The fun never ends!

November 6, 2009

Chemo and radiation are over, but the visits to Swedish Cancer Institute keep on coming. Not for anything serious – just routine follow up stuff.

As my treatment was winding down, I discussed a preventative medication with my oncologist and decided to go ahead and take it. If you recall, the nature of my tumor – triple negative – meant there is no adjuvant therapy that I can take to decrease the chance of recurrence. Some drugs like Tamoxifen or Herceptin block certain hormones that could fuel a tumor, but your tumor needs to be receptive to those hormones, and mine was not. However, the drug Zometa – which has been used to treat osteoporosis for years and is often used by patients whose cancer has spread to their bones – can also be given to post-treatment patients to help ward off bone metastases. I decided to take this, and had my first infusion last week. I’ll just go once every six months for three years. I was warned of achy bones, but I didn’t expect it to be as uncomfortable as it was. I was fine until the day after the infusion; then felt as if I had the flu – chills, body aches, and a headache that lasted for several days. Glad this is over for now!

I had my first follow-up mammogram this week, and it came back all clear. I am a bit cynical when it comes to mammograms. I’ll feel better on Tuesday after I have a chest MRI.

I’ll continue to have mammograms and/or MRIs every six months to check for any new tumors for the next several years.

OH! And I get the much disliked port-a-cath removed on Nov. 16!! It’s a minor day surgery. I’ll have a mild sedative while it’s being performed. I’m really looking forward to this!

As for reconstruction, the jury is still out. The thought of a pretty- hard-core medical procedure right now does not appeal to me, and I’m also not interested in having foreign material in my body. There are also several different types of surgeries that use tissue from your own stomach or back to create a breast. Those are pretty invasive and don’t appeal to me either. Some people wait years before considering reconstruction. That may be me.

So that’s pretty much it! I have been busy with work these past several weeks, and just finished up a big project. We’re looking forward to a week in Colorado over Thanksgiving.