› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Lil’ Chubbs Maiden Voyage & other news
- This topic has 8 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 4 years, 4 months ago by
MelanomaMike.
- Post
-
- December 7, 2019 at 8:29 pm
Good Saturday Morning, Friends!I Just wanted to check in, say “hey” and update you all on the what-nots.
First of all, this past week Lil’ Chubbs, Doggo, and I did a simulated camping trip at Crystal Cove State Park. It was just one night (California camping is really just a competitive race for nice campsites) but I pretended that I was going for a week. I did this so I would check everything on the trailer out, see how it works and find anything that needed fixing. I can report that 1-night camping, even in an awesome trailer, is still a lot of work, but less work than tent camping. I can also report that the Doggo thinks the trailer is a big doghouse on wheels. She loves it! And it’s even better that I join her in her doghouse. Of course, sleeping with the doggo is like sleeping with a toddler… but I digress. All in all, it was a successful first trip and I would say Lil’ Chubbs the trailer is just about ready for next summer’s Awesome Adventure (SoCal – Yellowstone).
If you’re interested, here are pictures of Lil’ Chubb’s Maiden Voyage to Crystal Cove, CA https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/14shh7hi_BCm-c_kmfTwREtsAPaXP6zxf?usp=sharing
On the lung cancer front, the results from my bronch and hilar biopsy were inconclusive. Technically thery did not find any cancer, but they didn’t get any lymph node, either. So we don’t know what’s going on there. I have scans Dec 18th and we’ll see if there are any changes and figure out a plan from there. I also had radiation to T9&10 to mop up some pesky spinal tumors. The good news there is the the tests for radiation showed that the chemo was working!
On the melanoma front… it appears to this reporter, that the Mel tumors in my arm are shrinking. Now let me set the scene. While I have had a boatload of treatment prior to these critters popping up, I have not had any treatment to specifically address these specific critters. So when I told the Rock Star I thought they were shrinking, he yelled “WHAT!?! GET OUT!!!” and of course everyone came running. Could it be that previous treatment is kicking in and kicking Mel out? Or maybe this is the answer to the prayers of my friends and family? Just maybe! I’m thanking God for His mercy and calling this a win.
So this is the news! Forever grateful for friends, family and you all!
Shalom,
Julie
- Replies
-
-
- December 7, 2019 at 11:55 pm
Oh, Julie!!! I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO glad you got to take Chubbs on her first trip!!! This summer is gonna be rock’n!!! Doggo and Chubbs are too cute!! I love the curtain!! And that scenery!!! Just lovely!!!!On the lung cancer bizness – well…weird!! But, good? I guess???? Will keep all fingers and toes crossed for good scans for you on the 18th.
As far as the melanoma lesions to your arm ~ “Alright, alright, ALRIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” (With Mathew McConaughey enthusiasm and intonations!!!) Whatever the cause! May the shrinkage continue! It is often hard to buy the needed time, but in melanoma treatment I think it really does pay to be “patient with the patient” when possible. I will never forget the poor fellow who was kicked out of my trial on his first scan due to progression, but on subsequent scans to try to determine what to do next – with no further treatment – his tumors kept shrinking and shrinking!!!! That is what I am going to hope for you!!!
Thanks for sharing your story and your world. Let us know how the scans go! Much love, les
-
- December 8, 2019 at 2:07 am
That is the cutest little trailer! I love it. And Doggo … oh my heart! -
- December 8, 2019 at 6:24 am
Thank you for sharing your good news and I am hoping the trend continues! Your trailer is so cute and so is your big fur baby. Surely you will have many terrific trips since Cali has absolutely wonderful scenery and the ocean is always special.
Melanie -
- December 8, 2019 at 6:02 pm
PS!!!!! My husband is so smart that it can be ANNOYING!!! HA! However, when I was reading him your post this am he commented, “Well, you know? Platins do have some activity in melanoma, too.”Well, MAYBE some part of my brain remembered that, but not really! HA!!! It was back in the day but here you go:
Cisplatin is that same category drug and is in the Dartmouth regimen: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10839287
Here is a study from 2013: https://journals.lww.com/melanomaresearch/Abstract/2013/04000/Effect_of_paclitaxel_carboplatin_salvage.8.aspx#:~:targetText=The%20combination%20of%20paclitaxel%2Fcarboplatin,%E2%80%9325%25%2014%2C15.
And then, because I got interested, there is this about pemextred: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3505171/#:~:targetText=Pemetrexed%20(MTA)%20is%20a%20novel,cell%20lung%20cancer%20(NSCLC).&targetText=These%20findings%20indicate%20that%20MTA,treatment%20of%20human%20metastatic%20melanoma.
Where is says this: “MTA induced apoptosis in human melanoma cells
We assessed the effect of MTA on cell proliferation using the XTT method on four human melanoma cell lines, on two types of NSCLC which constitute a positive control and on MEF cells to evaluate MTA cytotoxicity on non-tumoral cells. Cell viability decreased in a dose- and time-dependent manner in response to MTA, in all the studied human melanoma cell lines…”So whatever the cause…. YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! May those suckers shrink into oblivion!!! Love you! C
-
- December 8, 2019 at 8:20 pm
Huh!!! who would have thunk it. I hadn’t thought of the Chemo doing a job on the arm mets, but hey, why not! I figured the CM-GSF, IPI and PEMBRO (oh yea and the V-Tec aka herpes) was just sleeping soundly and just needed a bit more bad guys to wake up and go to work. And what we saw as progression was really pseudo-progression as the drugs and immune system got to work.Either way, I am celebrating big time!!!
Love,
J
-
- December 14, 2019 at 5:12 am
My SoCal sister! Thats AWESOME you went on a trip, when you said Crystal Cove is that on the beach in Laguna? If so, iv been there!!. Im happy that your still in good hands, me to for the most part, if we can just get these tumors to know who the HELL is in control!!…love ya Julie!
-
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.