Category: Medical Updates

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Colon Cancer Runs in my Family

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I prepped on Thursday (I already blogged about that fun process 🙄), and I had a colonoscopy yesterday 😳. The doctor also did an endoscopy (a scan of the stomach and esophagus.) More on the results in a minute. But first…

Public Service Announcement. If you are over 50, and you have never gotten a colonoscopy, NOW is the time to do it. The prep is awful. I can attest to that! It’s 24 hours of liquid diet including a total colon cleanse. I imagine this is probably why most people don’t get one. When will I have the time to do that? They ask. Or, they think it’s too expensive (insurance will cover it 👍.) And, you can’t drive yourself home. You can get a DUI for that. Trade off with someone you know. Drive them to get their colonoscopy.

Regardless of the inconvenience, a colonoscopy is the best way to prevent colon cancer. You won’t feel any symptoms until you have cancer and it is so far along it may or may not be treatable. You don’t know what’s lurking in your system until it has been scoped. It is much better to prevent cancer than to deal with it. Believe me, I know about dealing with cancer!

If you have a family history of colon cancer, you should probably start getting a colonoscopy even before you turn 50. Maybe as early as 40, they are now recommending. My grandfather died from colon cancer, my mother had lots of polyps, and there are others in the family who have had bowel resections as well as other colon related issues. I make sure when it’s time, I get my body checked for this one.

I waited until I was 50. The doctor found a huge polyp during my first colonoscopy, and another one a year later. We don’t know how long the big one had been growing, but fortunately we caught it at the “pre-cancerous” stage. If I had waited, I could have added colon cancer to my litany of medical problems.

After a clear scan, he finally gave me the 5-year approval, which landed us to the present. The last thing I remember before the procedure was the nurse saying, “have a nice time at the beach,” and then I woke up.

Results. I would like to say I am totally free from polyps, or any other colon related issues. However, he found another large polyp in my colon 😫, as well as some spots in the esophagus that he will continue to watch. He took several biopsies, which will come back in a week or ten days. He was unable to remove the polyp as it is in a colon fold, so he referred me to a surgeon to remove that section of my colon. Yep, I’m having yet another body part removed soon. They can do it with a small incision, apparently.

I don’t know what all of this means as of yet, but I guess I’ll know more when I see the surgeon. He wants to wait until the biopsies come back so we know more on what we are dealing with. I’m not worried, but I do wish my family history was a bit less tarnished with cancer. It’s a horrible disease.

My husband is one of the lucky ones. He has clean scans, and gets to repeat in five or ten years. I pray you are also one of the lucky ones.

I get to repeat this again in another year. Oh the joy…🙄🙄

À la prochaine…see you next time.

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#blooddocscanchemoandprepday

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Bloodwork, Oncologist, MRI, Chemo AND prep for a colonoscopy, all on the same day. I know…I’m a little crazy for scheduling it this way. This fulfills that saying when it rains it…well you get the idea. It all started at 7:45 AM. Traffic was bad coming through The Woodlands. I’m tired thinking about it , but we’re nearly through the day at this writing. At least it’s not raining outside. The weather is beautiful; it feels like a spring day instead of winter. I’ve been going in and out to my car all day between medical appointments. The girls at the front just wave me in at each return.

Bloodwork. First, the bloodwork. Everything looks good. My glucose was a little higher than normal (165). Probably because I drank some OJ before bed, and then I had some apple juice right before I came in 🤷‍♀️. I often fast before coming in just so I can monitor where it really sits, but I knew I wouldn’t get to eat today so I drank the juice. We don’t worry about it typically, especially if I haven’t been fasting. I am careful, however; my family has a way of attracting diabetes.

Medical Oncologist. I do have a nagging pain on my right ribcage that has crept up in the past few weeks, so I mentioned it to my oncologist. This is how the tumor started on my left ribcage that lead to the Stage 4 diagnosis. A nagging pain that would come and go. I was between doctors at the time, as my oncologist left and I was seeing a physician assistant. He remembered that history, and he doesn’t like to leave stones unturned. They checked it out, and didn’t see anything, but he decided to have me go back for my bone scans a little earlier than usual just to be sure. We aren’t expecting anything nefarious to turn up.

