Month: October 2015
Gaining Comfort Knowing Dad is Mesothelioma-Free in Heaven
As I write this, it is the eve of the second anniversary of my Dad’s passing. This is always an extremely challenging time of year for me. I think back to all the “lasts”- the last time I saw Dad, the last conversation, his last day, his last night. I tend to dwell on these times. I then flip-flop to the “firsts”- our first full day without him, our first Christmas without his special family gift showing up, the first birthday where he wasn’t here. Those are hard as well.
I should think of all of his “firsts” though. What were his first moments in Heaven like? Who was the first person he saw? What was the first thing he did? He would have, without a doubt, been in awe (and probably still is) of everything that God has there for him.
For us here, death is a finality, but for Dad, it was a new beginning. While I stay here grieving, he is happy. He got a new body, free of mesothelioma and any pain. Knowing this, I try to recognize that he is in a beautiful place now with no sadness or grief; however, my heartbreak continues.
I often think that if I could just see him or hear his voice things would be so much easier. If I could just have five more minutes with him, maybe I could have some more peace with the situation. Maybe, but then again, I believe that everything happened just as God intended. And even though I can’t see or hear him, I feel like he is watching over me and my family every day.
Even with the pain of losing my Dad, life has continued with many blessings: my daughter who will be turning one year old soon, the health of my family, the list could go on and on. I talk to Dad all the time and ask him to pray for us, and I truly believe that he hears me. He watched out for me for my whole life, why wouldn’t he do the same from Heaven?
Although I will always miss Dad and everything about him, I try to focus on all of the gifts that God has given me. It is hard to recognize them at times, especially right now, but I know that He is taking care of Dad, and that is the greatest blessing anyone could ever want.
Dad, I miss you and love you today and always, and you will forever have a special place in my heart.
A Fall Festival to Raise Funds for the Meso Foundation
On September 26, Mesothelioma Awareness Day, my family and I held a fundraising booth at our hometown festival in Dunbar, PA. Everyone helped in some way either by donating an item, setting up, working the event, or all of the above! We are so grateful for the generosity of our family, friends, and community who helped to make this event a success.
The weather was beautiful, the company warm, and the patrons ready to purchase tickets for baskets, t-shirts, and the “Mystery Prize!” Many people greeted us with stories about Dad and condolences about our great loss. We heard from people who had worked with my father or just knew him from seeing him around town.
A fundraiser to benefit the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation was a wonderful way to honor the memory of my father, help others, and to reconnect with friends who care deeply for my family.
Dad loved doing fundraisers before he lost his battle to this terrible disease, and we are proud to carry on the tradition, just as he would have liked. The light from his smile is missing, but the strength of his heart remains.
Mesothelioma Community Celebrates FDA Approval of Keytruda for Lung Cancer Treatment
The mesothelioma community is hailing the recent U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s approval of Keytruda for advanced (metastatic) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A recent U.S. clinical trial found Keytruda to be effective in controlling mesothelioma tumors in three-fourths of patients, leading researchers to say the results are “encouraging.” The FDA’s approval moves the drug one step closer to U.S. mesothelioma patients.
In an Oct. 2 press release, the FDA announced approval of the immunotherapy drug from Merck, previously approved for use in the treatment of melanoma, for use in the treatment of NSCLC in patients whose disease has progressed after other treatments and with tumors that express a protein called PD-L1. A companion diagnostic test will be used to detect the PD-L1 biomarker in patients.
“Today’s approval of Keytruda is the result of our deep commitment to bring the benefits of immunotherapy to cancer patients,” said Dr. Roger M. Perlmutter, president, Merck Research Laboratories, in Merck’s Oct. 2 press release announcing the approval. “Together with scientists and physicians around the world, we endeavor to improve the lives of patients suffering from these grievous illnesses.”
Keytruda works by targeting the cellular pathway known as PD-1/PD-L1 (proteins found on the body’s immune cells and some cancer cells). By blocking this pathway, Keytruda may help the body’s immune system fight the cancer cells.
Like lung cancer, pleural mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer that is challenging to treat. Pleural mesothelioma is an insidious cancer that lurks in the body for decades until symptoms suddenly appear leaving the patient with life-threatening complications. The asbestos-caused cancer affects the lining of the lungs and often leaves patients with less than 18 months to live after diagnosis.
According to one study from Spanish researchers, PD-L1 is expressed in approximately 20 percent of pleural mesothelioma patients. The researchers reported, “The results of our study could offer new treatment to this population of patients, identifying a subset of malignant pleural mesothelioma who expressed PD-L1 and could be treated with targeted therapies to PD-L1.”
Mavis Nye, a six-year mesothelioma survivor, of England, has been a patient for over a year in a Phase I, no placebo clinical trial for Keytruda, still known as MK-3475 in the UK. Mavis says she has seen “brilliant” results with the drug. Mavis told MesotheliomaHelp that she has nearly complete tumor shrinkage, and “I’m feeling very well as my immune system has been turned back on by the drug.”
