Melissa Derrig said she’ s returned to cooking, babysitting her granddaughter, and doing things she loves with her family. The medicines she’ s taking to inhibit the cancer are working for now, but they will likely stop at some point, Mahesh said. If that happens, he said he will likely switch her to other medications, and maybe a“ super ALK inhibitor,” because the science on this type of cancer continues to unfold.
Melissa’ s treatment at some point may also include chemotherapy or immunotherapy, which Mahesh said has been a“ big game changer” for lung cancer.
Melissa said her primary symptom now is vertigo. She has to be careful how quickly she stands up.
Sometimes she worries about what impact radon may have on her husband and children from their days living in the home once filled with dangerous levels of radon. But, she said, there’ s no way to know if it will ever impact them the way she believes radon impacted her.
No one wants to be in this situation, she said.
“ But I’ m a person of faith. This is happening. I have to make the most of the time,” she said.“ Whatever happens is God’ s way.”
Source: https:// www. pressreader. com / usa / greatfalls‐tribune / 20251221 / 281479282761345