New Path, New Pimples?!

Hey hey!  Time flies when you don’t always feel fabulous.  I’m now doing chemo every week which makes blogging time very short. 

My tumor is KRAS wild type – I know!  WILD TYPE!  Of course I’m “wild type”.  I wouldn’t settle for anything short of spectacular.  Basically they type your tumors in order to know what type of chemo you can take (there’s a lot more that goes into that but that’s all doctor stuff).  Since I’m KRAS wild type I have multiple options when it comes to chemo drugs.  When I first started my treatment I chose between 2 types of antibodies – either Avastin or Erbitux. 

Avastin is an antibody that attacks tumor cells and prevents them from forming new blood vessels.  Erbitux finds a certain growth protein that allows cells to grow.  Once Erbitux finds these cells it interfers with its ability to stimulate growth (such as growth of additional tumor cells).  If you’d like to learn a little bit more about these drugs check out this link http://www.webmd.com/colorectal-cancer/guide/new-drugs-avastin-erbitux.

As I mentioned before, when I started my treatment I had the option to choose between Avastin and Erbitux.  I was told that one would give you skin rashes or acne and another would not.  Well, thank you doctor for NOT making that a hard decision for me!  I am a vain person and I will take the one that will not make me look like an awkward 15 year old, thank you very much!  Avastin it was.  However, now that I’ve done my treatment and had my scan and basically things are still the same…..yeah…………(sigh).  Since I’m KRAS wild type and get the option to use either I now get to try the Erbitux.

Can I just say that I am NOT NOT NOT looking forward to taking this new drug.  I’ve lost my hair – ok.  I’ve lost my eyelashes and my eyebrows are hanging on by a thread – ok.  But my complexion!  Come on!!!  (Sigh) 

I’m pretty sure that God is out to get me.  I feel like I’ve been taught patience and letting go of my control through this whole process.  Now He’s teaching me about vanity.  I’m a girl.  I’m supposed to be vain.  To be honest there are days where I feel like this is all too much.  I can handle the cancer.  I can handle the chemo, getting sick, and possible long surgery but a rash or acne all over my face?  For some reason that is the one thing that I really have a problem coming to terms with.  (Like I said vanity)

My oncologist started me on this gel I put on my face twice a day and an antibiotic (I’m not sure how that works) but both are supposed to help me manage the breakouts which are the side effects of the Erbitux.  I start this new drug tomorrow.  I’m not excited about it but I do hope it works.  I’ve read that some people believe the breakouts mean that the drug is doing its job.  It’s all about perspective.