Dr Appts, Tests & Surgery

March was busy. I had a bone scan on the 19th and a cat scan on the 24th. I got the results today and I am clear. I knew I was but it is always good to hear. I had the nipps added on the 22nd and I am very pleased with them. The dr said everything looks good. He will see me in a month to check everything out again. He said I will get color in a couple of months. I had another sono of my ovaries on the 12th. I still have the cysts. They are a little smaller so the dr is happy. He would of been happier if they were gone, but that's life. He will see me in July for a repeat sono. I am not worried about it, he will keep up with me. My July is filling up in a hurry. I also see the oncologist on July 26th.

If anyone is going to be in Ft Worth on April 24th, come join us. Brian, the kids and I are doing the Susan G Komen Race for the Cure. I am so excited and the kids can't wait. Logan said he is going to run fast and try to win the race. We aren't actually racing, we are only doing the one mile fun run. I am sure he will run the whole way.

I am so happy spring may finally be here to stay! Have a Happy Easter.

1 year !!!!

We made it. Today it has been a year since I was diagnosed with breast cancer and what a year it has been. It seems like 10 years since I heard the words you have cancer. I am so excited to say I am cancer free. The journey of cancer patient is over and my new journey has begun as a breast cancer survivor.

I hadn't had a chance to write yet but I went to the doctor a few weeks ago because I was having pain in my ovaries. I have a cluster of cysts on the left side and a few on the right. They ran a CA125 just to check for ovarian cancer. Even though I knew deep down that everything would be okay, I thought here we go again. I know cysts are normal but with my history who knows. I also think that is why the doctors are more cautious. Anyway, the test came back and It was normal. Anything less than 25 and I was a 12. I will have a repeat sono to check the progress of the cysts. I am hoping that they are all gone. I also have started therapy again. I have some swelling in my hand that is a form of lymphedema. Luckily it doesn't go up my arm. They are trying to get it to go away before it gets worse. I have to wear a compression glove to help move the fluid.

We have allot going on in March. I have an appointment with the plastic surgeon to see about my next step March 1st. Hopefully I will get nipples soon. March 2nd Brian is getting a tooth implanted. March 12th I have a sonogram of my ovaries. The oncologist is scheduling a CAT scan and Bone Scan but I am not sure what day yet.

I guess that is all I know for now. I want to thank everyone for being here and all the prayers this past year. We are now headed for year #2. The roller coaster heads up.......

New Oncologist & Plastic Surgeon appts

You always wonder when you change dr's if you did the right thing. Well, I did. I just love Dr Krekow. My check up went fine. Everything looks good. My white count is still low but it can take time to recover after chemo. Sometimes it never recovers. It just depends on my bone marrow. If it doesn't come back up it will be okay. I don't know what levels they compare but the red count is good and so are the others. We talked a little about the future and what we are going to do to keep up with me. She said that there is a newer medicine that I really need take but not for a couple of years. I am doing good on the tamoxifen. I will have scans every six months for now. My next scan will be in March and I see her again in July. I feel at peace with her. I know she will stay on top of everything and do her best to keep me healthy.

I saw Dr Heistein the end of December. He said everything looked and felt great. I will see him again March 1st to discuss the next step of reconstruction. I am loving the new implants. They really are like real breast.

February 20th it will be a year. It is hard to believe, it seems like it has been ten years since they told me I had cancer. I think Brian, the kids and I are going to have a party. We made it!!!

Susan G Komen for the Cure

Brian, the kids and I are doing the race, well walk, on April 24 in Ft Worth. I have attached a link to my page for the race. I hope you will be able to join me. If not please help by donating any amount. It doesn't matter how large or small, it all counts. Hopefully one day they will find a cure. I am proud to wear pink and be able to say I am a Survivor!

http://tarrantcounty.info-komen.org/site/TR/RacefortheCure/General?px=5981057&pg=personal&fr_id=1650

Surgery

I had a great birthday on Sunday and the surgery went really good on Monday. I don't have any drains. The surgery only lasted maybe an hour. He made the incision on one of the old scars so I won't have any new ones. I was back at the hotel by 10 and took a good nap. I saw the nurse the next day and she said everything looks great. I really don't feel any different than I did before surgery. I am so glad to get rid of the expander's and get my new permanent implants. I guess after the surgery in September this was a piece of cake. I am glad with Christmas just around the corner I didn't want to be hurting.

I see Dr H again after Christmas on the 28th.

I hope everyone has a Very Merry Christmas! I know we will.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

I saw Dr freeman, the radiation oncologist on Monday. He thought everything looked great and he didn't want to see me anymore. He said I would be seeing enough doctors. I am glad to mark one off the list.

I have been taking the tamoxifen with no side effects. I am also taking a slew of vitamins. The oncologist called and said my vitamin D was low. He wanted me to take extra vit D. They also want me taking calcium because of the tamoxifen. I had the bone density test done. Good news, my bones are normal.

Surgery is in a little over two weeks, December 14. The expander's really haven't been that bad. I will be glad however to have them out and my permanent implants in. I am glad we will be able to get all the major surgery over this year. I have two more minor procedures, adding nipples and tattooing. Those will be next year.

What a year this has been, nothing we could of ever imagined. We have so much to be thankful for. I truly feel blessed to be here and cancer free. I want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.

Last Fill

I saw Dr H today and got the last fill. I am having surgery December 14th to remove the expander's and put in the implants. Happy Birthday to me! What a present. Anyway, it will be an out patient surgery. I have to be there at 5:45 am and will be out before lunch. I am having the surgery at Baylor Surgical Hospital in Ft Worth. That won't be the last one but at least it will be the last major one. I also found out the pain in my arm is the muscle pulling. It has no elasticity after radiation and as things are stretched and pressed it is pulling in the arm. He recommended I go to therapy. So I guess I will check on that next.

I finally got everything resolved with the Dr situation. I will be changing oncologist and start seeing the new one in January for my 3 month check up. Her name is Dr Krekow and she is at the Breast Care Center. I also found out that my cholesterol didn't go down during chemo. It actually went up. The ratio is in the grey area so it will need to be monitored. The tamoxifan may make it go up but they just don't know. If that happens then I will have to start taking cholesterol medicine. We will just cross that bridge when we get there. It is better for me to be on the tamoxifan since my body has returned to normal.

I am done with all the appointments related to cancer until December. Well, except for therapy on my arm. I am not saying we have any free time though. Now it's time for all the other appointments we had to put off. The kids dentist, the dermatologist, the list goes on. I am excited that the holidays are nearly here. My favorite time of year. Now if we could just get snow.