Saturday, November 14, 2009

Rising CEA

Hello friends. Well I haven't posted in awhile because I was waiting for something concrete to post.

I have been doing emotionally, and mentally great. I still battle chronic fatique but that's not really a great concern. Overall I have been doing great.

However my cea level has been rising over the last two months (I get it checked every month). It went from 5 to 10 and is now as of last Wednesday 17. Usually its indicitive of some disease activity going on. We are going to have a pet/ct scan done next week, though I don't know the day yet. The cea level is a tricky thing doctors use it as a guide, not a diagnostic tool. Dr. Moriarty told me he has seen countless patients with cea levels rise and plummet, seen people with little or no viable tumor, and high cea numbers and vice versa.

We may do the scan and nothing may show up. What do we do then? I don't know, we are just going to take it one step at a time.

So it's just something that stinks, and of course we would all like to see the cea at 0 or even a 3. I was pretty crushed on Friday after talking to Dr. Moriarty as was Fran, but I am ready to do what I have to do, but I don't want to do it. I would reaaaaalllly like to stick my head in the sand. The last 6 or 7 months have been such a gift and I greedily don't want to give that up.

Having said that, this is what people with cancer deal with all the time and I just have to "woman up" and deal. So that's what I am going to do.


I keep praying for you all. Please enjoy life, be patient with your kids, and give them lots of hugs, no matter how old they are.


Love,

Karen

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am delighted to read your note and hear your determination and couragev once again. I sounds a very minimal rise so I really feel this cannot be anything sinister. Doctors like to be doubly sure before they give guarantees.
We all keep loving and supporting you hire in Ireland Jo

Don MacLeod said...

Hey Karen

Our hard lessons of experience don't always make facing our ongoing challenges any easier. I hope you might find comfort and can worry a little less this week knowing that I'm already worrying enough for You.

Hold Fast, and know you are in my prayers
Don MacLeod

Unknown said...

It is so weird how you put MY mind at ease when you are the one going through the craziness! Love you sissy! At this time next week we will be hanging out all together!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Dear Karen,

I check your blog every single day.

Please don't worry about the cea levels. Our doctor never goes by that.

I hope that everything will be perfect with your scans, my heart goes out to everyone dealing with this.

I hope that 50 years from now you and my little sister and everyone will be looking back at this and living a healthy life.....that is my wish for everyone.

Love always,
Mirjana

Lena said...

Dear Karen,

I truly hope that the rise is nothing and that your scans will turn out to be just fine. You are in our thoughts and prayers - as always I am so amazed by your courage!

Love,

Lena