Today I had my first immunotherapy treatment. 

First I have to thank my friend Gaby who was in the immunotherapy trials for Keytruda. For her, the Keytruda was a mixed bag; it did some good and did some harm. All in all it was one of the treatments she preferred. I am sure that she had a part in why this particular treatment was made available to me, with gastric cancer, because it is not yet common protocol. Thank you, Gaby! You are quite amazing, courageous and an inspiration to me! 

The whole process for immunotherapy starts out just like chemotherapy. I started with a blood draw, then checked in with the Good Doctor and then down to the infusion center. It went much, much quicker than chemotherapy, as it was just a tiny bag of fluid. It did not make my pee turn red, or make it so that I could not touch or drink anything cold and they did not have to give me a shot in my stomach to stimulate my white blood cells, the bag did not have a skull and crossbones and a giant POISON sign all over it (that was refreshing!). That is just that start of the list! Mike had to work today so Betty escorted me and we went for lunch at Chaco Canyon on our way home, like a normal day! Thanks, Betty!

When I got home I was already feeling tired. I started to watch a movie and just bailed and went straight into bed. Full nap. Now I feel a little tired, nauseas, out of sorts, not bad seeing as how I am fighting cancer as we speak!

Last night I was a little shocked to get a lovely Gerbera Daisy plant from Jimmy Carter! Word does travel! The note said:

“Hope your body reacts to treatment just like my body! Love, Jimmy”

Thanks, Jimmy! I love you, too!

My pain is coming and going. Some days there is no pain. Some days it sets in early and sticks around. The tramadol stopped working and I’ve been using lots and lots of meditation to help me relax and try to release the pain. Even tylenol helps a little. Jenni Haynes hooked me up with a cream made from the milk weed plant that  sometimes helps when the pain is mild. I have an appointment next week with the pain clinic at Swedish to see what they can do. Dr. Kaplan thinks I might need a nerve block. That sounds really scary and awful to me, but I’ll have to look into it more. Has anyone out there had one of those? In the meantime today he gave me a prescription for Gabapentin (Neurontin), I’m supposed to take my first one tonight as it makes you tired. Since I’m already tired I guess it will make me sleep…I’m ok with that! He also gave me a prescription for the evil seductive black hole that is Dilaudid. Well, true confessions…

In the middle of this post I felt the pain coming on. It started lightly in my back so I jumped up and grabbed my headphones, turned on my meditation app before the pain had time to spread. But within 10 minutes it had deepened and thickened and grown through my sternum, full blown. And I just could not do it. I could not get into a comfortable position, I could not breathe, I could not relax. I could not bear one more slow deep breath~I could only hear the Dilaudid calling out to me. And before I knew it, down the hatch. I knew it would help. I knew it would work. The first slip of the slippery slope. 

I WILL NOT GET ADDICTED TO OPIATES AGAIN. 

I WILL NOT GET ADDICTED TO OPIATES AGAIN. 

I WILL NOT GET ADDICTED TO OPIATES AGAIN.

But I do need a break. I know the stress of the pain is not good for my body, either. I need a break from the pain and from holding off the pain so I took it.

Tomorrow is another day. Today, I’ve done enough. good bye cancer, good bye pain (for at least 3 hours!).

Here is a little visual. T-cells are our good cells that will fight the cancer if they know it is there. Keytruda interferes with the cancer's ability to bind to the T-cells and deactivate them. So right now, my T-cells are capable of seeing the cancer and attacking the tumors. My immune system is in full attack mode! Pretty cool. 

Good night everyone. I'm calling it a day!

With love and gratitude to you all.

Janet