Follow up Apt

First Follow Up Appointment

Went to my doc today – one of many many follow ups.

In a nutshell what my doc told me:

White counts are good - red counts or low.  Give it time because I was hit pretty hard by the chemo.

That if my counts come up in the next few months he will let me get my medi port removed (yeah) !

   

He said my chances of cure are between 85-90%  (that it will not return) and that without the chemo it would have been 60%.

He said I had the heaviest hardest dose dense chemo they give for this type of cancer and that I should be proud of how brave I handled it.  I told him a had good care takers and cheerleaders.

We discussed hormonal therapy and agreed that I would start Tamoxifen on Friday (wish me luck)  and ASSorted other meds for 10 years.    Here’s the kicker… There is absolutely no way to tell if my cancer is going to come back. There are really no tests to run, no indicators, nothing.   I just have to be aware of changes in my body.

Of course, I am to let my oncologist know if I experience any abnormal bone pain, pain in my calves, abnormal bleeding, difficulty breathing or headaches as these symptoms could indicate metastasis to my bones, lungs or brain. This is every breast cancer patient’s worst nightmare.  I think I have all of these symptoms NOW.....just kidding.  But really ?


I would be lying if I said I didn’t think about it every day.  But you know what...I am not afraid.
There are no guarantees in this life.
When I talked to my friends about it, I explained that it was like background noise. It never goes away.

I read on some internet cancer blog that if the cancer does come back it does so within the first 2-5 years. 

I will continue to be positive and brave.  I am still glad this happened to me instead of Allen or Gracie.
I will continue to blog about my follow ups and life on Tamox - so stay tuned.

A few of Gracies Senior Pictures...can I just say I love this little girl who brought me icees and took care of me when I was sick !