Ok, to all of you medically minded people (Janna is not one of those and the one who wrote the last blog) the catheter is actually in her pleural or lung cavity.
The good news is Erica has an appointment at Franklin Square Hospital in Baltimore on Tuesday where she will get different tests done in preparation for her to start treatment. They hope to start later in the week, but we are not sure when it will happen. The clinical trial at Franklin Square is an anti-CTLA4 treatment. She will be in the hospital for a day and then will be home for about 3 weeks before she goes for the next treatment.
Thanks again to everyone for keeping Erica in your thoughts and prayers; they definitely help Erica knowing she has so many people pulling for her.
Janna & The rest of the Lipman/Lopez gang
Friday, February 29, 2008
Sunday, February 24, 2008
A Setback
It was a year ago this time that we started this blog and Erica was diagnosed with metastasized melanoma. Through 6 boughts of biochemotherapy and two surgeries, in December we had good news that she was "cancer-free".
Last Monday, President's Day, Erica called her oncologist as she was having shortness of breath and was still extremely fatigued. Her oncologist sent her in for an x-ray which showed a mass on her right lung and fluid in her left lung. After draining 1.7 liters of fluids, Erica felt a lot better and waiting for results to be sent to her oncologist. On Thursday she went for a CT scan and then met with her oncologist to find out what was going on. The news is that she has multiple tumors on her liver and now in her lungs.
Her oncologist is working to get her into a study to start treatment, hopefully in Baltimore. In the meantime, she went to Fairfax Hospital on Monday and had a catheter inserted in her lungs to allow for drainage as fluid continues to build up. The procedure went well and she is resting at home.
Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers as we wait for the next steps.
The Lipman/Lopez Family
Last Monday, President's Day, Erica called her oncologist as she was having shortness of breath and was still extremely fatigued. Her oncologist sent her in for an x-ray which showed a mass on her right lung and fluid in her left lung. After draining 1.7 liters of fluids, Erica felt a lot better and waiting for results to be sent to her oncologist. On Thursday she went for a CT scan and then met with her oncologist to find out what was going on. The news is that she has multiple tumors on her liver and now in her lungs.
Her oncologist is working to get her into a study to start treatment, hopefully in Baltimore. In the meantime, she went to Fairfax Hospital on Monday and had a catheter inserted in her lungs to allow for drainage as fluid continues to build up. The procedure went well and she is resting at home.
Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers as we wait for the next steps.
The Lipman/Lopez Family
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Team Run for Erica (minus Omar)
Omar getting ready to run
Mary, Chandra and Liz finish their 6 miles
Star and Christian run for the crowd
Tony and Jaime waving to the crowd
Team Run for Erica after the marathon (minus Jenny and Jaime)
Erica's Tree @ Upton Hill
Look how Erica's tree is growing and blooming!
Upton Hill Memorial to Erica
Erica's crepe myrtle tree by the batting cages at Upton Hill Regional Park, Arlington, VA
Plaque dedicating tree in Erica's memory
Plaque dedicating the tree in Erica's memory
A week before admission to Hospice
What a beautiful smile!
March 26: Liz, Star, Chandra, Erica and Kelly
March 26: Star, Chandra and Erica
March 12-13: Erica and Christian...check out those smiles!
With Uncle David
Dad, Mom, Erica, Megan, Heather, Chase and Uncle Bill
