Today, the effervescent JinHi began a new regimen to keep caged the beast within her.
Two years ago, she hoisted the sword Xalkori and began its use against the mutated gene that urges on the Cancer.
That sword almost killed her on that 4th of July in 2016. Too heavy, too sharp, too indiscriminate in its destruction.
Its massive size had to be whittled down and its edges fine-tuned. After that - and for almost two years - Xalkori was successful in thwarting the gene's ability to abet the Stage 4 Cancer.
No longer.
She waited until after the 4th to take up her new weapon, Alecensa. Four powerful lunges at cock's crow, four more lunges at eventide, all in the name of blocking the action of an abnormal enzyme that signals Cancer to multiply and dominate.
Scary stuff, that.
If only Excaliber were available and could be finessed to work on a microscopic level.
3 comments:
JinHi Soucy Rand
July 25 at 3:07 PM ·
Day 20 on gene inhibitor drug, ALECENSA. We've lowered the dose to try to alleviate a few of the current side effects before they get to a crisis level. White blood cells are low. Red cells are low. Potassium is too low and CPK(Creatine phosphkinease: found mainly in the heart, brain, and skeletal muscle) is approaching dangerous levels and causing muscle pain, swelling, and weakness. It's fascinating to me that similar side effects from one drug to another, like fatigue, still finds unique ways of presenting. I find myself saying,"No, this is different." a lot. But is it worse? Is it better? Hard to say. It is frustrating though, because it always feels as though I am being set back to a new beginning in order to find my way forward again, and nothing is the same. All that said, I have absolutely no doubt that this inhibitor will be successful in halting growth in my cancer, and possibly even breaking down some of my current tumors. We just need to find a way to keep all of my bits and pieces healthy and my clockwork bell tower happy while we do it. #countingitalljoy #mydoctorisrockingit #survivorswagger #bailingwaterwithapapercup #health #newdrugwhodis #onepillmakesyoularger #onepillmakesyousmall #love
September 28, 2018
shared on fb
JinHi wrote: "Cancer Update: After what has been a very difficult week for so many reasons, I can, at long last, deliver a bit of personal good news. As those of you who have been following know, The gene mutation inhibitor, Xalkori, that I had been using for a year and a half to treat my Stage IV non-small cell lung cancer, started to fail to stall my cancer growth in January of this year. I began a new gene mutation inhibitor, Alecensa, in July. Alecensa was just approved by the FDA this past year. In just 2 and a half months, not only has it stalled the growth, newer cancer cells and tumors are shrinking, and some of the bigger clusters have become dormant. What is remaining of my right lung is the clearest it has been in over 4 years in the 5 that I have been undergoing treatment. I will always be Stage IV. I will always have this gene mutation that is trying to crack the code and make my cancer grow, and eventually Alecensa will fail, but as long as we can keep me alive long enough for new research to get ahead of my cancer, as long as I find someway to pay for it (I am legit very expensive to keep alive, all kinds of [chicanery] going on there) and as long as I can keep myself healthy enough to endure the side effects of treatment. This tango plays on. Huzzah! Major kudos to my doctors, Nurse practitioners, nurses, technicians, and medical researchers. And Major love and thankfulness for my community and network of dear friends and family who have given me so much in the way of support and encouragement, and, of course my beautiful beloved partner, Mark Rand. #survivorswagger #livingwithcancer #countingitjoy #countitalljoy #love #teamsassyrand #cancercellsareassholesbuthaveyoumetmygenemutation #xmen"
JinHi Soucy Rand
·31 March 2020
Quick personal health update. About a month ago I was notified that my cancer was continuing to spread despite the radiation treatments and my current gene inhibiting medication. I was supposed to begin with a new medication immediately, as the COVID-19 pandemic was gaining speed. That combined with transferring to a new oncologist, has pushed my treatment back as health care workers and specialty pharmacists are tending to questions about the virus. I have finally received my new drug and am beginning treatments today. I have been self isolating myself as I’m sure most cancer patients are, and I am really hoping this new treatment will be as effective as the last two (each has worked about a year and a half before the cancer started spreading again)
Please stay safe everyone. Abide by the regulations and advice about social distancing and hand washing. Do it for yourselves and do it for each other. Lovelovelove. #survivorswagger #wereallinthistogether #cancerduringcovid #countingitalljoy #gratitude #washyohands
Post a Comment