My Word for 2024

I was a little afraid to ask for my word for this New Year. Last year my word was "support" and ended up being very literal as my left knee replacement bottom part shifted so much that I had to use a walker in June. I had a knee replacement revision surgery on July 25th, …

Post-surgery update after my knee replacement revision

Today makes 16 days post-surgery. I had a knee replacement revision to correct the shifting base piece from my left knee replacement almost six years ago. This revision surgery went well, though I did have to spend an extra night in the hospital (making two total) because of low sodium. Just as last time, the …

Surgery tomorrow. Christmas in July. Bah humbug!

Tomorrow at 11am is surgery day. Tuesday July 25th. Left knee replacement revision. Oops, change that to 12:30pm. I just got a call. Wait, another call. Back to 11am. Sheesh! I was SUPER grouchy when those calls came through. I think the source of my grouchiness is fear. I try to take it one hour …

ANOTHER major surgery. Sigh.

I'll start with my good news from a couple of weeks ago. My surgeon's nurse practitioner from the double mastectomy said everything looks good, and my medical oncologist released me. I tried two aromatase inhibitors and couldn't tolerate the side effects, and I chose not even to try to Tamoxifen because nothing in me said …

What are my allergies? I was scared to find out

About 10 days ago I went for allergy testing. I've always had allergy symptoms and have resisted testing because I was afraid to find out just what I'm allergic to. Well, it turns out that fear was justified. What prompted me was when I figured out that I was reacting to something in my house. …

Breast cancer Round 2: Aromatase inhibitor side effects

The struggle is real. I was doing great after my bilateral mastectomy until mid December when apparently the aromatase inhibitor (Arimidex/Anastrozole anti-hormone pills) kicked in. This is how the American Cancer Society describes aromatase inhibitors: Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) lower estrogen levels by stopping an enzyme in fat tissue (called aromatase) from changing other hormones into estrogen. …

My Word for New Year 2023

As many of you know, I follow these instructions to let a word for each year find me: In ancient times, wise men and women fled out into the desert to find a place where they could be fully present to the divine and to their own inner struggles at work within them. The desert …

Breast cancer Round 2: Birthday update

Here on my December 6th birthday I look back at the past few months of my latest cancer journey. At this point I'm almost three months post bilateral mastectomy. I've been taking the aromatase inhibitor (Anastrozole, brand name Armidex) for about a month. I'm not sure if I'm having side effects or not. They're the …

Breast cancer Round 2: Next (long term) step

Today I saw my radiation oncologist. He was the one in charge of my radiation last time, 11 years ago, the first time I had breast cancer. This was the scene of my radiation then: But it will NOT be the scene of my cancer journey this time! My doctor came in the room and …

Breast cancer Round 2: Positive news!

Today is six weeks to the day after my bilateral mastectomy, and it's the day I saw my medical oncologist to find out the results of the OncotypeDX Breast Recurrence Score Report. When my medical oncologist came in the exam room, her first words were "Good news!!" That's what I was hoping to hear. I …