Tina started with chemo in January. It worked really well on her organs, shrinking the tumors in her lungs, liver, and the little tumors on her chest. It didn't, however, work as well on her bones. Because it spread to her shoulder and arm, they opted to switch treatment and concentrate on her arm with radiation and start chemo in pill form.
Tina's done with the radiation for now but still taking the chemo pill every day. This is alternated with two weeks on, one week off and will continue for about nine weeks or so. Every three weeks she gets Avastin which cuts off the blood supply to the tumors. Once a month she gets Zometa to strengthen her bones and Zolodex to cut down on hormones which can cause cancer to spread. I wish she would've gotten more Zometa earlier, maybe she wouldn't have broken her hip. But then she wouldn't be able to say that she "finally got her big break". Boooo, hisss, someone throw a tomato already.
She goes back for scans in about two months to see how well the treatment is working and decide on the next steps from there. So far since her surgery, her doctors and physical therapist are very impressed with her mobility. I think the stronger she is with that, the more her body can work to fight the cancer.
There is an Austin author who lost his wife to cancer. He wrote a book called, The Smile Never Fades. He has written two others and Tina's story will be in Volume 3. That is where the picture of Tina and Ashley, and the one of Tina, my mom and Ashley come from. I'm pretty sure it's going to have the story in it about the airport trip. Just thinking about it makes me giggle. Tina and Ashley were coming to visit Austin, just the two of them and for some reason, no immediate help from passersby. Picture this: here's a woman in a wheelchair with luggage on her lap and her knee-high-to-a-grasshopper five-year-old pushing her, grunting with every step. Eventually a gentleman didcome over to help...thank God someone was raised with manners. Nevermind the people staring, I just think it's adorable that Ashley would do that.
If you're interested in purchasing a copy of this book, you can preorder it online:
http://www.thesmileneverfades.com/book.html
There is talk of a book signing so if he actually does one here, Tina will be coming back to Austin for a visit. I'm excited because no matter if that happens or not, I'll be seeing her in September for Ashley's birthday party. Hey Tina, way to hold it on September 13th, now I get to fly on September 11th. Hooray for me!
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That story about the wheelchair is beyond touching and a little disappointing to read no one helped at first.
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