Okay, I know that fall hasn’t officially started yet, but I’m in need of a refresh. I’ve dug the fall décor out of the attic and am slowly putting it out on display. I’m doing a purge of the closet again, if I didn’t wear it this summer and if it’s older than 5 years it is time for it to go. All this newfound closet space has left me the ability to do one of my favorite things, shopping! I even convinced the hubs to head out to the Gilroy Outlet Stores for some fun in the sun and maybe pick up a few things.  
 
Why the sudden need for a refresh you ask? You see last week I got some news that punched me in the gut. I got the results of my PET Scan and found out that the chemotherapy that I have been on for the last year or so, has officially failed. The spot on my lung that we treated with radiation looks like it has stabilized, but it decided to grow a new friend. The new spot on my lung isn’t very big, but big enough to cause concern. My poor little adrenal glands seem to be throwing a cancer party again. The spots that were there last year have returned. And just to add some extra cancer confetti to the mix, I’ve got spots on my left and right pelvis and a spot on my right collar bone. For the icing on the cake a few of the lymph nodes on my chest wall are inflamed, possibly with cancer activity.
 
 I’m big on listening to my gut instincts. The day of my appointment my gut told me that I needed to prepare for some not so friendly news. Normally the results of the PET Scan is released pretty quickly to My Chart online so I can review it. This time it never showed up. Also, my lower back had started to give me issues, just like when the cancer flared in my spine last year. So, things were just adding up to not being the best of news to come. I did my best not to dwell and to practice mind over matter. I put on a cute outfit and a face of make-up so I wouldn’t want to cry. But, I also tried to prep myself for what could be next.
 
The doc and I have been talking about the possibility of changing chemotherapies for the last few months. So, it’s not like it’s a huge surprise. Trodelvy had been showing signs of not bringing it’s A game, but we had hoped that by increasing the dose and the jolt of radiation to my lung would give it a burst of life. But alas, it is now game over for Trodelvy.
 
The plus side is we already had a plan lined up. Way back when they did the biopsy on the tumor on my lung, we found out that while I’m a still technically Triple Negative, the tumor was producing a little, teeny, tiny amount of HER2. This is good news! Just out of clinical trials with excellent results, were people like me using the chemotherapy Enhurtu. For me to use the drug, it would be considered “off label”, so a whole lot of approvals would be needed. My doc did all of that while we were hoping the Trodelvy would still work. We weren’t sure if the insurance company would approve it, so I started filling out financial assistance paperwork at the same time. Whatever I needed to do to get this medication I was going to do.
 
Well, the stars must have aligned and the day after meeting with the doc I received a call from the insurance company approving Enhurtu. Dance of joy happened, and maybe another shopping trip to celebrate.  Once the celebrating was done, the prep work must start. First up a Echo with Doppler on my heart. Chemo is pretty hard on your body and some chemos effect different parts more than others. The downside of Enhurtu is that is can cause some heart issues. The plus side is they tend to go away if treatment is paused a few weeks. I’ll be doing echos throughout treatment now, so they want to get a base reading. The stars aligned again and I was able to get an appointment this week. After that some basic lab work will need to be done just to see how my red and white blood cells are doing. If all goes to plan I’ll do my first infusion on Friday.
 
In reading the details of Enhurtu it sounds promising, but I’m still nervous. Not knowing how the side effects will affect me has my anxiety going on overdrive. I’m trying my best to focus on the positive and what we do know. Big plus, I will only have to infuse it every 21 days. That means I will have more free time to play, hopefully. Another plus is that it shows signs of crossing the threshold to the brain. Fingers crossed that it will keep these little spots that keep showing up on my brain in check and banishing them. I was hoping to get some hair out of this, but it looks like I’m destined to be bald. Oh well! Good thing I have a nice shaped head.
 
Keep your fingers crossed for smooth sailing on Friday. ​

This week Elle Macpherson, a supermodel from the 90s, decided to announce to the world that she refused chemotherapy, and went the holistic route, after she was diagnosed with breast cancer seven years ago. The first thing I thought was, “You have got to be kidding me?!?!” While I am all for people doing what they feel is right for themselves medical, I find the message that is being projected irresponsible.
 
What seems to be missing from all the headlines is that she had a lumpectomy. Having a lumpectomy is a conventional form of treatment. There is nothing alternative about it. Heck, I even had one before I had to have a mastectomy. While I’m sure the holistic treatments that she did helped with her over all wellness, it was all the very talented surgeons that made her cancer free.
 
What also seems to be missing from a lot of the articles I have seen is what type of breast cancer she had. From what I can determine, Elle Macpherson was diagnosed with Stage 0 – Triple Positive Intraductal Carcinoma (meaning abnormal cells were found in the lining of a breast duct but hasn’t spread) Breast Cancer. This type of cancer is not considered invasive, and almost all women with this type of cancer can be cured. Regardless, any type of cancer diagnosis is scary. The standard of care for this type of breast cancer most likely would have included a lumpectomy and radiation. In some of the articles I have read that she consulted with over 20 doctors about her treatment. The average person who has breast cancer might consult with a few doctors, but I have yet to meet someone who had the means to meet with over 20. It would be nice if Elle, or one of the 20 docs she spoke with, would clarify what type of breast cancer she was diagnosed with.
 
Now, don’t get me wrong, what Elle did worked for her. She is a multi-millionaire and could afford to then follow a specialized targeted treatment that was holistic based. This form of treatment is not offered to the average person due to the price tag of $50,000 to $100,000+ to try and see if it will work for them instead of conventional medical treatment. Her care team included her primary doctor, a holistic dentist, a chiropractor and therapists. Most patients are advised to include some holistic approaches to their care as they have reported benefits such as reduced side effects and improved quality of life, but they cannot replace traditional treatments.
 
I am glad that everything has worked out for her and that she is now in remission. Sadly, that is not always the case for those that follow her path. A 2017 study found that patients with breast or colorectal cancer who had alternative therapies as their initial treatment were five times more likely to die after five years than those that chose conventional medicine. I worry that the misleading headlines and the lack of diagnosis information will be harmful to vulnerable people that have just been diagnosed with breast cancer. I worry that because she is a celebrity, people will see it and decide to go down the holistic route because it worked for her. As a society we tend to idolize celebrities and will blindly follow their lead. I worry that too many women will suffer due to the lack of information being given to the public. I understand that she has a book to sell, but most of the public will just read the articles and not the book.
 
Dealing with breast cancer creates a flood of emotions and the last thing I, or anyone else in my shoes, need is for someone to mention how I should investigate a more holistic approach to my own cancer treatment. What people don’t realize is that I already do. I see an acupuncturist, do mat Pilates when able, and take an assortment of vitamins and herbs, all in addition to traditional meds. I know that people are just trying to be helpful, but to the person that is fighting for their life these types of comments can be off putting. It can be a very delicate balance of finding the right traditional medication and the right holistic approach to make it beneficial for the patient.
 
I do wish Elle well and hope that she remains cancer free.