I know the theme song from Cheers says, "Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name," but after ten months of surgery, chemo and radiation, everybody knows my name at Bethesda Cancer Center. It's not a bad thing, but I don't think it's quite the same experience as sitting around in a bar atmosphere sharing a drink or two with good friends. At the cancer center, we swapped all kinds of stories and suggestions, but the only liquids we shared were in bags attached to IV poles. Pity.
I didn't miss going to the cancer center the first week following the end of my treatment, because we headed to the beach. And let me clarify that Barry and the girls spent time on the beach and at the pool while I was in the condo most of the time due to sensitivity to sun. Like a vampire, I would emerge from the building each night about 7:00 and enjoy the ocean for about an hour and a half. It wasn't too bad, but I did miss being with my family having fun during the day. A pod of dolphins swam by each day, and I LOVED watching them through the binoculars. What a blessing!
After we returned home and I would drive to work, I thought about my radiation buddies who were still in treatment just down the road, and part of me wanted to go by and see them. But part of me was
glad to stay away.
I had my two week post-radiation visit last Thursday, and the doctor said everything looked good. Other than the burns to my collarbone area, my skin held up pretty well, and even the burns have healed to a lovely suntan color. I am still very tender in the radiation entry point areas, but I've been able to wear a bra just about every single day for the past week, and that's progress.
My next doctor's visit will be a mammogram in September (both breasts and then one every six months on the right breast). After this next mammogram, I'll have a visit with my surgeon to check on post-surgical changes, post-chemo and radiation changes, and then I'll have a visit with my radiation oncologist for him to look at the mammogram, too.
My chemo oncologist examined me Thursday, and they drew blood for a complete metabolic panel as well as to check tumor markers. My next visit with him is in November, and then every three months after that for two years. My liver enzymes are slightly elevated, but that's to be expected. I'm also overweight, and I plan on doing something about that as soon as the temperature outside is comfortable enough to do anything more energetic than just breathing!
My tumor markers didn't come back until today, and I was a bit anxious waiting on them since they were one point over normal last time. They are at 35.4 right now, and for that I am grateful. I don't know why the markers are lower than last time other than chemo is a four-months-ago bad memory at this point, and I began taking Tamoxifen just over a week ago. Maybe the drug lowered my estrogen significantly in just a few days. Who knows? Dr. Obaji asked me if I had experienced any hot flashes yet, and asked him how soon that would happen. His response was, "Immediately." I thought I was having a hot flash on Sunday morning at church, and I fanned myself with my bulletin, but then I noticed Barry fanning himself, too. Are hot flashes catching?
I've joked about Barry being my "pool boy" over the past couple of months because he is out in our pool just about every day, and he's done an amazing job keeping it pristine. We were out in the pool over the weekend (yes, after 7:00 when the sun was setting), and I looked over at him and thanked him very sincerely for sticking with me and taking care of me over the past ten months of pretty much uncertain times. He looked at me and saw the tears glistening, and he said he loved me. I don't know what I would have done without him and his steadfastness.
Just so you'll know, I may not update on here as often as I have in the past. I am doing well, and if there is anything you can pray for as far as I'm concerned it's for my right arm. I haven't experienced lymphedema, but doing very much at all gives my arm a feeling of fullness in my underarm and forearm, and I'm constantly aware of the changes in my arm over the past year. I am hoping some of this will get better as the nerves have time to heal from all that's happened to them.
I WILL update after doctor's visits and if anything significant happens. For now, I am thankful not to have as much to write about.
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