Interferon Treatment for Melanoma

A lot of people have asked about Interferon treatments. My sister, Martha, found this article which very succinctly explains what I will be going through for the next year. This may be too much info for you; but if it answers questions for one person, then it’s worth the effort.

Definition: Interferon is a protein produced in your body to help fight disease. Recent studies have shown that Interferon can also help stop the growth and spread of cancer cells.

People with melanoma who have one or more positive lymph nodes are at a high risk to have their melanoma recur. It is believed that 70 to 80% of these individuals will have their melanoma come back within the next three to five years.

Many drugs have been studied in clinical trials to see if this risk for recurrence could be decreased. Interferon is the only agent at this time that has shown the ability to decrease the risk of melanoma recurrence. The approval of Interferon was based on a study that showed a 10 to 15% decrease in melanoma recurrence in patients with one or more positive lymph nodes at the time of surgery. For example, if you had a 75% chance of your melanoma coming back in the next three to five years, treatment with Interferon can lower that risk to 60 to 65%.

"Adjuvant" Interferon means Interferon being given to try and prevent the melanoma from returning when there are no physical signs of disease present. It is like an insurance policy to try to eliminate any melanoma cells that may be present in your body, that we are unable to detect by physical exam or x-rays. This involves 12 months of treatment using the following schedule:

Weeks 1-4 (1st Month)
You come into the clinic daily Monday through Friday for four weeks (20 total days) to receive high dose Interferon intravenously (through the vein).

Blood work is checked every Monday to be sure that your blood counts are safe for treatment that week. We may need to wait to give the Interferon or decrease the dose if blood counts are outside of the accepted ranges.

Months 2 through 12
Interferon is given as an injection under the skin three times a week at bedtime - usually Monday, Wednesday and Friday nights. The injection is like the type a diabetic uses to give themselves insulin. This continues for 11 months of treatment. You can give the injection to yourself or have someone do it for you.

Rough Weekend

Satan is working overtime to try and discourage me.  I was up with Hannah most of Friday night.  We spent most of Saturday in the emergency room, thinking that she was having an appendicitis.  Fortunately, it wasn't her appendix, but a urinary tract infection that had spread to her kidneys.  Sleep evaded us on Saturday night as well, as the medicine from the ER started to wear off.  

This afternoon, the doctor called to let us know that the infection was also in her blood.  So, we added another antibiotic to her daily routine for the next ten days.

She has spent most of her waking hours weeping.  Finally, about 45 minutes ago, she finally dozed off.  I am hopeful that she will sleep the night, as I, too, need some sleep.

Tomorrow morning, I head back to the hospital to get a port put into my chest.  I'm not looking forward to being put to sleep again, but it's necessary.

Then, Tuesday afternoon, the treatments - interferon - will start.  I don't really know what to expect, but will update as I know more. 

Next Step in Treatment

My very dear friends and family,

First, let me thank you for your continued love, prayers, email, cards, and encouragement. God continues to bless me beyond anything I could have imagined through each of you.

Friday, May 13, I had surgery to remove the mass under my armpit. During surgery, there were 17 lymph nodes removed. Sixteen of the nodes were cancer free. The melanoma was limited to the one node, and it was completely encased. Dr. Elia said that these results mean that they have GOTTEN THE CANCER. Because of age (yes, my youth) we will pursue preventive treatments very aggressively.

So, today, I went to meet with the oncologist to discuss the next steps in treatment. I anticipated scheduling what I thought would be five weeks of radiation followed by four weeks of interferons. Instead, Dr. Elia and I have decided to take step back. There is an oncologist that specializes in melanoma (apparently vary rare) at KU Medical. I am going to see Dr. Doolittle (yes, that’s right) and get his recommendation regarding treatment. There is a slight possibility that I could skip the radiation and just take interferons.  I will gladly submit to whatever is determined to be the best direction.

