I spent half of the day at the cancer center for my monthly dose of Xgeva, which is an injection that is used to stop my bones from further breaking down. Because I have so much pain, it feels like I have bone cancer. But unfortunately, cancer to the bone (different than bone cancer itself) is somewhat common with my kind of advanced lung cancer. Before modern science who could have dreamed up that tiny cells in a healthy young body could mutate on their own and spread from a place of origin through the bloodstream to attack other places? Anyway, my brain and spine scans are next Friday. I am scared that worsening pain down my back and into my seat bones and hips means the bone metastasis have grown more but as always I’m grasping at the straws of faith and in that faith lies the hope for healing and good news. I think the Center’s therapy fish are rooting for me 😉

My direct team at the cancer center have truly become like family to me. We’ve cried together along this journey through many talks as you can imagine and of course as the professionals that they are do their best to answer every single question we have along the way. Today was a special day as I can report that our team has officially laughed together. My lead oncologist concluded our meeting (I didn’t have an appointment scheduled with him but since I was there he wanted to talk to me himself) with comments on my elongated eyelashes. He tried not to, but he laughed and repeated it is sometimes a “side effect” of my [chemo] treatment taking us back to early summer when he originally “warned” me and concluded with permission to cut mine when they get in the way. Haha! Note, the top lashes. 

When it arrives at my doorstep like the prized specialty pharmacy package it is, my friend ‘100mg of Tarceva’ and I will be reunited  because there’s too much toxicity between me and my former friend ‘150mg of Tarceva.’ My body has proved that the 50mg difference is worthy of this change and we now ride it out for as long as possible.  But anyone reading this knows, I don’t ride on alone because I have my family, and all my prayer warriors. #jenistrong

Last photo of the day: my mom who we refer to now as Nana waiting with me in our zen conference room where we casually talk about how much cancer sucks, but also how there are angels with us.