In addition, he said there is some new research on Zometa. This is the infusion I get every three months to strengthen the bones. I was supposed to get it today, but he’s holding off. Researchers are debating how long is long enough, versus how long is too long, etc. I’ve been on it for about 5 years now, and they think 2-3 years is long enough. While it strengthens the bones, it makes them solid. Bones are not naturally solid. This is actually a weaker frame than the bones I call “suspension bridge” bones. He’s ordering a bone density to see where we stand before continuing the Zometa. I haven’t had one of those in a long time, so I don’t even remember what it’s like. I guess I’ll find out soon enough whether I get to snooze in that one.

MRI. After my oncologist and I chatted about our families and the joys of grandchildren, I went for my MRI. I did get a little nap during that one in spite of the noise and shaky table 😴😴. They took me in early, which was a blessing. A little trouble getting blood return on my port, but it didn’t stop the process. They are looking at my brain again. It’s a routine thing, and we hope it’s nothing, but they do a great job of keeping an eye on everything. I follow-up with my radiation oncologist next week for the results.

Lunch…

Ordinarily I would go to Panera Bread for lunch, and hang out in between scans or treatment. But it just so happens that today is the day before my five-year follow-up colonoscopy. 🙄 If you’ve ever had one, you know all about the prep. I’ve been on a clear liquid diet since I woke up. I had juice for breakfast, and two bowls of vegetable broth for lunch. I was thrilled to see they have added a machine with ice cream and popsicles to the café at MD Anderson. That was a welcome surprise! I can’t have the dairy, but the popsicle was a delight to bite down on–guilt and sugar free!

Chemo. I checked in two hours early, but they took me back nearly 30 minutes late. The sun will be setting on my way home, and I’ll catch the commuter traffic *Sigh*. Fortunately they didn’t have any trouble with blood return. At this writing, I’m on my second bag and almost done. One of my previous nurses told my current nurse that I am an author. She asked about my children’s book! She has a 6 year old daughter and 4 year old son, and she said she is going to order one. I hope she does. 🥰 If so, it was worth the wait. I told her I’m also working on sequels, to her delight.

Prep. While waiting for the chemo to infuse, I started prepping for my colonoscopy. This involves taking double doses of Miralax, followed by 12 horse pills an hour later, instead of all the gallons of that liquid we used to have to drink. So far, the effects have not been overwhelming. I’m hoping to get home before it really hits. Before bed we rinse, repeat.

Admittedly, I was a little frustrated when my internist’s office called and said they don’t have my cardiology release for the colonoscopy. MyChart comes in handy at this point. I can see everything in my medical record. The note said they faxed it back in September, but I had to send it to her again. If I went to all this trouble to prep and they don’t let me do it tomorrow…I just might shed some real tears. 😫😭 They have been behind communicating with me about all the prep. Yesterday I had to drive to Willis to get the pills, because no other Walgreens had them in stock. Sheeeeez.

Yet another day of life in our current dystopian world. 🙄🙄

À la prochaine…see you next time!

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Back on Track

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Twenty days have passed since my positive covid test, so they let me back in the building at MD Anderson. I’m back on track with treatment. We had to reload the Herceptin since it’s been more than four weeks. But, I just learned today, the Perjeta doesn’t have to be reloaded unless it has been more than six weeks. Yay! Usually, the drips are 30 minutes each. But this time it was 30 minutes for Perjeta and 90 minutes for Herceptin. That was enough time for us to conduct a research interview without interruption.

That’s all I’ve got to say about that.

À la prochaine…see you next time!

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Covid Jail

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Tim got it on Christmas Eve, and I followed two days later. I was fortunate to spend time with the family on Christmas before it hit me (we didn’t know it was Covid at the time, but everyone who came over did fine). Tim missed all the hoopla as he was in bed all day. We both had a fever, and we both spent about three days in bed. Mine started with a horrible stomach virus, which was different from Tim’s fever and cough. It was so bad both eyes hemorrhaged. 😳 Nearly two weeks later my right eye is still blood red.

MD Anderson did my covid test. It was the fourth day (Dec. 29), and by then I was feeling fine. I honestly thought it would be negative since all my symptoms were basically gone. We were both feeling fine, organizing the garage, and pulling down Christmas. I only went in since I was scheduled for chemo this week.