This last week was very difficult. The days prior to surgery moved very quickly.  I was filled with confidence and peace.  Following surgery, I had to wait. Wait and rest. Wait for healing, wait for consultations, and wait for the next steps. My preference is to move forward and get this whole ordeal behind me. Yes, I can be a control freak.

Again, I want to say thanks. I am surrounded by an amazing group of people. I love you all and thank God for you.

You keep praying, and I’ll keep taking care of myself and getting healthy.

With much gratitude and love.

Lesson from The Biggest Loser

I’m sitting here, wishing anything that I could get back to some of my routine.  I would like to be back at work, but “they” know better.  “They” have strongly suggested (read – INSISTED) that I stay home another couple of days.  OK, so I’m one of those crazy insane people who pushes themselves.  Good grief.  But let’s not go there. 

Since I can’t do too much yet – physically – I’m catching up on Biggest Loser episodes.  I am crying my eyes out watching these people find themselves; find the person inside who has been hiding behind the fat for so many, many years.  Good GRIEF!  You would think that I know these people.  But I do; they are me.

There are three ladies on the ranch who have lost over 100 pounds.  I’m close, but not yet there.  The cancer derailed my plan – well, really just a detour.  But, my friends; God has a greater plan.  God knew that a malignant melanoma was growing under my arm.  He knew that I would not have found the tumor 18 months ago.  So, in addition to finding this confident woman deep inside, in addition to growing stronger physically AND spiritually, I have gotten rid of 90 pounds of fat – fat that would have hidden a nasty, life threatening tumor.  Because the fat is gone, I found the tumor.  And within a month of discovery, the mass has been removed and I am healing quite nicely.

In addition to being smaller, I am much, MUCH healthier than I was “before”.  Six weeks ago, I ran a 5K.  I am running/walking 2.5-3.0 miles daily (well, I WAS before all this started.)  Healthy me is much more equipped to fight back.

I’ve never had major surgery before, so I don’t really know what to expect as far as recovery.  But I think I have done amazingly well.  I haven’t had pain medication since Saturday evening.  I can (albeit briefly) raise my arm above my shoulder.  I’m sleeping through the night.  I feel like I’m ready to conquer the world. 

Well, ok, I do get tired about noon.  My arm is still pretty numb from the elbow up.  I still have stitches in my armpit.  But, hey, I DID have surgery seven days ago. 

Who knew what God would have planned when I started my “reinventing” journey.  Who knew the many, many levels He would lead me in my reinvention.  No one else but God could have prepared me for this time.

No one else.  Not even me.  Especially me. 

God is so very, very good.  All the time.

An Easter Blessing

Maybe you’ve noticed I haven’t posted in a while. Maybe you haven’t. Life has definitely taken a crazy turn. I will get to all of those details, but I’ve GOT to use this opportunity to share how God has blessed me this weekend. “Reinventing Kathy” is going to follow this little detour in my journey. Tomorrow, details. Today, blessings.

We had three services this weekend – one last night and two today – to celebrate Easter. The choir participated in all three services. The music was incredible. I wish there were words to express the way that praising God through music completely engulfs my spirit. I think it is the purest way for me to communicate to my Father just how much I love and adore Him.

But the music was like the cherry on top, if you could even imagine that.

Before I start, let me share that one of the verses that I am claiming during my “medical detour” is Mark 5:36, when Jesus tells Jairus, “don’t be afraid, just believe.” You see, friends and family of Jairus were telling him that his daughter had already died, and that it was too late to seek the help of Christ. As humans, that’s all we see. But He knew better. Jesus looked to Jairus and said, “Jairus, don’t listen to them. Look at me. I’ve got this. You can trust me.” And it is on that promise, that I hold firm.

So, as if I needed any affirmation of God’s presence in my life, the lesson this morning centered around THIS VERSE! I could stop there and enough would have been said. Randall started working on his lessons weeks ago. He didn’t know about my stuff; but God did! God has been planning for this particular Sunday morning for weeks, for YEARS! Again, I could stop there and consider myself abundantly blessed.

