I went in to Dr. Rodgers' office this afternoon to have my monthly hormonal and bone strengthening injections. Blood tests performed the week prior showed my cancer counts at 147 -- down from 1579.5 last October 2009! Yeah! :D
I was very pleased to tell the nurses (who were very happy to hear) about the results of the bone scan -- showing new bone growth and the plan to avoid chemotherapy for the next few months while monitoring this progress. I will be returning to Dr. Theriault at MDA in March to have another bone scan to determine if the new bone growth is continuing.
More to come...
I have copied in the Table of Contents from Lori Hope's "Help Me Live - 20 Things People With Cancer Want You To Know About" -- I think the Chapter Titles say it all. :D
1. Its okay to say or do the wrong thing
2. I need to know you're here for me (and if you aren't, why not?)
3. I like to hear success stories, not horror stories
4. I am terrified
5. I need you to listen to me and let me cry
6. Asking my permission can spare me pain
7. I need to forget -- and laugh
8. I need to feel hope
9. Telling me to think positively can make me feel worse
10. I want you to trust my judgment and my treatment decisions
11. I want compasion, not pity; comfort, not advice
12. I am more than my cancer; treat me kindly, not differently
13. I want you to help, without my asking you to
14. I like to be held in your thoughts or prayers
15. My moods change day to day; please forgive me if I snap at you
16. Hearing platitudes or what's good about cancer can trivialize my feelings
17. I don't know why I got cancer and I don't want to hear your theory
18. I need you to understand if I don't return your call or want to see you
19. I want my caregiver to take good care of herself or himself
20. I don't know if I'm cured, and bringing up my health can bring me down
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
02/01/10
I returned to see Dr. Theriault, who decided to order several follow up tests (like the ones I had when I was originally diagnosed) -- a bone scan, bone survey, pelvic CT scan and blood tests.
I had previously had a follow-up PET scan done through Dr. Rodgers but the results were very hard to determine any progress. The pictures looked very much the same as my first PET scan from six months ago, so he considered me to be in 'stable' condition. This was before the 'cancer counts' came back from my blood tests last Dec/09 that dropped by half!
My friend Shawna offered to come with me for the all day testing and I am very glad that she did! It made the time go by much quicker because we were able to talk and laugh and play games and do crosswords! :D
She returned with me today to get the results of those tests! What a trooper!
I told her I was expecting to hear four different possibilities for future treatment -- stay on the same medication treatment, start chemo, start more radiation, or something completely different. We were both extremely surprised by the amount of questions Dr. Theriault was asking about my current health. He then began to detail that my 'cancer count' from last August when I first saw him for a second opinion was over 1000 and my recent 'cancer count' from two weeks earlier was at 185! Still seriously high, but an amazing show of recovery! I was so surprised and we were both so relieved! :D
I also asked Dr. Theriault about the one blood test that was taken for a 'floating cancer' and he explained that it was to check for leukemia. That blood test came back negative! Again, relief!
Dr. Theriault then began to show us the results of the bone scan (MRI) where he pointed out all the spots that revealed healing and bone growth! Total amazement and disbelief!
All this pain/aching that I have been feeling -- I knew in the depths of my soul was because the Tamoxifen was working! It was blocking the spread of cancerous cells! Dr. Rogers kept telling me that I shouldn't be feeling any discomfort! Dr. Theriault said it was very normal (along with many other people that I've talked to). Also the bone strengthener is what people with osteoporosis use -- that also was working! They don't call them 'growing pains' for nothing! I used this analogy several times to explain my symptoms -- bones shrinking will hurt just as much as bones growing! I've lost 2 inches in my height since starting this treatment -- you can't tell me that isn't because the Tamoxifen is drying up all the cancer cells and shrinking the size of my bones. Now there is some new bone growth showing, so I'm also hoping that some or all of that 2 inches in my spine might be replaced because I'm looking incredibly deformed lately! LOL Sort of all legs, then arms and then a head -- its weird! My boobs are sagging into my hips! LOL
If I had just said yes to Dr. Rodgers -- the chemo would have probably destroyed those new cells being grown on my bones and I would have never know about the progress I made. So, its a good thing that I asked questions, did some research, got another second opinion and made decisions for myself!