When it came back positive, that meant I couldn’t step foot back in the building for at least 20 more days. And, my doctor said I should quarantine for ten days (even though the CDC says 5). Apparently the new five day guideline is to keep the economy going. But, if you can stay in for ten I was told it is better to do so.

My chemo schedule got interrupted as well.

After mine came back positive, we set out to find a test for Tim. They were all sold out during Christmas week, but a pharmacist friend managed to find us a home test kit. We drove all the way to south Houston to get it.

If you are a regular on my blog, you know how much I love to drive to Houston (not!), but we managed to multitask. The weather was shifting to freezing point over New Year’s weekend, and we needed to winterize the Airstream to avoid any possible pipe breakage. (Lesson learned from last year at this time.) We quarantined in our second home while wrapping up the pipes, avoiding contact with people the whole time.

We took the kit home and Tim turned out positive. So, we both spent time in Covid jail. We had already canceled our trip to Arkansas to see Tim’s mom; we missed all our traditional Christmas Eve traditions and Christmas services; and then we canceled our family plans for New Year’s Eve. It was a very quiet week with just the two of us hanging out at the house. We got a lot of cleaning and organizing done!

In addition, I finalized some videos and uploaded those to YouTube. Subscribe to our YouTube channels for fun stuff! We have two channels. One is for personal stuff, and one is more ministry related. Subscribe to both!

Several pastors and key leaders at the church got it as well. There weren’t enough people to play in the band or watch the children; they ended up cancelling in-person services the first Sunday of the New Year. Pastor Chelsea did an amazing job on the message though. That was worth tuning in for.

Tim was stir crazy once he started feeling better, so we took a few drives in the truck and a couple of times we ordered curbside (contact-free) takeaway during our quarantine. I didn’t wear make-up for a whole week! Tim’s second test a few days later came back negative! He went back to the office on Wednesday after New Year’s.

Me? I’m finally out of quarantine. Yay! I called the doctor last week, but they didn’t get back to me until Monday due to the holidays. She said getting the antibodies at this point wouldn’t help much (your body builds them for up to three months). So we both opted out. Good to know my body will fight it naturally, and even protect me for the remainder of the winter season.

I’m writing this blog from our favorite café (Panera Bread). I’m wearing a mask and steering clear of people even still. Since we were here last year, they added power outlets all around the building for people like us. We have some gift cards that have to be used this month, and of course I get my free tea. We are looking forward to a nice salad. Sitting here makes me feel a little more normal!

Interesting. “Blessed Assurance” is playing on the speaker. In Panera Bread! 🥰 That song is a great reminder to trust in our Lord and Savior Jesus (all the day long).

MD Anderson requires 20 days from a positive test before coming back into the building, but they don’t require a second test or a negative test. On my original schedule I would have had gotten infused yesterday; but, I will soon get back on track. They will have to reload. This means a slightly longer than usual time in the infusion center. It’s kinda nice to have a break.

We scheduled my next treatment for January 20th. Providentially, this new schedule works better for the remainder of the year. There’s the silver lining. 😶‍🌫️ I am truly hoping 2022 will turn out better once we are back on schedule.

À la prochaine…see you next time!

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Last Infusion of the Year!

🎼🎶Christmastime is here! Happiness and cheer! Bringing lots of traffic jams from Interstate to here… 🎼🎶 Chemo’s in the air. Beeping everywhere. Nurses by their patient’s side. And many memories there.🎹🎵

Ahhh. The music of Christmas. 😁 After wrapping several Christmas presents for the Grandkids at home, Tim chauffeured me to MD Anderson in The Woodlands where I would get my blood drawn before chemo. I sat a while waiting for the lab to call before they realized I was not on the schedule. (Good thing I checked!😳😳) A new receptionist had checked me in for chemo, but didn’t realize my labs were missing. Things always seem to go wrong when Tim comes with me 🤪🙄.

After that — lunch. We often do this between labs and chemo, but it doesn’t usually take this long. The traffic was backed up all the way to the restaurants. I’m guessing it must be early-release day from school! Crazy…!

