A Very Long Week
This week I had eight medical appointments. This is like a full-time job!
Of course, each day I have my radiation. I am getting nicely toasted and have one area of peeling. But at the doctor review on Wednesday, Dr. Mary Ann claims that I am doing better than many at this stage of the game. Monday is my last regular treatment, and then we move onto the boosts. The boosts require new mapping coordinates and on Thursday my radiation therapists took a new set of x-rays for the physicists. But, before they got started I was asked if I would be willing to take part in a study. In the quest to reduce the radiation effects on major internal organs, the radiation machines are angled for breast cancer patients which can lead to an inaccurate dosage. Okay, this isn't really what I, a patient undergoing radiation, actually wants to hear. It was explained to me that one of the physicists would like to do some measurements because he believes that he has developed a new method for calculating dosages and coordinates. Since this study didn't involve any more needles, I agreed. Dr. Li arrived, bowing and blushed as he put sticky markers on my uncovered breasts. Dr. Li spoke about 12 words of English so we didn't chat very much. Turns out the measurements would be done in his office. The markers would appear on my x-rays, and then he would do his calculations. Again, why not? Anything that I can do to make future treatments more effective seems like a good idea. I sure don't wish any of this on anybody else!
On Wednesday afternoon, I returned to the hospital to meet with the genetics counselor. This hour long meeting involved creating a family tree, talking about how genes work, and answering amy questions. Of course I had done a lot of research to prepare for this meeting, so I didn't actually have that many questions. The counselor is recommending that the genetic testing be done based on the fact that in three generations only two women in my family have not had a hysterectomy before menopause, and that those two women were diagnosed with breast cancer. The one unexpected piece of information was that she pointed at a first cousin on the chart who is younger than 40, the standard breast cancer screening age, and told me that I must tell her to start getting screened immediately. Her risk for breast cancer is equal to my daughter's.
If the BRCA test is negative, the genetics couselor wants me to [is my chart marked with a large star or something?] participate in a study which is searching for other genetic markers. She strongly believes that with so many fibroids on my family tree which resulted in ovarian removal, the best way to reduce the chance of getting breast cancer, that they could learn a lot from my blood work. Again, in principal, I have agreed to participate.
Thursday was a follow-up ultrasound. Upon my arrival it became clear that someone had changed the work order since we began with a kidney scan. All clear! I have to admit that I am a tad relieved and grateful that this scan was added. A small part of me had feared that my recent GI issues might be related to chemo damage. They then did the original work order and indeed the ovarian cysts, noted three months ago, are gone! Whooohooo!
I am in full radiation fatigue mode now. I crawl into bed early and nap each afternoon. We are still waiting for the septum biopsy results and until they return, I continue to eat very lightly. The doctor that referred me to the GI specialist called on Friday to check up on me. What a sweetheart! I am not even his patient and he is calling.
Oh yes, I started the aromatese inhibitor on Wednesday. I was randomized into the drug that I prefer. Why do I prefer this one? Oh, the side effects will be better for my lifestyle. I can't believe I am happy getting one set of debilitating side effects over another. [Man has my life changed.]
There is no question that I am close to reaching the end of my emotional rope. I have been fighting this disease for almost seven months now and I am just plain tired of it. I have been cut, burned, poked, prodded, infused, and I can't eat normally. December 30th, my last radiation treatment, can't come soon enough!
Of course, each day I have my radiation. I am getting nicely toasted and have one area of peeling. But at the doctor review on Wednesday, Dr. Mary Ann claims that I am doing better than many at this stage of the game. Monday is my last regular treatment, and then we move onto the boosts. The boosts require new mapping coordinates and on Thursday my radiation therapists took a new set of x-rays for the physicists. But, before they got started I was asked if I would be willing to take part in a study. In the quest to reduce the radiation effects on major internal organs, the radiation machines are angled for breast cancer patients which can lead to an inaccurate dosage. Okay, this isn't really what I, a patient undergoing radiation, actually wants to hear. It was explained to me that one of the physicists would like to do some measurements because he believes that he has developed a new method for calculating dosages and coordinates. Since this study didn't involve any more needles, I agreed. Dr. Li arrived, bowing and blushed as he put sticky markers on my uncovered breasts. Dr. Li spoke about 12 words of English so we didn't chat very much. Turns out the measurements would be done in his office. The markers would appear on my x-rays, and then he would do his calculations. Again, why not? Anything that I can do to make future treatments more effective seems like a good idea. I sure don't wish any of this on anybody else!
On Wednesday afternoon, I returned to the hospital to meet with the genetics counselor. This hour long meeting involved creating a family tree, talking about how genes work, and answering amy questions. Of course I had done a lot of research to prepare for this meeting, so I didn't actually have that many questions. The counselor is recommending that the genetic testing be done based on the fact that in three generations only two women in my family have not had a hysterectomy before menopause, and that those two women were diagnosed with breast cancer. The one unexpected piece of information was that she pointed at a first cousin on the chart who is younger than 40, the standard breast cancer screening age, and told me that I must tell her to start getting screened immediately. Her risk for breast cancer is equal to my daughter's.
If the BRCA test is negative, the genetics couselor wants me to [is my chart marked with a large star or something?] participate in a study which is searching for other genetic markers. She strongly believes that with so many fibroids on my family tree which resulted in ovarian removal, the best way to reduce the chance of getting breast cancer, that they could learn a lot from my blood work. Again, in principal, I have agreed to participate.
Thursday was a follow-up ultrasound. Upon my arrival it became clear that someone had changed the work order since we began with a kidney scan. All clear! I have to admit that I am a tad relieved and grateful that this scan was added. A small part of me had feared that my recent GI issues might be related to chemo damage. They then did the original work order and indeed the ovarian cysts, noted three months ago, are gone! Whooohooo!
I am in full radiation fatigue mode now. I crawl into bed early and nap each afternoon. We are still waiting for the septum biopsy results and until they return, I continue to eat very lightly. The doctor that referred me to the GI specialist called on Friday to check up on me. What a sweetheart! I am not even his patient and he is calling.
Oh yes, I started the aromatese inhibitor on Wednesday. I was randomized into the drug that I prefer. Why do I prefer this one? Oh, the side effects will be better for my lifestyle. I can't believe I am happy getting one set of debilitating side effects over another. [Man has my life changed.]
There is no question that I am close to reaching the end of my emotional rope. I have been fighting this disease for almost seven months now and I am just plain tired of it. I have been cut, burned, poked, prodded, infused, and I can't eat normally. December 30th, my last radiation treatment, can't come soon enough!
posted by *susan* at
11:25 AM
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