Good Numbers

CA125 is something in the blood that is an indicator for ovarian and other female reproductive cancers. It's similar to PSA for prostate cancer in men, although it isn't used as a screening tool. My CA125 was 260 in the hospital and down around 150ish at my first follow-up appointment. The result from last week's draw is 23. (or was it 28? I have such a horrible memory) Either way, it's no longer printed in red (indicating an abnormality) on the report. It is within normal range. YAY!
The girls went with me today to the patient care plan conference with the nurse practitioner. We didn't learn anything to new about the plan. Apparently, she and Dr. Partridge had considered only doing 4 treatments, but with the gunk in my lungs, decided to stick with six. I can't really say I was disappointed because I didn't know fewer than six was ever an option. The intent of my treatment is adjuvant, curative. Adjuvant refers treatment after the initial treatment. In this case, chemotherapy. The initial treatment was surgery. Curative means aimed at eradicating the disease. There was a time, before the lung biopsy, that we thought there was a chance that the goal would be remission. "Curative" is a much better word.
Everyone is a bit worried about neuropathy. The pins and needles itching of the palms of my hands and soles of my feet are signs of peripheral neuropathy. The Doctor will be watching that very closely. If the neuropathy progresses, I could end up with permanent nerve damage causing numbness in my hands and feet. Worsening symptoms could possibly cut short the number of treatments. So far, the itching subsides between treatments. Every day, I poke at my fingers with a fingernail or sharp instrument to make sure I still have feeling.
After an early dinner at O'Charley's with the girls, I went to dance class. I really enjoy helping with the class. It's frustrating though because dancing comes so easily to me and I have trouble explaining things to the students. They don't often get that the music will tell you when to start and things of that nature. Add to that the fact that I know nothing about leading and I'm not a whole lot of help to the men in the class. It's fun though and I get private dance time before class. I am learning to Tango. There are two styles of Tango: Argentine, which is the one we all think of with bodies touching and lots of sensual moves and American, not as sexy but similar moves. I am learning American.
For those of you who don't know, my dance partner and instructor is a 66 year old man who has had two strokes. He has some balance and vision problems but still dances quite well. We don't dance the bolero and he probably couldn't do Argentine Tango because of all of the lunging. My brother met him in the hospital and I believe he was quite surprised to see him walk with his white/red-tipped walking cane. In one of the classes, both of the women taking the class are breast cancer survivors. And here I am kicking ovarian cancer's ass.
I can't sleep. I've never been a good sleeper so I can't really blame it on Cancer/Chemo. For example, I'm tired right now but when I tried to sleep, I just tossed and turned. And this is after Benadryl and Ativan.
But it is late, and I do have to go to work in the morning.