Hello family, friends and followers! Happy Spring 2014. It's been a minute or awhile since my last post. Sorry about that, as I have been busy and getting busier with life, work, kids, projects and activities. So much has happened since then. Since the last Halloween update, the kids did go trick or treating, we had a fabulous November 2013 Thanksgiving with friends and a great Christmas. We took the kids to play in the snow at South Lake Tahoe for the first time ever and they loved it! Then we celebrated with friends with lots of food at Christmas in Sacramento.
We've celebrated Emma's 4th Birthday in October 2013 and Ellen's 6th Birthday in March 2014 with family and friends. They both are getting so much smarter and growing up so fast!
Health update
Since the last update, I am still on the LDK378 (now officially called (Ceritinib) clinical trial at Stanford. I get routine brain MRIs and chest CT scans every 2 months. The most recent was on March 21, 2014. Results from my scans and MRIs since starting the trial has been stable, some even shrinkage on the tiny tumors that were in my brain. I was a bit worried about it since I felt minor rolling aches in my head. But I am so glad for the good news from the scans. I still do take 3 pills at 150 mg each everyday (a total of 450 milligrams).
LDK378 ( Ceritinib) Daily Medicine Routine
With some kind advice from a fellow LDK378 (Ceritinib) follower who also has Lung cancer, I have intermittent, mild stomach cramps that bother me about 3-4 times per week. Thanks to his advice where I fast for 2 hours before I take the 3 LDK378 pills and 2-3 hours after I eat, I have managed to not feel the painful, miserable stomach cramps that I struggled with before. I do get the cramps here and there every few days but it is mild and bearable. So my routine is that I eat a hardy warm breakfast, drive myself to work, be in the office by 9 AM, take 1 mg of Imodium at 12 noon (to prevent diarrhea) , eat lunch at about 12 to 12:30 noonish, at 2 PM, I take the Zofran (Ondansetron) which are premeds to prevent nausea and vomiting. Then finally, at about 3 PM, I take the 3 LDK378 pills with plenty of water and candy after (to wash out the taste of the medicine). I tried taking it earlier like at 10 AM, but it didn't work out at all since I couldn't really eat lunch and then experience painful vomiting and stomach cramps at 1 PM and had to leave work to go home, I take it at 3 PM. This is the perfect working routine as by the time I get home to eat dinner at 6 PM, that gives me the perfect 3 hours (after eating lunch) before taking the pills and 3 hours after eating lunch window to help prevent the cramps from happening. I am so grateful for his advice so thank you Chris for your help!
Speedy FDA approval moving along
As mentioned in lots of news, this LDK378 (Ceritinib), has been in the works to get speedy FDA approval. Google it and you will find out the latest articles and results. One article dated March 27, 2014 at Novartis has taken another step forward in its quest to win a fast approval for its lung cancer drug LDK378.
Read more at: Novartis fuels drive for fast OK of LDK378 with new lung cancer data - FierceBiotech http://www.fiercebiotech.com/story/novartis-fuels-drive-fast-ok-ldk378-new-lung-cancer-data/2014-03-27#ixzz2yG1yiqnM .
We've celebrated Emma's 4th Birthday in October 2013 and Ellen's 6th Birthday in March 2014 with family and friends. They both are getting so much smarter and growing up so fast!
Health update
Since the last update, I am still on the LDK378 (now officially called (Ceritinib) clinical trial at Stanford. I get routine brain MRIs and chest CT scans every 2 months. The most recent was on March 21, 2014. Results from my scans and MRIs since starting the trial has been stable, some even shrinkage on the tiny tumors that were in my brain. I was a bit worried about it since I felt minor rolling aches in my head. But I am so glad for the good news from the scans. I still do take 3 pills at 150 mg each everyday (a total of 450 milligrams).
LDK378 ( Ceritinib) Daily Medicine Routine
With some kind advice from a fellow LDK378 (Ceritinib) follower who also has Lung cancer, I have intermittent, mild stomach cramps that bother me about 3-4 times per week. Thanks to his advice where I fast for 2 hours before I take the 3 LDK378 pills and 2-3 hours after I eat, I have managed to not feel the painful, miserable stomach cramps that I struggled with before. I do get the cramps here and there every few days but it is mild and bearable. So my routine is that I eat a hardy warm breakfast, drive myself to work, be in the office by 9 AM, take 1 mg of Imodium at 12 noon (to prevent diarrhea) , eat lunch at about 12 to 12:30 noonish, at 2 PM, I take the Zofran (Ondansetron) which are premeds to prevent nausea and vomiting. Then finally, at about 3 PM, I take the 3 LDK378 pills with plenty of water and candy after (to wash out the taste of the medicine). I tried taking it earlier like at 10 AM, but it didn't work out at all since I couldn't really eat lunch and then experience painful vomiting and stomach cramps at 1 PM and had to leave work to go home, I take it at 3 PM. This is the perfect working routine as by the time I get home to eat dinner at 6 PM, that gives me the perfect 3 hours (after eating lunch) before taking the pills and 3 hours after eating lunch window to help prevent the cramps from happening. I am so grateful for his advice so thank you Chris for your help!
Speedy FDA approval moving along
As mentioned in lots of news, this LDK378 (Ceritinib), has been in the works to get speedy FDA approval. Google it and you will find out the latest articles and results. One article dated March 27, 2014 at Novartis has taken another step forward in its quest to win a fast approval for its lung cancer drug LDK378.
Read more at: Novartis fuels drive for fast OK of LDK378 with new lung cancer data - FierceBiotech http://www.fiercebiotech.com/story/novartis-fuels-drive-fast-ok-ldk378-new-lung-cancer-data/2014-03-27#ixzz2yG1yiqnM .
Sadly, I've learned of some fellow bloggers who have lung cancer also died. My prayers and hearts go out to their family and loved ones. It's a sad reality that lung cancer stableness can quickly and life as you know it, is over. I just hope my stableness will be here to stay for a long time as I need to be here for my young kids.
3 year Cancer-anniversary
So since my February 2011 lung cancer diagnosis, I have been made it to 3 years. Thank goodness for the targeted therapy and for for a great team of doctors at Stanford! Here's hoping for many more years of living with and surviving lung cancer.
So since my February 2011 lung cancer diagnosis, I have been made it to 3 years. Thank goodness for the targeted therapy and for for a great team of doctors at Stanford! Here's hoping for many more years of living with and surviving lung cancer.
Thank you family, friends and followers for your support! And don't forget, any financial donations and contributions will be greatly appreciated as my medical bills, deductibles, co-pays and prescription drugs are piling up year over year. It's expensive having cancer! I hope one day there will be cure for all cancers. Prayers for continued good news and stability. Lots of Love.