Panera Bread was packed, not a parking space in sight, so we ate at the Thai Cottage next door. I must say it was absolutely delightful! The pace was perfect. The chicken noodle soup was amazing, and I gobbled up the yellow curry with shrimp. YUM! And I had the satisfaction of beating Tim 2 out of 3 games of Yazy while we waited for our meal to arrive.

Coming back to the medical center the traffic was not quite as horrific. I arrived at my appointment early in hopes of an earlier chemo time. Well…no such luck. My appointment was at 2:15, which was exactly when they called me back. The drip didn’t actually get started until after 3:15. I ducked into the cafe to get an afternoon snack to take with me. I was glad to see they are finally stocked with some goodies that aren’t plant-based. I prefer the orange ones, but I’m not complaining.

Now, here I sit, getting my first bag of chemo (Perjeta), sporting my new t-shirt in honor of the Christmas spirit.

Last bag is now dripping. I am getting my last infusion of the year. It is treatment round number 73. That’s about how old I feel at times 😂😂. I’ve seen procedures changed multiple times in the nine years I have been coming here. All for the better, I’m sure. For example, Herceptin now has to be covered by a dark brown bag shown here, as they discovered it is light-sensitive. They can only bring one drug at a time. They used to be able to do all of them at once.

These little blue covers are new. They clamp over the chemo connector. Apparently there was some leakage (yikes!), so this makes the connector more secure. My nurse told me I should see them from now on.

I’m almost finished with the drip at this moments as I finish up this blog post. Tomorrow I will have the last scans of the year. Since they typically access my port for that, I asked my nurse to use the bigger gauge needle for chemo today. As soon as my machine beeps and she unhooks me, I’ll get to go. I will keep the line in until tomorrow, so I won’t have to get poked again and save time on the scans.

À la prochaine. Until next time…

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Five Years!

Here at MD Anderson for my oncology check-up. I was first diagnosed with breast cancer nine years ago this month. The second time (stage 4) I was diagnosed was five years ago this month. Always right before Christmas 🎄. I was secretly hoping to avoid any scans before Christmas, but he wants them done before the end of the year, even better since copays start over in January.

I come in to see the doc about every three or four months. Everything is still good right now. He schedules my chem and imaging, and refills my prescriptions. As of now, my blood looks good and imaging is good. It’s been about six months since my last imaging so we will do that before the year ends.

Update: Scans are scheduled for Friday, December 17th. Then, hopefully we will only receive good news Christmas week.

They are always very encouraging whenever I come in here. I love my doctors and all the people who see me at MD Anderson. Every time I come I see a lot of people, including the phlebotomist who draws my blood, the tech who takes my vitals, the nurse who knows me by name and asks lots of personal questions, the physician assistant who checks my heart and lungs, and the medical oncologist. They are like family and friends and they genuinely seem to care. I will be on round 70-something next week, so we’ve been connected for a while now. I am so thankful for my team of experts who are keeping me alive.

God is not a God of statistics…

FIVE years! FIVE! I’ve lived to see five more Christmases. We made it! God is good. My husband has been there beside me the whole time, and I couldn’t have done it without his support. To put it into perspective, only 20-30% of women who are diagnosed MBC live five years, with the average being about three. The numbers are hard to track, because there isn’t a good tracking system nationwide. So that’s the best we know.

Also as a point of interest (and a shameless plug), “only 2%-5% of funds raised for breast cancer research is focused on research for the already metastasized patient.” Much more research needs to be done to better understand this disease. Metavivor is my favorite organization, since 100% their donated funds go to research.

As a friend of ours reminded us nine years ago this month after I was first diagnosed, “God is not a God of statistics.” Only He knows the future. He is the supernatural healer and certainly defies the odds. I trust Him.

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Still Stable

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As I sit here waiting for chemo, I was thinking back over the events of the past couple of weeks. In the month of May we have experienced the joy of a new grand baby held in our arms (#5), time with two of our grands as they visited the dentist, a long ride on the Harley through the Ozarks, fun and many card games with friends, a trip to Dallas for maintenance repairs on the Airstream, an escape room with our friends who are moving to Florida, a nest full of baby Carolina wrens on our back porch to also make me smile (5 as well), Top Golf and dinners with friends from our Harley Chapter, my hubby’s new clean-shaven face, and the ever-present cancer scans.

