Year in review my Battle with Synovial Sarcoma and the plans moving forward!

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   My name is      AshleyDawn Leamon, but most of you already know that...  
   

   

   In March of 2012 I was diagnosed with a very aggressive and rare form of cancer called Synovial Cell Sarcoma. We became aware of this cancer because of a large tumor that was quickly growing in my upper inner right thigh. 
   
   
   
   

             While having a CT or CAT scan done  as routine check up to see if the cancer had metastasized anywhere else they discovered that my lungs were showered with blood clots and  despite it being a friday at 9pm had my Dr contact me and  advise me to stop what I was doing and go into the ER right away. 
   

   

      The Drs were all stunned and the severity of the clotting because my oxygen levels were good, and my lungs sounded fine when they listened with a stethoscope, I also was experiencing no symptoms such as coughing, shortness of breath, or pain, the Drs said that normally someone in my condition would be in a great deal of pain but the only pain I was experiencing was the pain of having to be stuck in the hospital and not see my Dogs  (who are my babies) for 5 whole days :) 

   

   

   

           During 2012 I underwent a very aggressive regimen of a combo of Chemo 4 times a week with (thank GOD) a two week break in-between treatments, causing me to loose every hair on my body, nausea, anemia, mouth sores, loss of ability to taste, and all those fun things that come along with the treatment, which I wrote about in a little more detail in other posts here in my blog if your looking for a little more light reading ;) 

   

   At this point the blog suddenly stops and for all you amazing people out there who were following it and were left hanging I do apologize I hit a wall there for a while and having to live though it was about as much as I could do, I just didn't have it in me to write about it at the time. For those of you who were let down, left hanging, and disappointed or worried I do apologize I am going to try to fill in the blanks for you as I move forward but for now I hope this brief explanation will do. 
   

   
   

   
          Once I was through with three cycles of the chemo they started me on radiation which after chemo was a peace of cake and a nice break! I went in every day Monday through Friday for about 30 min a day to be treated and really it wasn't so bad,  It did cause some burning on my leg making it so I could only wear skirts but lucky for me it was sumer so it all worked out just fine. While at radiation I met and made friends with an amazing women you may all know name Mary Nickles from channel 2 News.  

   

           

   After 25 treatments of radiation the next step was to remove the tumor this would include due to its size and attachment to the muscle to remove 50% of my inner thigh now I know that sounds terrible but I think it is wonderful that it was only 50% 10 years earlier and they would have had to take the whole leg, plus now my leg looks super thin like a Barbie leg I have been thinking about talking them into doing the other one for me ;) Sorry I am a bit of a kidder I like to tease and see the light side to any dark. Anyways after several surgeries the news was not good but great! the tumor was able to be completely removed no compromised margins and when the tumor its self was tested it was 95% dead now to give you an idea of what the norm is,... Most tumors removed after chemo and radiation are usually still 35% alive mine was only 5%.

         We were very optimistic and I was scheduled  to be on a watch with follow-up every 3 months with scans and blood work. My first follow up came in November 2012 and things looked great I was sent on my way and scheduled back for more scans and such in another three months. 

         In February a few weeks ago and, almost a year to the date from when I was first diagnosed with cancer I along with many others were shocked to find out that 10 new tumors had been discovered in my lungs ranging in size from 8-9mm, the largest was 10mm, This tumors were new and there was no sign what-so-ever of them 3 months ago. 

       It was a shock to everyone because I have been feeling better then I have felt in years. even before I found out that I had cancer, and also they were so successful with how much of the tumor had been dead when removed. 

        The Dr explained to me that at this point there would not be a cure unless one is discovered in the next little bit and our next step would be to figure out how to slow the growth of these tumors and prolong life kind of like that saying "Its a Marathon not a sprint".

   Thankfully this time we will not be doing the aggressive chemo (at least at first) because we do not want to be super hard on my body until we have to. Currently I am waiting for the chemo pill to be approved though my insurance and I will be using that for as long as the cancer will respond to it. I don't remember the name but I am going to try my best to be better about BLOG-ing and keeping you all up to date on whats going on with me. The wonderful thing about this chemo pill that I will be taking is I will not experience really any side effects such as loss of hair, sores, anemia, loss of taste, nausea which I am SO grateful for!  

   
   

   I know the prognosis is disappointing,  from the Drs perspective I have been labeled as terminal but while I have the utmost respect for Drs and know they are helpful and I am so thankful for them, I am first and foremost a believer and I know that there is only one person who knows what the hour and time is that we will return home to him and that is our father GOD. I continue to put my faith and trust in him and know that he will work to the good in every situation with me because I love him and he loves me. If you are wishing you could do something for me you can! The best thing you could do for me is pray to our father on my behalf. Pray has been such a blessing for me and I have been so grateful for the multitude of prayers that have gone out on my behalf. I want to share this with all of you who are reading this right now and feeling worried, or even despaired on my behalf. 

   Philippians 4:6-8

   New King James Version (NKJV)

   ⁶ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

   
   

   Meditate on These Things

   ⁸ Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things arejust, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

   
   

   Thank You all my Friends for caring about me enough to read my blogs (If your reading this; whether we have met in person on not you are my friend and I send you my love)  I appreciate your love and support and again offer my apologies that I have not kept up on it. I will be working on feeling in the blanks for you as I pick up where I left off with my blog. If you have any questions you want to ask me feel free to message me on Facebook I am happy to answer any and all questions. 

   
   

   ~Ashley Dawn Leamon
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