Monday, January 29

Hello!
Well we are off to Houston again tomorrow evening. We get to meet with a transplant Doctor at 9:00 am Wednesday. His name is Naoto Ueno, M.D., Ph.D. I was reading up on him and here is his description of what he does:

"The primary interest of my laboratory is to dissect molecular events related to chemotherapy-induced apoptosis or cell cycle changes. Further, we translate these molecular events into developing innovative gene therapies, immunotherapy or diagnostic tools for patients with breast or ovarian cancers. Paclitaxel-induced cell death is the event that follows metaphase arrest. Thus, we have investigated the role of mitotic checkpoint in taxane-induced cell death. We have identified CDK1 activity which may allow predicting the tumor response to taxane. So far, we have successfully quantified mitotic checkpoint to develop a novel biomarker to develop paclitaxel sensitivity.

We have also focused on Paclitaxel sensitization of breast and ovarian cancer cells by adenovirus type 5 E1A gene. E1A is a well-known tumor suppressor that can induce apoptosis or downregulate HER-2/neu overexpression in cancer cells. This E1A can effect multiple genes that can allow cells to be more prone to apoptosis when treated with chemotherapeutic agents. We initiated and completed a phase I trial of E1A gene therapy among patients with breast and ovarian cancers. We showed that E1A can be delivered locally (intraperitoneally) to cancer cells by using cationic liposome. Because E1A gene therapy has been limited to locoregional delivery, we introduced a systemic gene delivery system using the cationic liposome LPD. The safety and pharmacokinetics of this cationic liposome are currently being studied, and we plan to open a clinical trial using this delivery system in the near future. Recently, we have initiated phase I/II clinical trials of E1A gene therapy combined with Paclitaxel for patients with ovarian cancer (sponsored by ovarian SPORE). The study design allows collection of samples before and after E1A gene therapy to determine the precise mechanisms of tumor response of E1A combined with paclitaxel."

Ummmmmmmmm. Ok! I think he will be repeating everything he says to me lol! I need to hear it so I can understand. I think I'll be breaking out the big pad of paper for this one!

Ahhhh--It's about tax time! I've been spending time lately getting things in order. I am usually so on top of it during the year, but I guess I slacked this year and am paying for it now haha! I do have all my receipts at least categorized by month, now just to add them all up!

In case you haven't been to my photography blog "www.photographybykasey.blogspot.com"
I have added a couple new photos taken recently. I will add more in February! You should be able to click the link under my photo on the right. The link wasn't working for awhile (someone just pointed it out to me) as I had it coded wrong, but it should be working now!

My Dad is still doing good! Thank you for the prayers for him! Hopefully he will be back online soon posting comments!

That's it for now! Like I said, we are heading to Houston tomorrow evening. We should be home Friday evening as my Chemo is at 2:30, so we should make the 8:00 flight home.
Talk to you all soon!
~Kasey

Sunday, January 21

I am back from Los Angeles! Great news about my Dad! He is doing 100% better! We were able to take him home from the hospital Thursday afternoon. He is breathing great and doesn't even need oxygen. He is a true fighter also! (HI DAD! GLAD YOU'RE BACK UP AND AT 'EM!).
This has been a long, busy couple of weeks! I hate traveling alone. I had an hour and a half layover in Las Vegas going out to L.A and I was just thinking how much Kevin would love to be sitting at those slot machines haha! I got to share the flight from Las Vegas to LAX with the crew from Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. I also got to go into the hospital where they film Grey's Anatomy while in Los Angeles. Pretty cool! They film it in the VA hospital where my Dad normally goes for his check ups. We went to talk to someone there about options for my Dad and what we should do. Pretty neat being at the hospital then watching the show that night and recognizing it all! I had some delays on my flight back--boarded at LAX, then as we were about to leave, Phoenix pretty much shut down (where I was going through back to Tulsa) because of a storm, so we had to sit on the plane for an hour before we left. Then, when we finally got to Phoenix, they hurried those off who were getting off and borded those getting on pretty quickly, only to get out to the runway and find out we were 25th in line for take off! Blah! Had to sit there for another 45 minutes. But, I am home now and it feels great!
While in L.A. I got a call from Houston and we get to meet with the BMT (Bone Marrow Transplant) Doctors starting January 31. So we will have another 3 day visit to Houston the week after next, then another 3 day visit 3 weeks later (for new scans). I will keep you all posted about that. I think I need to go to bed now! I am sure there are many typos here, but again, I don't feel like going back and correcting them. I am the run-on sentence queen also!! I just keep on typing! LOL. Hope it all makes SOME sense!
Take care and THANK YOU for all the prayers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
~Kasey

Heading to L.A.

