02/16/10

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