Normal Breathing

Last week was preventative maintenance week and I had my follow up with my oncologist, blood work, zometa, an MRI and a bone density scan.  All of this is part of my continuing plan to make sure I remain healthy. 

I know all of this and am thankful that I have the opportunity to have good health care, but there is a certain amount of anxiety that goes with all of these tests.  There is always the possibility that something will come back as suspicious.  Because I don't get any of the results immediately, this generally means a few days of concern.  There is just always something in the back of my mind reminding me that the possibility of a recurrence is there.  I feel like I breathe a little shallower and walk a little quieter so as to not wake up any demons that might be sleeping inside.

Yesterday I got a call from my oncologists nurse telling me that not only is my bone density holding up, but my MRI came back perfectly normal as did all of my lab work.  I took my first normal breath of the week.

Thank you God.

Doctors and Nurses and Techs, Oh My!

This week is tune-up and preventative maintenance week.  Yesterday I had a follow-up with my surgeon and a bone density scan.  Tomorrow I have a follow-up with my oncologist, a zometa infusion and an MRI. 

I currently think of myself as a healthy person so it is kind of strange to be spending so much time at doctors offices and hospitals but it also helps me to maintain the idea that I am a healthy person.

The bone density scan is something I will have once a year (this is my second one).  Because I was forced into menopause through chemo and because I am taking Tamoxifen, there is some concern about bone loss so I will have this test each year to make sure that my bones are holding up.

I have an appointment with my oncologist every 3 months.  For the most part, these are now just appointments to make sure I'm not having any adverse side effects of the drugs, she will also do a breast exam and check my lymph nodes.  I have blood work done each time that tests various things such as my iron, my vitamin D level, my estrogen level and my tumor markers.

I will have my 3rd infusion of Zometa.  Zometa is a bisphosphonate which is essentially a bone density drug.  For me, with my diagnosis, this drug is a preventative.  Zometa has been shown to reduce the risk of a recurrence to the bones by roughly 30 percent.  I will have it every 6 months for 3 years.  It takes about 45 minutes for an infusion and so far I have had minimal side effects.  I generally have a day of feeling just a bit off, maybe a bit flu-like and tired.  It isn't debilitating though, and worth it in the end.

The MRI is just one more tool in my toolkit to look for lumps or differences in my breast tissue.  I have a mammogram every 6 months and alternate those with the MRI so I am having some type of imaging test done about every quarter.  

It is hard sometimes to force myself to spend the day at doctor's offices.  It is especially hard to have the Zometa infusion as that is in the same place that I had chemo.  It reminds me of how difficult it is.  Cancer is hard.  There is just no denying that it is a terrible, difficult disease.  However, I am grateful for good health care and thankful that so many people are on my team, helping me to make sure that I remain healthy.  So, I will go in on Friday and I will be grateful that I am going there to remain healthy and not because I am sick.

All Clear!

I received a call from my oncologist saying that not only was my mammogram all clear, but so was the MRI. I am cancer-free! I will have MRI's and mammograms every 6 months for the rest of my life, a minor inconvenience for a calm state of mind.

All Clear?

The mammogram went well yesterday and the doctor was pleased that she didn't see anything out of the ordinary. The MRI went well also, though I do not yet know the results of that. I hope to hear from my doctor today telling me that everything looks clean and clear.

The Zometa infusion was relaatively uneventful, although it was very strange being back in the infusion room. The nurses there are great and do their best to make the experience as easy and painless as possible. The explained to me that the Zometa essentially pulls calcium out of your system and then dumps it back into the bones which is why bone and joint pain can occur.

I was hoping to get away with no side effect, but unfortunately woke up this morning achy and with chills. These are expected side effects and generally only affect people after the first infusion. I am laying low today and trying to remember that this means it is working the way it is supposed to. No pain, no gain!

Preventative Maintenance

Today I have 3 appointments. The first one is my first post-surgery mammogram to establish a new baseline for future tests. The second one is an MRI for the same thing. This will be my new preventative maintenance routine. I will have a mammogram and an MRI every six months to make sure there has been no return of the cancer. Though I have no reason to expect that there is any cancer left, I am still just a little bit nervous. The last time I had a mammogram was in May and the outcome was a breast cancer diagnosis. In addition, I now have quite a bit of scar tissue from both the surgery and the radiation so it makes reading of the mammogram and the MRI just that much more difficult. The good news is that the diagnostic center that I am going to will go over the results with me at the appointment so I won't have to wait and worry about the results.

The 3rd appointment is my first infusion of Zometa. I will have these infusions twice a year for at least 3 years. This drug is currently used for osteoporosis and is also used for people diagnosed with advanced stage cancer that has metastasized to the bone. In my case, it is preventative. It is found to help reduce the risk of a spread to the bone. Though I hope to not have any side effects from this particular drug, some people do have flu like symptoms after the first infusion and sometimes bone and/or joint pain. I can't say I like the idea of going back into the infusion center where I did my chemo, but I will try to remember that I am lucky to be getting Zometa as not everyone has the opportunity. I am happy and thankful to be at the preventative maintenance stage.