I prepped on Thursday (I already blogged about that fun process š), and I had a colonoscopy yesterday š³. 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 š.) 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 bestway 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 š«, 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…šš
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 š¤·āāļø. 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 š“š“. 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.
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. š„° 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 reallyhits. 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. š«š 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. šš
Nearly a year has passed since the launch of my first children’s book. It takes a while to get to that point. And thereās that whole pandemic thing that got in the way as well. But we finally did it in March of 2021. Yay!
I donāt work on site, and my publisher is over 1,000 miles away. Everything we do is via email and phone calls. Sadly, during the week of my release, my editor quit. She just walked in and said goodbye, so I was told. No notices or anything. That says enough about her character, but she had also made a lot of promises on which she failed to follow through. Those promises were in my contract, fortunately.
They waited to do some of the marketing since the libraries were closed, schools were closed, and it didnāt make sense to market a book where no one would have access to it. So here we are, a year later. The publisher has decided the best way to fulfill their obligation, and to get my book out to market, is to do a re-release.
I am pleased to announce that process has begun. Today! February 1st.
Sooooo, they are doing it right this time. At least that’s what they tell me! The Kindle version will be on sale for $1.99 for two weeks, starting February 1st. Look for it there! If you would kindly purchase the Kindle version, or if you already purchased the book through Amazon, would you kindly take a moment to please write a review. I am shooting for at least ten reviews on Amazon. I would be EXTREMELY GRATEFUL! I hope they are all good reviews, but of course all feedback is welcome.
Finding a publisher, for those who are interested.
It’s a daunting task finding a publisher, to be honest. All the well-known publishers want celebrities (or their ghost writers) who guarantee millions of sales. They wonāt accept a new author, and certainly not someone who is virtually āunknown,ā as they are taking on a big risk since they pay up front for an author to write the book. Now that self-publishing is so much more popular, many authors choose to take that route rather than waiting for a traditional publisher to accept their manuscript.
When I published my first book, Mastering Test Anxiety, my co-author and I decided to publish with a professional counseling organization (ASCA, American School Counseling Association), as a way to give back to the professional community. They were looking for a book to add to their school counselor resource series. Although we are not school counselors, we are counseling professionals. We knew this book would greatly benefit children who were suffering from test anxiety as well as math anxiety. All royalties from that book went to ASCA.
My second book,Ā The Breast Cancer Journey: Stories of Hope With Action Items for Survival, was self-published through Westbow Press. This book was a compilation of stories from various breast cancer survivors, to help other survivors on their journey. Westbow Press is a division of the better-known publisher, Thomas Nelson and Zondervan. Overall, they did a good job with that book, and many people have been helped because of it. My co-author and I paid up front for publishing and design costs. We then bought books and sold them, to recoup some of that cost.
I turned all the royalties over to MD Anderson, to further research on cancer. Once my books were all sold, and I nearly broke even, I didnāt continue to buy any more. People can still get them on Amazon. Westbow seemed more interested in selling books to the author, rather than doing the marketing for the book in other venues. To get marketing supportāyou got itāyou have to pay for another package.
A true self-publishing company, Westbow asked for more money at every step of the process. We could accept or decline, but authors are very limited as to how much support you get from a purely self-publishing company. I already mentioned marketing. Hereās another example. We had two reviews of the cover design. If we didnāt like it the second time, we would have had to pay for another revision. Fortunately, we liked it the second time. But thatās a lot of risk when you donāt know the designers you are working with. Additionally, you have to pay for an editor. We decided to hire an outside editor rather than use one through Westbow. (I could write a whole blog about editors, which Iāll save for later.)
That brings me to my third book, One Day I Tried to Rhyme a Word With Onomatopoeia. This was my first childrenās picture book, with full-color illustrations. Itās the first book in a series, or āI can say big wordsā series. Some of the words may or may not have six syllables, although that was the original intent. I didnāt want to go fully self-published with Westbow, as I felt the marketing and other services were lacking. I wanted a bit more support along with my up-front costs. I really wanted a traditional publisher to take it on, to get the marketing, editorial support, as well as illustrative supportive, but traditional publishers are not accepting unsolicited manuscripts, and unwilling to take the risk.
