11:45 pm
      snow white
      Participant

      such fantastic news!!!  Thanks for such a great positive post.  I remain hopeful for my Dad.  Hope he will attain NED status sometime in the near future.

      Jen

      • December 29, 2016 at 11:45 pm
      snow white
      Participant

      such fantastic news!!!  Thanks for such a great positive post.  I remain hopeful for my Dad.  Hope he will attain NED status sometime in the near future.

      Jen

Viewing 29 reply threads
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