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 xoxoxoxo
Podcast about Medicinal Cannabis
Hi all I listen to quite a few different podcasts. Wilosophy, by Wil Anderson, was recommended by another podcast that I listen to. I wasn't a big Wil Anderson fan previously (for all that I do love Gruen on ABC tv) but am rapidly being converted by this insightful series of interviews. This one is with a doctor, talking about Medicinal Cannabis, it's benefits, and the lack of research being done. It is long, 1hr20 to 1hr30min, but an interesting listen if you have any interest https://player.whooshkaa.com/episode?id=576523Season Finale to "Scan day Freaking sux"
A lot of you will know my ongoing soap opera with the elusive eliptical thingy appearing on my MRI's. So after what seemed like an eternal three months after the excisional biopsy I went for the follow up scan. Another two weeks of waiting between scan and results due to limited clinic times....thank you COVID! Interestingly enough I had no jitters. I had pretty much made up my mind that if that thing was still there and did not look like swiss cheese at least, that it really wanted to be there and I was not going to worry about it unless I got a definite yes it's nasty. Anyhooooo.....IT'S GONE and pathology benign! I would have hugged madame BS if I had been allowed to. She's a very good shot considering she was pretty much flying blind. Who woulda thought something as disgustingly named as fat necrosis would be so welcome! Ya bloody hoo. End of chapter. Lotsa luv to all xoxoxoxo
An Oncologist with Breast Cancer - what she has learned from her own treatment ....
Along with the 'must read' Liz O'Riordan's blog (she is a UK breast surgeon who had 2 bouts of Breast Cancer) who writes candidly about her own diagnosis, surgery, chemo, tabs & treatment overall .... http://liz.oriordan.co.uk/ Here is another good read - this time by an Oncologist who also has breast cancer & had chemo in the lead up to her surgery. Like Liz, she found that what she had been telling her patients with treatment was not really 'what happens' in reality. https://www.theguardian.com/healthcare-network/2018/jun/07/oncologist-breast-cancer-chemotherapy
I'm all finished treatment.
In Oct 2015 I was diagnosed with mixed IDC/ILC with one node affected and stage two. I had a single mastectomy followed by a full axillary clearance to made sure no other nodes were affected. I then had 4 doses of chemotherapy and took Tamoxifen for 2.5 years and Letrozole for 3 months. I saw my oncologist yesterday who said I was one of the 15% (or percentage) who needs their hormones to maintain good heart health and with my particular cancer and treatment there was a 65% chance I didn't need hormone therapy anyway and since I had stuck it out for almost 3 years that will do now. So I am free! No more treatment apart from a bone density scan later in the year and an annual mammogram for the rest of my life. I am ecstatic! :D :D :DOne year on. Happy anniversary to me....well kind of
One whole year since the end of radiation. Well, it was actually yesterday but, unsurprisingly, I forgot about it until today. I remember at the start when I questioned the surgeon as to how long all this was going to take he said "Well you can pretty much write off most of the next year" It seemed like such a long, long time and such a huge mountain to climb . But, as it does, time keeps on ticking and here I am. Some days it feels like only yesterday and sometimes it feels like a lifetime ago. So yee ha, heading for the two years since surgery. While fantastic it also means here comes the scanxiety again soon. GULP! Love Ya xoxoxoxo
and now I am a survivor ?
5 years - 5 years of tests, treatment, scans - everything to eradicate this alien from my body. Now I have had my 5 years scan and nothing !!! nothing at all !! I am clear again. It's weird. My surgeon said goodbye, I hope we never meet again. I see my onc in a couple of weeks and I am hoping she says the same. I watched Kym's video on fear of recurrence, and I know it will always be there for me too. Every cough, every twinge, sends me scurrying to the doc for an xray or a CT. She doesn't mind, she is happy for me to be reassured. Bless them all. I have been fortunate, mine was found early by Breastscreen Tas - they saved my life. I have known some brave and wonderful people over the past 5 years, I have lost some friends. I know all of them are thrilled that I am a survivor. Without my family I would not have got through with any sanity. They have been here for me every step. For all of you lovely ladies who are just starting out, or who are in the middle, or struggling with secondaries - my good wishes are with you all. May more of us be survivors.
