Best Christmas Present.
Today I saw my oncologist after having CT scans of organs and a bone scan. I had changed chemo to Caelyx last October and this was the first scan on this treatment. For the first time in over a year my tumour markers are coming down. A couple of bone mets in my skull bones have disappeared and others have got smaller. The latest was mets in 2 of my lymph glands which are now also shrinking in size. What more could you ask for! The side effects are not that pleasant but it's worthwhile putting up with them. I think the Christmas Spirit is starting to kick in. Wishing everyone a happy Christmas.
Yay for clear scans and I think my brain is toast.
Howdy beautiful people.I haven't been on here for a bit and I've missed you guys. The usual chaos of keeping my poor old farm from falling apart and planning for our yearly "still here" family holiday. There's just not enough hours in the day. I hope everyone is travelling ok on whatever part of the rollercoaster you're on and are coping with the train wreck that is 2020. Sooo...another follow up lot of scans just to be sure that the MRI is not seeing anymore strange things. The doctor came in to tell me straight away that mmg and u/s were all good. It's nice when she does that even though my confidence in those two machines is minimal and it's always the third one that throws a spanner in the works :) So Yay to the all clear from the MRI for the second time in 6 months. For those that know the story, the birthday cake people were ever so nice and professional. Actually they have been ever since I had words with the area manager. There's probably a red flag on my chart or something :wink: The latest oncology check up brought with it another new doctor. Although I go to a private hospital, being a public patient there I tend to just see whoever is available these days. I think this onc number 5 or 6, could be more. Anyway it does give me the chance to ask all the same questions to multiple doctors and see if I get different answers. Mostly no difference but some slight variations of opinion. I'm off for a bone scan and hormone level bloods just to see how everything is going and off the drugs for a month so it doesn't throw out the blood test. I've not taken a break for a while as it's really not making any difference these days which is kinda sad. I have a sneaky suspicion that this doc is going to want me to change me to letrozole when the last few doctors have said I should stay put on the Tamoxifen. Anyhoo we'll see what she says after all the tests are in. I'm probably not going to change drugs now I have this beast somewhat under control. I think my brain is toast. My memory and speach is really shot these days. It did come better for a while. So I am undecided as to whether it's because I'm not as proactive with my puzzles and crosswords as I was or am now just a permanent ditz lol Hugs to all xoxoxoxoScan day freaking sucks......yet again. Probable curse words included.
With only minor trepidation and my shit mostly together I went to clinic today to get my results. I stopped to give a co worker that had just been diagnosed (MOFO BC) a hug and a shoulder to cry on for a bit while we were waiting. I heard my name called and promised her she would get through and I would be happy to help if I could in any way. She thanked me with that smile you put on when you are trying so hard not to burst into tears and your heart is aching as I waltzed on in to the doctors office. Well the whole thing went sideways and turned into me leaving work in a shaky, teary eyed mess. My goodness this thing still rocks you when least expect it. Here we go again with another fucking ambiguous result about the mystical eliptical thingamajjigy that has taken up residence in the rogue boob. Said thingy has decided to grow 2mm in 6 months. BIRAIDS score now moved up from a 3 to a 4 and hey lets poke a needle in it this time. This presents a problem. Considering the MRI is still the only machine that can see thingy (again it can't be felt by anyone either) and it's positioning, it is probable that a biopsy can't be done in the MRI machine. Still waiting on an answer for that one. So do we just poke around in there and try to hit it?? Cut it out or off just for the heck of it? No body is prepared to say it is anything sinister nor are they prepared to say it's not. Seriously, can someone please tell me how, for the love of god, you can have 4 MRI's, 4 mammograms and 6 u/sounds in a period of 12 months and still not know what this is or isn't. So as it sits, back to headlining the MDT on Thursday to get input from group of guru's as quote "my breast don't scan normally". Another targetted u/s on Friday. And wait for an answer on whether the biopsy can be done by MRI. Waiting waiting waiting yet again. Fuckity fuck fuck. I am sick of this roller coaster. I want to get off and my money back. Mental status right now = somewhere between zoned out numbness and seriously pissed off. Strongly considering ostrich tactics at the moment. Thanks for listening. :/Back from the outback and scan day tomorrow.
Hi everybody. I have been AWOL for a bit and I do hope everyone is going along ok with whatever stage of the rollercoaster you're dealing with. My "say yes to all invitations without thinking" policy has had me trekking all over the place. Some of you may know my not so fondness for camping, nor road trips, but I had already commited and I wasn't going to let the team down. So I sucked it up and didn't complain about the lack of facilities. (mind you I did grumble to myself a bit and paid $5 for showers.....a lot). Well guess what? I had a fantastic time, from a drink at the Birdsville pub to watching the horses thunder down the dusty racetrack in 37 degrees to camping in the middle of bloody nowhere (read that as freaking Wolf Creek style) to the stockmans hall of fame. I saw wild Emu's racing accross the plains, watched some Brolgas dancing and ran barefoot across the top of Big Red sand dune in the Simpson. And oh my goodness, the sunrises, sunsets and stars are just stunning. This is one big, beautiful country we live in I was just blown away day after day. So so gorgeous. Survivorship high? Absolutely. I probably would never have committed to that before. Any hoo, scan day is tomorrow so blah, grumble and curse words. Hopefully no birthday cake this time for those of you who remember my interesting time last year LOL Surprisingly it's just started to rain a little here and that beautiful smell of rain hitting the dry dusty ground is wafting through the window, it's been such a long time. Must be a good omen right? Love to all xoxoxo
