Kris has a recurrence

After almost a year in remission, in late March Kris had a routine blood test which indicated an increase in her CA 125 levels. Her recurrence was confirmed with a PET scan. A few weeks ago she started chemo again, this time using Doxil (Doxorubicin). Fortunately, she was accepted in a trial sponsored by NYU Langone of a new cancer drug called a PARP inhibitor. PARP inhibitors appear to improve progression-free survival in women with recurrent platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer (as described by Wikipedia). She starts the PARP inhibitor next week in combination with Doxil. Unfortunately there can be numerous side effects to the new regimen including nausea, vomitting, rashes and heart and liver issues. Because of this she has to get blood tests twice a week to start. During chemo her hands and feet are kept cold with ice. Will keep you posted.

Kris and her Happy Face balloon

We went to see Alice Cooper and Motley Crüe at the Barclays Center last night with some good friends, neighbors and family members. (Alice Cooper was fantastic!)

On the arena floor the crowd was batting around large balloons (as they annoyingly tend to do at large concerts). The yellow ones had a Happy Face, which were probably left over from the previous night's YES concert. Kris really wanted one and said "I'm going down there to get a balloon." I replied with characteristic optimism: "you'll never get one." See the priceless photo.

To prevent drunk heavy metal concertgoers from popping it, or sending it sailing back to the arena floor, she opened the knot, took the air out, flattened it and took it home. Now she wants me to do internet research on the best way to store a used balloon.

Meet Billy the Kitten, 8 weeks old

A few weeks ago, Kris' sister's husband Steve found a new litter of five tiny kittens in an abandoned truck and took them home. Karin and Steve were fostering them until they could be adopted. Last Sunday we went to a family barbecue at their house. I should have known something was up when Kris packed an empty cat carrier in the car. I assumed she was planning to donate our extra carrier to BARKS, an animal rescue organization which Aunt Carol works with.

Soon after arriving Kris introduced me to a tiny, grey & white, 8-week-old kitten named Billy. If you know mid-1960s rock group trivia, and that our two black cats at home are named Dino and Desi, you already know the end of the story. We are currently slowly introducing the increasingly rambunctious Billy into the menagerie. We are all adjusting to the tiny, hyperactive family addition. Murray the dog, who has been somewhat standoffish is very patient when Billy plays with and nips his ears; while Dino and Desi are still undecided but curious, expressing their feelings with an occasional hiss or growl. In the end, Karin kept two of the kittens and Aunt Carol took the remaining two for future adoption. Karin now has 6 cats, a dog Madeline, and a parrot. On Friday, Billy had his first trip to our Brooklyn vet for treatment for an eye infection.

Kris is feeling better, vacuuming the backyard

Her hands are a little better since she added a low dose of Prednisone to her daily regimen. She has been spending a lot of time working on the backyard garden. Only Kris would clean the yard with a Shop-Vac. She is currently cancer free.

Great news and another challenge

Last week Kris had her last Chemo appointment followed by a CAT scan Monday and a meeting with the Oncology team on Tuesday May 12, 2015. The great news is her scan was completely clear with no traces of cancer. And her blood work has greatly improved as well but she is still somewhat anemic. We also met Tuesday with the Genetics Counselor who had recently performed a genetics test on Kris which came out negative on 23 cancer markers, including brca 1 and 2. But while this is all good news, Kris' type of cancer has a 75-80% chance of recurring and the projected survival rate is ten years. Let's all hope and pray she beats the odds.

The new/old issue which we are now dealing with is Kris' Psoriatic Arthritis, a degenerative joint disease and autoimmune disorder that she has been treated for since the early 1990s. When she received the cancer diagnosis she was being treated somewhat successfully with Remicaid, a biologic which is administered via an infusion every 8 weeks. 

Unfortunately, due to possible conflicts with her chemo, her Remicaid infusions were suspended and she instead went on a new "safer" oral drug called Otezla (which btw costs over $2G a month). However, as indicated by her painful inflamed hands (see photo) the Otezla is not working yet. The doctors say it may take 6 months to a year to work. 

After much discussion with her oncologist Dr. Blank and Kris' new Rheumatologist (whose specialty is Psoriatic Arthritis), the doctors have decided to supplement the Otezla with another drug, Methotrexate, and wait and see. If this treatment does not work she can always go back to the bi-monthly Remicaid infusions, however Remaicaid comes with a million warnings against possible links to cancer. which was why they stopped it last November. So, as you can see, while this is a time for celebrating and catching our breath, we are still not completely out of the woods.

Chemo: 2 more to go and then another CT Scan

So far everything is on track. Kris will go for a CT Scan to review the progress on May 11, a week after this round of chemo finishes  Unfortunately, going forward, she may have to have a CT scan 3-4 times a year.

Better news: Kris was approved for her Social Security Disability benefits, which start in May. Her monthly amount is equal to her full SS retirement benefits. She can still work but has a strict earnings limit. She got turned down for SSI - because we have assets over $3,000. but overall, the application process was surprisingly easy and pleasant. 

We also got a new Tommy Hilfiger denim duvet cover which looks like blue jeans. We hope it is Murray-proof -- his claws accidentally ripped two old bedspreads. Only $49 at Marshalls! See photos.

Happy Tax Day

Our cat Desi helping with the taxes

Kris had her 6th chemo session yesterday. So far so good.  She is now taking a new daily oral medication in pill form called Otezla for her Psoriatic Arthritis, another of her ongoing medical issues. Prior to her cancer diagnosis, she was being treated with Remicaid, an infusion-only biotech drug every 8 weeks. The Remicaid was 
put on hold. However, because of her painful psoriatic arthritis, mostly in her hands, she may have to go back to Remicaid when she's done with her chemo.