Life is an adventure!

CT and Bone Scans. Scans are usually a half-day occurrence. In spite of the seeming gravity of the situation, this has become a bit routine. Clear liquid fast for a few hours. Access port. Draw some blood. Drink the contrast tea. Inject the nuclear tracer for the bones. Wait a bit while drinking the tea. CT scan of chest, abdomen and pelvis (the contrast gives you a very warm feeling and makes you think you are going to wet yourself 😜). Go eat lunch and wait another hour or so for the tracer to get to the bones. Whole body bone scan (that contrast does not make you feel like you will wet yourself).

Wait for results. (I usually forget to look; it is that routine.)

Admittedly, I was a little nervous when I saw these results show up in MyChart last night. The bones are fine, with no progression. But the CT showed a couple of new lesions in the lung. They are very tiny (about 2 and 4 mm) but there nonetheless. I knew I would see the doctor today so I waited to ask. No need to panic and waste time worrying. I’ve learned that lesson the hard way. But it does make one pause and think for a moment.

What happens next? When progression occurs, there is often talk about different treatment protocols. Metastatic breast cancer is not curable but it is treatable, until there is no longer a treatment option available. Right now, I’m on the first line of treatment for triple positive breast cancer. I don’t want to change. I don’t like change. I’m perfectly happy with the status quo. I like this protocol just fine. I know what to expect, and my body tolerates it well. It’s only every three weeks. We are able to travel and enjoy life. Much life. I don’t really notice the effects of treatment. I could handle this for the rest of my life. If this one fails, we have to mark it off the list. I pray this one does not fail.

Before I went to sleep I asked the Lord for nothing to change.

My prayers were answered!

Do not be surprised when the Lord answers prayers. Expect it to happen!

My doctor is great. I can’t say enough positive things about him and his team. The nurses and physician assistant took time to talk to me, small talk as well as answer any questions I had. Long story short, they are not concerned with very small spots like the ones on this scan. They are too small to biopsy. Too small to tell whether they are even cancer. It could be residual effects from the lung infection I had a few weeks ago. No change in treatment. Continue as is, and follow-up with more scans in three months.

My oncologist recalled the first time I came in, nearly five years ago. I had a large mass on my ribcage. Mets were found multiple places throughout my body. He talked about how far we have come since then. He thinks I am a walking miracle, and no less. We chatted a bit more about kids and grandkids, and how easy it is to spoil them when we can send them home.

The question most prominent in my brain was the last to come out of my mouth. Does this mean I’m still stable? Yes! Your body is still stable. That’s what I wanted to hear‼️ ❤️❤️

I praise the LORD for answering my prayers and saving me. 

Psalm 118:21

Thank you again prayer warriors, for all your continued prayers. I don’t think I could do this without you! Your prayers are answered every time I step foot here, and every step in between. My mind is at peace, and I know God is taking care of me. I may have a momentary blip in the radar from time to time that makes me ponder, but then I am reminded of God’s goodness, and of you who have me on your daily prayer list. Thank you for your continued perseverance! You encourage me with your constant support. It’s hard to keep at it for so long! Yet, you know this thing could turn any time, and you know that prayer is what keeps it from doing so, and thus you pray.

Thank you!

I started this blog with several memories. In just a couple of weeks we have experienced so much life. I can’t imagine my life being any less full than it already is! It is so full, I sometimes forget to write about it, until some cancer-related incident interrupts me. My body is still stable. I am living with cancer. More importantly…I am living.

Á la prochaine…until next time!

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Pyogenic Granuloma Surgery

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Pyoge…what?

Yeah, that’s exactly what I thought when my podiatrist told me. It’s a benign tumor of sorts, where blood vessels connect together and cause swelling as well as other problems. Women are more prone, and people on chemotherapy are also more prone to these issues.

Chemo…the culprit!

I have been struggling with my toes, toenails, and fingernails ever since I started receiving chemotherapy in 2013. I’ve already had surgery once to my left big toe to deal with severe ingrown toenails; but, I wasn’t actually expecting another surgical procedure.

