Monday, October 15, 2012

28 Days Later



No, it’s not a recap of a horror film. It is a recap of my life as a lab-rat for the last 28 days on the experimental drug Neratinib (HKI-272). The past few weeks have been mostly uneventful from side effects that I can easily attribute to the drug. The side effects from the steroids continue to plague me more than anything else. It’s to the point where I have more frequent bouts of depression and mood swings. Being overweight, still not sleeping more than 5 hours in a row and the muscle weakness really gets me down. 

My daily drugs - 7 types; 13-15 pills. Awesome.
I had my first check-in at John’s Hopkins this morning, where they did my blood work and tested my physical and mental condition. All tests were fine – there were no red flags in any of the results that would indicate the trial has affected me negatively. I scheduled my next CT scan and brain MRI for November 1 and by November 6, I will get the results from the John Hopkins doctors. Then I’ll really know what is going on inside of me and if the drug is working or not.

In the meantime, I am definitely trying to eat less and incorporate healthier choices in my diet. I am reading lots of positive, life-affirming books to try to keep my spirits up. I am working on de-cluttering my closets, working at National PTA, working on not being a pain in the butt to Chris, who god love him, often sees the uglier side of me. 

So 28 days later, I am still alive and kicking, so I have that going for me.


Love to you always.