Jairus was a synagogue leader. Coming to Christ could have put him at great professional risk, but he was willing to do anything to help his daughter. Do you see a parallel? God was willing to do anything to help HIS daughter. He gave me his Son. He will certainly be with me during this trial.

Later, in verse 40, Jairus’ family and friends laughed at Jesus. They were in total denial of the words he spoke. So what did Christ do? He “put them all out”. They didn’t believe Him, so He didn’t want them around. Because of their disbelief, they didn’t get to see an incredible miracle. God is going to do something incredible with me. He just wants me to believe that it’s coming.

He showed me a similar, parallel lesson on Saturday. Remember what God did with the Israelites when they didn’t believe God? Remember? He had promised them Canaan; but they were more afraid of the “giants” than they believed in God’s power. So he cast them out into the desert. He put them aside. They were not going to see his miracle.

Jesus saves. He breaks the chains that bind us. He walks with me every single minute of every single day. He is going to do amazing things in my life. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I can rest in His promise and keep my eyes focused on Him.

Just like he said, “Don’t be afraid, just believe.”

God is SO in the details

It took a lot to go to the WW meeting this morning. Given the way I was feeling, I wanted to hide behind something… anything. God had different plans. He always does. And His ways are always the best.

First, I walked in the door and was greeted with open arms, hugs, encouragement, and a wonderful verse – “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” Our WW group from church has grown significantly, and the majority of the group is now going to the Saturday morning meetings. What encouragement! All I have to do is walk in the door.

Then, a member (who had been struggling, but seen recent success) talked about how she has been striving to put God first instead of her cravings. And another shared how she was very hesitant about joining WW, but she asked God to affirm her efforts. God definitely didn’t disappoint.

The meeting continued. Our leader asked me why it was important to track, especially when you “cheat”. Seriously??  Did I have painted on my forehead “I GAINED WEIGHT THIS WEEK?!”

So I answered her question, but then went on to talk about starting over. I said that the key to this whole program is knowing that you can start over at any time. You don’t have to wait for next year, next month, Monday morning, or even tomorrow morning. You can start over immediately. Unfortunately, because we live in such a pass/fail, win/lose, perfectionist society, we think that when we fail, we have to quit.

My eyes then got as big as saucers, and I clamped my hand over my mouth. Who was it that said THOSE WORDS? It couldn’t have been me. My friends immediately around me were laughing because they knew what kind of crazy, depressing week I endured.

I stood up and told the lady (who was looking for confirmation from God), “That, my friend, was the Holy Spirit. This is definitely where He wants us to be.”

God is so good. He wants to be involved with every aspect of our lives. We just have to let Him.

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” – Psalm 139:14

This has gone on long enough

The words that I would like to use to describe myself this morning – the self talk that is rushing on me like a tsunami – are very destructive. I have gained weight AGAIN. I have taken my mind off the goal AGAIN. I have lost focus AGAIN. I have sabotaged myself AGAIN! What is WRONG with me?

If people say that they are impressed by how strong I am because I have lost so much weight, what does that mean when I don’t? Am I not strong? Are they not impressed? Who am I doing this for? Me? You? Them?

Why am I doing this? To get praise? To impress? To grow in my self confidence? To be strong? What???

STOP!!!!!!

I know why I am doing this. I want to return to a healthy place. I want to be around for my kids for a very long time. I want to be able to enjoy life with them, instead of observing them participate in their lives. I want my body to be an acceptable temple for my Father. He is the King, and he deserves so much better than I have been offering.

The praise, the accolades from my friends and family – that’s just gravy. I want to be proud of myself, and I want Abba to be proud.

OK, now I am in tears. I am talking myself through the self defeat. I am going to draw the line in the sand AGAIN. Start over AGAIN.

I’m upset at the time I have wasted, but I’m grateful for the grace that I am going to allow myself.

Kathryn Joyce, I love you. You are worth all the effort and time it takes to make yourself into the most amazing woman you can be. Come out. Be strong. Enjoy today.