I scheduled this appointment a few weeks ago, after waiting to see if they would get better. It never did. I won’t go into all the gross details because you can google it and see as many hideous pictures as your heart desires. Consider yourself forewarned!

Two toes bandaged in the picture were problematic. I couldn’t get the bleeding to stop on most occasions, or it would take a long time to stop. My toes are very swollen. The infection appeared to be taking over my left foot, and it was hurting to walk. So my primary doctor gave me an antibiotic (Reflex) last week. That was a good move, apparently, as these things can get out of hand very quickly.

I’m happy to say, it felt much better within a couple of days. The swelling in my foot went down and the pain went away. Praise God!

I need my feet, and my toes. I have enough trouble with balance as it is. I think I’ll keep them.

🤣🤪😜🤪😜😂

The surgery entailed numbing the toes, scraping out the tumor, and cauterizing the blood vessels. It’s all done in-office, and my appointment was over within an hour. I really like this podiatrist. He explains everything in detail, and has a good bedside manner as well. His staff are very friendly as well.

I learned something else today. Medicare covers a routine exam by the podiatrist every 10 weeks. Why? Because it helps prevent these kinds of things from happening. I will be on Medicate starting next year. At least, that is what I’m told since it will be 24 months since I was approved for SSDI.

Apparently, they learned from me too. I do love the fact I can still teach. I may not be teaching doctoral learners or counselors at the university as a faculty, but I am constantly educating people about metastatic breast cancer, stage 4, and what that means in terms of my treatment.

Public Service Announcement: If you have diabetes or neuropathy, you need to go more frequently to get your toenails clipped. Insurance covers this as well, because foot problems can result in very serious issues if left unchecked.

À la prochaine…Until next time…

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Canceled

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No, I’m not talking about the current cancel culture, although that would be a lively blog I’m sure. I’m writing about my infusion, which was supposed to take place today.

We had some wicked snow storms in Texas last week. It is the worse I’ve ever seen it. We got several inches and built a snowman! The snow stayed on the ground all week. MD Anderson was closed the entire week.

I can only assume they have been a bit behind on paperwork. I was caught in the cracks as my yearly pre-authorization was up and needed to be renewed. They tried to get the pre-authorization from my insurance company, but could not get it in time for treatment. We are leaving on a trip, so we won’t be able to get it until March. Then we have to reload…

It is what it is. It will be six weeks between treatments, but I feel fine. So I am not worried.

À la prochaine … until next time.

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Double Vision and Prism

I just got a call from my radiation oncologist. My brain MRI came back clean. No new lesions or growth. I’m on an every 4 month schedule now. Praise the Lord!

On another note, I saw my optometrist who said I have double vision. Maybe I’ve had this a while. In the past I said, “yes” when asked if I was seeing two charts next to each other, but I never told him one was higher than the other. Note to self…point out the obvious, even if they don’t ask. He asked if the charts are side by side. Well, they were, but they weren’t aligned vertically. I pointed this out and then he said, “let’s talk about that.” So, now I have a new prescription for glasses with prism. 🤓

I’ve been out of glasses for a few years now, due to cataract surgery (except I do need readers). I was a bit disappointed with the prospect of wearing glasses 24-7 again, but at least now I won’t have to look for my readers!

That likely explains the occasional dizziness. 😔 I’ve never heard of a prism issue. He said I probably lean my head to the side to compensate, so I maybe never really noticed. This could account for the neck and shoulder pain. I recall a chiropractor telling me I lean my head to one side way back in early 2000s. He said it was a back alignment issue, and adjusted me. Who knows? Like I said, maybe I’ve had this a while. Or maybe it’s new.

The two are likely not related, although brain issues can impact vision. My radiational oncologist is going to send the MRI result to my optometrist and see if he needs anything else. MD Anderson does a whole brain MRI with and without contrast whenever they do it. Next time they do the MRI they would look at the areas closest to my eyes more closely if they think this is a problem. It is not likely a brain issue. It is probably the muscles around my eyes…due to getting old or perhaps due to chemo. It may be totally unrelated to cancer.

Who knows…it’s always a mystery as to how chemo affects the rest of the body.

Á la prochaine…until next time.

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