Disconsolate

Just a quick update - as much for my own record as for any stray reader passing by.

Side effects from either Ibrance or Anastrozole have been causing more problems than usual of late.
Arthritis-like joint pains in fingers which I was managing reasonably well, have spread to my right shoulder and side- so much so that knitting is now unwise, and using the computer mouse with right hand also a no-no. I can manage small amount on the computer with mouse in my left hand - but it's a bit of a fumble.

I had an appointment for a PET scan this coming Tuesday (18 Feb), waited until Friday hoping that the pain might ease off after doing no knitting for several days, and hardly any computer time - but no, and pain pills do hardly anything to help, nor does medical marijuana. The problem with my femur, however, does seem improved - it looks as though to get the effect needed from the medications, I must bear the side effects. It might also be that the pressure I've been putting on my right arm and shoulder, using the quad cane for so long, has contributed to this right shoulder/side issue. :-(

Regarding the PET scan - there is no way, with my shoulder as it is, that I could lie on a hard board for 20 to 25 minutes without moving a muscle. I made enquiries of various local medical staffs. It's difficult to speak to the the people mainly involved as the PET scan people are in town only on Tuesdays, and my oncologist only on Wednesdays. It was not possible for me to speak to either. I had been told, and pretty forcefully, that if PET scan appointments are not taken up, and not cancelled, the patient would be charged. YIKES! It's flippin' expensive! Nobody was able to tell me whether, if I turned up on Tuesday at 8.30 am and was unable to "do" the scan, whether I would be charged. By this time, after many phone calls to different places, with no helpful information, I decided the best thing would be to cancel the appointment. I confirmed that I shall keep (what was to be) the follow-up appointment with oncologist on 26th Feb, as planned. Perhaps he will be able to suggest some way of dealing with my problem and I can re-schedule the scan. They were unable to find an earlier appointment for me to see the oncologist so...I shall wait. I'm limited to reading, or more likely napping in front of the TV, upon which I've become quite the expert.

THER-HAPPY

Therapy: treatment intended to relieve or heal a disorder. Originally from from modern Latin therapia, from Greek therapeia ‘healing,’ from therapeuein ‘minister to, treat medically.’

It's a nice-sounding word, rolls off the tongue satisfyingly; I've decided to pronounce the word 'ther-happy' during coming weeks and months, as I begin a (theoretical) five years of hormone therapy as a preventative measure against breast cancer returning. The oncologist I met last Friday advised that, due to my advanced age, and the fact that the cancer was found early, radiation and chemo-therapies would not be used, going forward. She did strongly advise, however, hormone therapy. This treatment, just one small tablet per day, blocks any estrogen in the body; cancer cells feed on estrogen if certain markers were present in the lab tests performed on tissues and blood samples obtained over past weeks.

I'm hoping that known side effects from these tablets will not be too severe. The doctor has already ordered a bone scan, as bone density loss is one side effect of this treatment, and I have been on the border of osteoporosis for many years. Other possible side effects are higher cholesterol levels, potential for blood clots, joint aches and pains, and sundry other unpleasant-sounding stuff. Not all women experience severe difficulties, however. I guess much depends on one's age group, and on how much estrogen was skidding around the body to start with. Regular check-ups will follow, next meeting with oncologist in 6 weeks to see how I'm coping with the tablets, and to note results of the bone scan.

So, I'm nearing the end of this 6-week "adventure", which began with a mammogram on 27 February. From now on it'll be a matter of taking the tablets, taking some exercise - walking more regularly will help; eating well - plenty of fresh veggies; taking my regular calcium + VitaminD3 and magnesium, and - above all - maintaining a positive attitude .

I could not have asked for a better outcome than this, other than to have been told that the mammogram result was an error - which it wasn't !

I'm truly thankful, and very, very grateful to all the doctors, specialists and nurses I've encountered along the way. Their attitudes, personalities and approaches have helped me to cope with this highly unexpected, and disconcerting, adventure more than I could ever express, added to which, of course, the constant support of my husband.

Some additional personal therapy will follow: finding a comfortable bra, once I'm told that I can be rid of the pesky elastic bandage currently binding my chest.

UPDATE ~ on Last Week's 9 to 5 Adventure

Yesterday I visited the surgeon's office - the surgeon who performed my lumpectomy "procedure" on 27th March.

The appointment's purpose was for compression bandage and dressings to be removed, incisions checked, and for the passing on of information obtained from investigation of the offending cells and lymph nodes removed or biopsied as part of the procedure.

The office was pretty busy - lots of people waiting. The surgeon, we were told, was currently seeing a woman who was in the same position I'd been, just a few weeks ago. My heart went out to this lady!

After a chat with the surgeon's personal assistant/secretary, who kindly congratulated me on the way I'd handled the whole thing (little did she know the anxieties and obsessions with which I'd tortured myself - or perhaps she did), we then met the nurse practitioner who removed the long compression bandage and dressings, declared all well, healing nicely. Before she began the undoings, though, she told us that the surgeon had given her permission to give us "the good news". Smiling very broadly, she told us that all tests on lymph nodes etc. had come back as "clean", and emphasised what good news this was - could hardly have been better in fact! I started choking up, but called my stiff upper lip into service, and threw my arms around her...

"Thank you, thank you!"

I'm tightly re-wrapped, but not waist-deep this time. Compression is used to help the inner breast cells to come together over the wee hole left by the procedure. I have to return in a week, to have the incisions checked again.

In the meantime, tomorrow I have an appointment to see an oncologist at the Cancer Center - part of the hospital complex, to discuss what comes next. I'm hoping that treatment going forward will be minimal in view of the good news received, and my advanced age, but I'll not feel too cock-a-hoop until we see what this specialist has to say. So far, though, news has been so very, very good!

Bit of an update

Thanks to all for the good wishes. Anyjazz was supposed to leave an updating post, under the previous one a couple or three nights ago using his own computer, but I see it didn't arrive. At that point I was feeling really bad, having not eaten at all for several days, nauseus, retching. My strength and energy just drained away. I got scared, stopped the Bactrim 2 a day anti-bios about a day and a half early. Still taking others 4 a day until Thurs + anti-fungal. I began eating small amount Sunday, and increasing very slightly. Still have no energy, cannot do anything at all without exhausting myself.
It'll take as long to drain back as it did to drain away, I guess. I think I'm on the other side of it now.

Even my eyes aren't properly in focus yet - typing this is harder than usual. That's odd!

Will be back blogging proper probably in a couple more days if thing go as I hope.

Was so sorry couldn't go to vote today - just was impossible.

Best to y'all.