I will continue my monthly injections with Dr. Rodgers (because the location is so convenient) and return to see Dr. Theriault in about 2 months to have another bone scan in order to monitor my recovery.
I am just sooooo grateful! Considering my diagnosis -- I am very lucky and I honestly feel so blessed to have such loving and caring people in my life right now! All of their care, best wishes and prayers have truly helped me keep a positive attitude and heal! Thank you to all of you! XOXO
I've been waiting for almost six months to get my hair done because I didn't want to waste money if it was all going to fall out anyway! LOL I was ready to buy some crazy bright pink wig after starting chemo! LOL Now, since chemo may not be in my immediate future, I can finally go and try to beautify myself! :D Also, I am still planning a trip to Sedona to look into the holistic side of healing -- hopefully, some time in the spring.
More to come...
I had previously had a follow-up PET scan done through Dr. Rodgers but the results were very hard to determine any progress. The pictures looked very much the same as my first PET scan from six months ago, so he considered me to be in 'stable' condition. This was before the 'cancer counts' came back from my blood tests last Dec/09 that dropped by half!
My friend Shawna offered to come with me for the all day testing and I am very glad that she did! It made the time go by much quicker because we were able to talk and laugh and play games and do crosswords! :D
She returned with me today to get the results of those tests! What a trooper!
I told her I was expecting to hear four different possibilities for future treatment -- stay on the same medication treatment, start chemo, start more radiation, or something completely different. We were both extremely surprised by the amount of questions Dr. Theriault was asking about my current health. He then began to detail that my 'cancer count' from last August when I first saw him for a second opinion was over 1000 and my recent 'cancer count' from two weeks earlier was at 185! Still seriously high, but an amazing show of recovery! I was so surprised and we were both so relieved! :D
I also asked Dr. Theriault about the one blood test that was taken for a 'floating cancer' and he explained that it was to check for leukemia. That blood test came back negative! Again, relief!
Dr. Theriault then began to show us the results of the bone scan (MRI) where he pointed out all the spots that revealed healing and bone growth! Total amazement and disbelief!
All this pain/aching that I have been feeling -- I knew in the depths of my soul was because the Tamoxifen was working! It was blocking the spread of cancerous cells! Dr. Rogers kept telling me that I shouldn't be feeling any discomfort! Dr. Theriault said it was very normal (along with many other people that I've talked to). Also the bone strengthener is what people with osteoporosis use -- that also was working! They don't call them 'growing pains' for nothing! I used this analogy several times to explain my symptoms -- bones shrinking will hurt just as much as bones growing! I've lost 2 inches in my height since starting this treatment -- you can't tell me that isn't because the Tamoxifen is drying up all the cancer cells and shrinking the size of my bones. Now there is some new bone growth showing, so I'm also hoping that some or all of that 2 inches in my spine might be replaced because I'm looking incredibly deformed lately! LOL Sort of all legs, then arms and then a head -- its weird! My boobs are sagging into my hips! LOL
If I had just said yes to Dr. Rodgers -- the chemo would have probably destroyed those new cells being grown on my bones and I would have never know about the progress I made. So, its a good thing that I asked questions, did some research, got another second opinion and made decisions for myself!
I will continue my monthly injections with Dr. Rodgers (because the location is so convenient) and return to see Dr. Theriault in about 2 months to have another bone scan in order to monitor my recovery.
I am just sooooo grateful! Considering my diagnosis -- I am very lucky and I honestly feel so blessed to have such loving and caring people in my life right now! All of their care, best wishes and prayers have truly helped me keep a positive attitude and heal! Thank you to all of you! XOXO
I've been waiting for almost six months to get my hair done because I didn't want to waste money if it was all going to fall out anyway! LOL I was ready to buy some crazy bright pink wig after starting chemo! LOL Now, since chemo may not be in my immediate future, I can finally go and try to beautify myself! :D Also, I am still planning a trip to Sedona to look into the holistic side of healing -- hopefully, some time in the spring.
More to come...
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