Today's Labs

Good news and slightly less good news today.

The good news is that, for the first time since we started measuring it in May, my CA-125 is within normal limits! “What,” I hear you asking, “is a CA-125?” It is a marker in the blood for gynecological cancers. As I understand it, it is more useful for tracking ovarian cancer, but since mine was elevated with my endometrial (uterine) cancer, we can use it.

A normal CA-125 is under 35 (and I really couldn’t tell you what the units are). At diagnosis mine was 120; after the surgery it dropped to around 50. (Actually, after surgery it first went up to 135, which worried me a lot until my doctor explained that 1) that sometimes happens because of inflammation, and 2) values can range into the thousands. Once I understood the scale, I was reassured.) Now it is 23! I am excited because this suggests the chemo is working, and it will be much easier to bear the chemo knowing it is having an effect.

Now for the slightly less good news: my INR – that pesky clotting time thing – is still only 1.3. Hasn’t budged. They are increasing my Coumadin some more, and – yup – I have to continue with the Lovenox injections. I definitely have to stop thinking about the cute and comforting way my mama rat Nibbles cuddled in the crook of my neck on my last day at school last spring…

As time since my last chemo passes, I feel better and stronger each day. Sunday I ambled; Monday I walked; today I strode energetically. I’ve gotten some chores done, such as weeding the garden and freezing blueberries for the winter. I still need a nap each afternoon, but it’s nice to feel relatively normal – even if my conception of what’s “normal” has changed radically.