Treatment on hold again

Just when I knew I was feeling your prayers and turning a corner to feel better last week...I crashed. Last Thursday night I was in so much abdominal pain with nausea and repeatedly vomiting. It was a very long night even with prescription pain pills and anti-nausea meds. After about 5 hours I got some relief. I didn’t understand what was causing me to feel so badly for the better part of 3 weeks until I met with my oncologist and clinical trial coordinator this past Tuesday. They ruled out infection and felt certain that the immunotherapy treatment had caused my immune system to wrongly attack my GI tract causing a level 2 Colitis. UC is treated with steroids due to inflammation so we’ve had to put treatment on hold again so that we can treat the Colitis. I cannot have immunotherapy and steroids at the same time. It would be counter intuitive. The nurse couldn’t believe I didn’t go to the ER Thursday night, but I know I’m a complicated case and I’d rather wait to see someone who already has my history if I can make it! I barely did! 

 They gave me IV steroids and fluids on Tuesday and now I’m taking Prevacid and 80 mg of Prednisone (steroid) each day. Let me tell you, with all those steroids my brain was moving so fast on Thursday my body could barely keep up! I am not sleeping well, but I am feeling lots better already. PTL!  🙌🏻✝️

I will see the doctor again in 3 weeks to determine if I can go back on the trial or not. In the mean time I’ll step down the steroid dose by 20 mg each new week. 

We need to pray that I can start back on the trial and that the Colitis flare up will be gone and not come back. And that I don’t have anymore side effects to cause the treatment to go on hold again. Per the trial rules I have a scan next Monday in Fayetteville and it’s supposed to snow here in Arkansas that day! It could be a very good day all the way around if it’s white outside and I have more shrinking spots in my lungs! 

May it be your will, Lord. 🙏🏻

Jeremiah 29:11-13

11For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call uponMe and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.…