Well, we made it home Saturday. I spent most of Saturday and today just resting. I am heading out to Los Angeles Tuesday morning. Too many flights were cancelled for today and tomorrow that I didn't want to risk having a cancelled flight. Hopefully all will be well by Tuesday morning! I should be back next Sunday. Please keep my Dad in your prayers!!!!! THANK YOU!!!!
~Kasey

Dr. visist and Chemo round 4

Today I had an ultrasound of the breast and heard some awesome news! The "cancer mass" has been reduced 94%!!!!!!! YES! 94%! It is only 6% what it was 3 months ago. The radiolgist was thrilled as was my Oncologist. That coupled with the big drop in tumor markers we made a great choice with this chemo. The mri results were sort of inconclusive because they scanned me using a Tesla 3.0 instead of the 1.5 they scanned me with 3 months ago, so the machine was twice as strong. But it did not show any more involvement, so stable there (or if I would have been scanned on the same strength machine it probably would have shown improvement). We didn't get to get a copy of the CT scan as it had just been dictated, but our Dr. had listened to it and there has been NO SPREADING TO ORGANS! YA!!! We are going to redo the tests again in 6 weeks because it is unusual to have a mixed response to chemo. Bone marrow whould have shown improvement. It is the same type of cancer in the breast, just in another area. She thinks we just need to throw that test out because the one outward sign of the cancer (the breast) that they can see and feel has improved SOOOOOOO much and tumor markers are going down significantly. We know this chemo is working and that is what the radiologist stressed also. So we will do 2 more round of chemo for now. We will be assembling our transplant team for the bone marrow transplant within the next 3 weeks and will get to meet and talk to them in either 3 or 6 weeks. Or Oncologist feels good about having me do it. I was having some concerns just with how severe it is. It would be a tough 100 days! But then, I am tough! I may also get to be enrolled in a clinical trial for a new drug. Will know more about that later.
I hope this is making sense! Forgive any typos, I don't feel like going back correcting them haha!

My Dad is still in the hosital intubated, sedated and now restrained. He keeps building up a resistance to the antethesia they are giving him to sedate him, so he keeps waking up and when he wakes up he is agitaed and tries to rip out the ventilators and IV's. He just doesn't understand what is going on yet. My dad has an iron will like mine. He knows what he wants and it isn't sitting in a hospital bed with tubes coming out of you. That's why they are having to keep him sedated. I am just ready for him to wake up, breathe on his own and hear my good news!

We are going to be stuck here in Houston for a few days because of the ice in Tulsa. All flights tonight have been cancelled and we are assuming the ones for tomorrow will be also. I may trade my ticket in to one to L.A. to be with my Dad. I don't know. I don't know. I just want that call from my Mom or Mark that he woke up, they took the ventilator out and he is breathing fine. You never know when the last time will be you get to talk to someone. I talked to him Monday night and he gave me a pep talk about the week we were going to have in Houston. I promised to call him right after the first test. He also emails me every day. I have missed his emails. I don't think he knew how much our talks have meant to me these last few months. I still need him! Dad, you better get well and read this post! I love you!!!

~Kasey

Good News and PRAYERS NEEDED!

As for the good news, tumor markers went down 36% more these last 3 weeks!!!!!!!!
We are still awaiting reports from the CT scans and the MRI, but going by the tumor markers, we expect good news! Wireless internet has been hit and miss here, so I don't know if I will be able to post the results until we get home Saturday. We visit with my Oncologist and do round 4 of chemo tomorrow.

Now, for the prayers part. As soon as we got to Houston Tuesday I received a call that my Dad was taken to the ER and couldn't breathe. He has COPD (Chronic Obstuctive Pulmonary Disease)and emphysema. They transferred him to another hospital and have since had to sedate and intubate him. He will remain intubated under sedation for a couple of days and then they will try to awake him and remove the respirator to see if he can breathe on his own. Hard news to deal with right now. If the have to reintubate him, I will be going out there the first part of next week to be with him. Please say a prayer that he will be fine! He has been a GREAT support for me through my ordeal right now and it would be hard without him.
I love you Dad!
~Kasey

Sunday, January 7

Hi!
Just a quick update from last week. I had my first setback this past week. BooHoo! I came down with strep throat that landed me in the ER on Thursday morning. My white blood cell count was way down that week (days 7-14 are the worst) and I just couldn't shake the fever or infection. But, after a shot of Penicillan and a long nap, I felt MUCH better! Back to myself by that evening and I didn't even miss our healing prayer/study group that Colleen Perkins is doing every week. That is such an inspirational time for me! If anyone would like any info on it EMAIL ME. We meet once a week.
I am gearing up for scans and chemo number 4 next week! Please keep us in you prayers!
Also, please add a prayer for all people whose cancer has returned or they are newly diagnosed. Several have hit close to home this week :(.

I know the plans that I have for you,
declares the Lord.
They are plans for PEACE....and not disaster.
Plans to give you a FUTURE filled with HOPE.
Jeremiah 29:11

Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, YOU WILL RECEIVE!
Matthew 21:22

Have faith in God! His promises are great!

Until next week,
~Kasey

Happy New Year!!!!

Wishing all of you a Happy and Blessed New Year!
To those of you whom we saw at Casino Night--I love you all! I didn't realize how many of you follow this blog! THANK YOU! (And yes, Missy, those were mighty fine Margaritas weren't they ;) lol!)
It sure was nice having a whole week off of work! Now, to get back into a routine! Usually I am ready for the kids to get back into school, but it has been nice having them here this week. We just messed around most of the week, hit a few after Christmas sales. Raisa had her annual New Years Eve party last night with her friends. I finally told them at 5:oo a.m. to get to bed! HAHA, they were having lots of fun though! Thanks Brit for being a great babysitter!
I have been feeling so great! We don't go back to Houston until next week. We will be flying out on Tuesday, Jan. 9 as we have an early appointment on the 10th. We won't be back until Saturday, Jan. 13, because Chemo isn't scheduled until 5:00 Friday evening. I will have new CT and MRI scans that week. I will keep you all posted!
~Kasey
First Peter 2:24
By His wounds, I AM Healed!