Diagnosis

December, 2011 - Stage IVb tumor (adenocarcinoma) on the upper front vaginal wall, a few cm below cervix, moving into the urethra/bladder. Local metastasizes in, at least, one lymph node, the pelvic bone, and the left hip joint. "The risk of distant metastases very, very high." I received six weeks of intensive radiation treatment and chemotherapy (Cisplatin), based mostly on treatment protocols for cervical adenocarcinoma. (There is virtually no data about vaginal cancer, which is rare.)

August 29, 2012 - Dr. Littel confirmed with an exam that there was a "compete response to treatment". All the cancer in my pelvis is gone. However, a PET scan had revealed 4-6 small metastatic nodules in my lungs. This puts me at Stage 4 (cancer only in one organ.) On June 22, started 18 weeks of chemotherapy (Carbotaxol).

October 27, 2012 - The chemotherapy for lung nodules was not successful. The nodules grew and multiplied, though they are still quite small. There are now 6-8 nodules. (More info: Bad News).

December 5, 2012 - I got a chest x-ray. Dr. Nelson was obviously alarmed at how much the nodules in my lungs had grown. A catscan the next week revealed that two of the nodules have doubled or tripled in size since the last CT scan on October 18. (More info: Just the facts, ma'am.) We talked about possibly trying some chemotherapy for a short time and just seeing what happens, but need to get a brain scan first.

April 11, 2013 - A whole body PET/CT scan revealed disease, in addition to my lungs, in my liver, adrenal glands, gall bladder, hip bones, sacrum, and 4 or 5 vertebrae. An MRI showed "myriad lesions" in my brain. It was strongly recommended that I get 10 days of 'whole brain radiation', which ended May 14 and was followed by debilitating fatigue for more than a month.

August 6, 2013 - No scans or tests but my lungs have taken a turn for the worse. I haven't been able to get out of bed for any length of time since the end of May. What I once would have thought of as no exertion at all (walking across my apartment for example) now sends me to falling into my bed to catch my breath. The hospice nurse visits me once a week and sees if there's anything I need.

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