Lou Williams of Australia, a 13 year mesothelioma survivor, has received eight treatments of Keytruda, and will continue on it indefinitely. She told MesotheliomaHelp, “Keytruda has given me back my life, as my body was literally shutting down. I am now once again living my life with quality, strength and determination.”
Others in the mesothelioma community are hoping for the same results, and Lou and Mavis have both been tireless advocates in trying to bring the drug to others in their respective countries. While Mavis pushes for broader clinical trial participation, Lou pushes for reduced costs for the drug in her home country.
Hopefully, the time has arrived for an effective treatment for mesothelioma and lung cancer across the globe.
“Our growing understanding of underlying molecular pathways and how our immune system interacts with cancer is leading to important advances in medicine,” said Richard Pazdur, M.D., director of the Office of Hematology and Oncology Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, in the FDA press release. “Today’s approval of Keytruda gives physicians the ability to target specific patients who may be most likely to benefit from this drug.”
Talk to your oncologist to see if Keytruda can be an effective treatment for you.
Sources:
- Oct. 2 press release (FDA announced approval of the immunotherapy)
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm465444.htm - Merck’s Oct. 2 press release
http://www.mercknewsroom.com/news-release/prescription-medicine-news/fda-approves-keytruda-pembrolizumab-treatment-patients-metas - Spanish researchers
http://www.esmo.org/Conferences/Past-Conferences/ESMO-2014-Congress/Press-Media/Studies-Report-New-Findings-on-Treatment-Options-for-Mesothelioma
Remembering The Last Goodbye
My heart breaks as I write today, realizing that it has been two years to the day since the last time I saw my Dad. I remember it very clearly; he was in the hospital that day, supposed to be discharged. We had big plans to order pizza that night to celebrate, and then Mike and I needed to head home. While being evaluated that afternoon, his oxygen kept dropping, prompting the medical staff to cancel his discharge.
I could see the disappointment in Dad’s eyes that day; he wanted so badly to be home in his rocking chair with his dog beside him. Those 19 days he ended up spending in the hospital took a toll on him and he was tired. We made the best of that evening though, ordering out for dinner… well for Mom, my husband, and me. I kept sneaking him some French fries; just another one of our private memories that no one knew about.
When I left the hospital that night, we said goodbye and I started out the door of his room. I happened to turn around and he waved and said, “Bye Jen!” I remember thinking that was so strange; he usually called me anything other than my name (he had a long list of nicknames for me). I blew him a kiss and left the hospital, not realizing that that would be the last time I would see my Dad smile. The last time I would hug him. The last time we would look each other in the eyes and say, “I love you.”
When I stop to think about it, maybe the oddity of him calling me by my name was a gift. Maybe God gave that to me so that I would always remember it and the smile he had on his face when I last saw him. The warmth that Dad exuded was extra present in that moment, as was the love in his eyes.
I miss my Dad every day, but it’s on days like today that it really hits me. Realizing that I’ve had to live without him for almost two years is tough to handle, but I know that he is up in Heaven now, with that same love for me and my family, smiling on us each and every moment.
Competitiveness Can Benefit Mesothelioma Patients
What motivates someone to push himself through his recovery? I think we all have a competitive edge to us for something. It could be to be the best salesman, homemaker, parent, or to be the best at our job, in our home or any other area we want to improve. For some, competition is all encompassing, for others it is a healthy motivator.
I took care of a patient the other day who was observing another patient’s recovery. He said, “Oh, he looks better than I do when he’s walking.” I explained the other patient had a different set of circumstances, and that no two mesothelioma patients are alike. He nodded in agreement. Knowing what a competitive person he was, I knew he was noting this and thinking how he was going to improve. His verbalizing that the other patient looked better walking was actually motivating him to push himself.
Reflecting on this, it reminded me of how fortunate we are in the U.S. to have dedicated mesothelioma centers. Now, as there is more collaboration between the researchers, and various centers than in the past we can ask, “What motivates these researchers?”
I think it is more about them wanting to do their best. Without competition, what would motivate these researchers and future researchers to dedicate their lives to a disease that many others have thrown their hands up at? These scientists, doctors, nurses and others would not keep working to improve the outcome for mesothelioma patients, if they were satisfied with the status quo. They would be satisfied like many other medical professionals before them, saying there is nothing we can do.
As for my patient, the next time he walks, he may walk farther just because he saw somebody else do the same. When the competitor in us helps us achieve more, we should embrace it. Sometimes we need to motivate ourselves by pushing ourselves so we can grow and get more information, research, ideas, or maybe just walk a few more steps in after surgery.
Take a few more deep breaths, and count our blessings that we are able to do it.
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