I did some searching and finally landed on a company called Atlantic Publishing, out of Ocala Florida. We visited their location while we were there, toured the warehouse of books, talked with their editors and support folks. They seemed legit. They seemed genuinely interested in selling my books, not just selling my books to me. Some might say they are vanity press, but they are known as a āhybridā publisher. Their claim as a traditional publisher is to provide you with all the traditional supports, but they do not take on the risk. So, authors pay up front for the publishing process, then sales come later. I felt like I had a much better publishing experience with Atlantic than I did with Westbow. They provided me with an editor who stuck with me through the process. She found an illustrator (gave me several choices). We were able to make multiple revisions to the illustrations until I felt they were right. Yes, I had to pay for the illustrator, so that was an added expense, but it was worth it.
I recently learned that the owner of Atlantic Publishing passed away in mid-December. His brother is working on making the company strong again. I have hopes they will do so, but I seemed to fall through the cracks when my editor left and covid hit. So, I am waiting to see what will happen with the re-launch as to whether or not I will go with them again.
Now, on to the next project. I am working on two more childrenās books at this writing. They are both sequels, per se, although one will be a chapter book from the older brotherās perspective. They are going camping in an Airstream Travel Trailer with their grandparents, and oh, itās lots of fun! The other book is another rhyming six-syllable book like Onomatopoeia. It will look like the first one in terms of colors and size with the same characters. It will be a picture book as well.
Where I publish these two books is still a bit of a mystery. Atlantic is still working on righting their ship, so I have lost a little confidence in them at this point. (If they offered me a contract, I would certainly take it.) Iām debating on using KDP, which is Amazonās publisher, because it wonāt cost me anything to publish and then I can put more of my emphasis on marketing.
If you have any suggestions, or opinions on where to publish, Iād love to hear your comments below!
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.
As I sit in front of my laptop watching the traffic outside of Panera Bread, I’m reminded of a road trip we took a few years ago with our two oldest grand-daughters. We took them to Arkansas to visit their great-mama (Tim’s mom). About half-way there, Alison (about four at the time) said in quite an emphatic voice, “I’m boring!”
Tim and I gave each other that quizzical, “what did she just say?” gaze, then busted into a gut-wrenching laugh as the translation to “I’m bored” settled in beneath the lightbulb. From that moment on, we no longer feel bored. Instead, from time to time we tell each other, “I’m boring.”
I don’t know why I’m particularly boring right now. I had a nice walk, it’s a beautiful day, I chatted with a friend, enjoyed a great salad and read some interesting stories. I have several hobbies, I’m learning a new language, and I’m working on some new books.
I sat in front of my computer and pondered, “what now?”
Perhaps I’m just a bit unmotivated rather than bored. However, this feeling did send me on a journey to read Healthline’s “Causes and Treatments for Boredom,” as well as “8 Reasons Why You Are So Easily Bored,” in Psychology Today. (Hmmm, there was a mention of autism. Perhaps I’m on the spectrum š³.) And I read WebMD’s “Signs of Boredom.”
I also recalled some information about boredom from my marriage and family training. In the Prepare/Enrich assessment, individuals and couples are assessed on a number of factors. Stress is one of them. Stress is a curvilinear factor. What this means is: too little or too much stress can lead to a lack of production or even dysfunction. Too much stress can lead to anxiety, or depression. Boredom occurs when we have too little stress in our lives. We need just the right amount of stress to keep us moving, feel good, and accomplish our goals.
Now that I’m on a roll, it’s time to look at what the Scriptures have to say on the subject. Interestingly enough, the word “boredom” doesn’t appear in the Bible. If you search for it, you will find multitudes of passages where a woman “bore” a child, and where Jesus “bore our sins on the cross.” I would hardly equate these to boredom! Moving on…
Many Proverbs describe boredom in terms of laziness, and slothfulness. You know the sloth, the cutest (always smiling) creature that can barely move because it is sooooooo tired.
Hmmm. Not sure I like that one. I love the sloth and one day I want to see one in person, but I don’t want to be one. He could probably use a bit more stress in his life. I don’t want to be like the sloth unless my stress level gets too high, and then some sloth advice might come in handy. For example, “don’t hurry, be happy,” “hang in there,” “sometimes doing nothing is time well spent,” and “don’t quit; keep climbing.” But when I am boring, it is probably not the best time to sit and contemplate the sloth’s guidance on life.
Other Scriptures tell us what to do to overcome boredom. Paul directs us to serve the Lord with zeal, and not to be lazy in our service. I’ll tuck that one into my hip pocket for sure. I never want to be a sloth when it comes to serving the Lord. Here’s what Paul says in Romans.
Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.
Romans 12:11 (ESV)
Be fervent, he says. Merriam Webster defines fervent as 1.very hot, or glowing, like the fervent sun, and 2. exhibiting or marked by great intensity of feeling, or zealous. When’s the last time you were on fire for Christ?
One way to overcome boredom is to do something different. Bump up the stress level just a little bit. Take on a new challenge. Find another purpose for the moment, the day, or this season of life. Look for something that brings back that zeal. Paul says to be fervent in spirit. I asked myself, “How can I change what I’m doing to very hot? Glowing? What can I do to increase the intensity of feeling, and become zealous in serving the Lord?”
Hence, this blog. I decided to do something productive with the feeling of boredom, rather than turn to social media or some other addictive game I might otherwise choose to play. I am here to serve the Lord by serving you, my readers. I hope you can see a glow, even if it is a very small flicker of a candle. At least now I can honestly say, I’m no longer “boring.”
Ć la prochaine…see you next time!
Do you ever feel bored? Leave a comment below and let us know what you do to overcome it. Your email address is only used to ensure you are a real person. Or to send you a Christmas card at the end of the year. Well, that is if I take the time to send them out. Well, maybe if I am boring at the time.
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. š³ 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.
Interesting. “Blessed Assurance” is playing on the speaker. In Panera Bread! š„° 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. š¶āš«ļø I am truly hoping 2022 will turn out better once we are back on schedule.
Whew! Another year is gone, and a New Year has come. 2021 seemed to fly by like a bullet train, especially after the snail’s pace with which we met 2020. We all thought it would be a better year. We had high hopes for 2021. Somehow we thought it would rush in like Superman and save the day.
Well, the pandemic stuck around and even brought some nasty variants. It did seem to have some rough patches, but as I looked back through the year I discovered 21 milestones/achievements/new experiences. Some of it is personal, and some of it we did as a team. Here is my 2021 year in review…
Read the whole Bible using a Bible Plan on YouVersion. At times I fell behind, but I managed to catch up and I DID IT!
Lost some weight–about eleven pounds this year.
Finished in the top tier on Duolingo, and completed a 602 day streak (learning French).
Walked 203 miles (that we counted).
Spent about 40+ nights in the Airstream: north Texas (Grapevine) at the AS workshop, Bridgeport, Lake Whitney, west Texas (Odessa), south Texas (Donna), and the Jetstream RV Resort at NASA, (south Houston).
Took three long trips on my motorcycle, and a fourth on the back of Tim’s. Earned my 100,000 mile patch. Rode over 10,000 miles through 23 states this year alone. We have accomplished our domestic motorcycle bucket list. Time to do some fly and rides!
Served as a CNS officer (editor).
Painted feature walls and upgraded our shower. Turned our guest room into a playroom for the grandchildren. Sold our bikes and reclaimed our garage.
Awarded a research fellowship and attended our first residency at Villanova University.
Bought a Mini Cooper, then traded and upsized to the Countryman.
Our fifth grand baby Mikayla was born! We also learned we are expecting #6! Spent a lot of precious time with the grandkids last year.
Tested positive for Covid-19, Omicron variant. Yucky stuff!
Sat in a DeLorean time machine!
Fostered and rescued a dog.
Tim started a new job, and ended his work with TXM.
Published my first children’s book. We published a second book for sermon notes as well.
Wrote a few songs.
Cooked some new meals.
Watched a Carolina Wren raise her babies.
Completed our first Escape Room.
Big SNOW in Conroe that lasted a whole week in February.
I suppose I could add one more…stayed alive. I have made it to the five year mark since my metastatic breast cancer diagnosis, a day many professionals didn’t think we would see. I’ve already blogged about that, but it is certainly a milestone!
Our theme word for 2022 is “simplify.” We have already begun looking at the calendar and making plans for the new year. I am hopeful this year will be better than the last two. However, looking back on all we have experienced in 2021, I can’t complain.
Forget what happened before…I’m making a new thing.
Like I said in my last post…I wanted to wait until next year to get scanned. “Just in case.” I’m not anticipating bad news or anything. And I’m not worried. I’ve done this for a long time now. But, it seems whenever they find progression it’s always in December, right before Christmas. I really to find a way to schedule it differently in the future.
Have you ever wondered what it’s like on scan day? Today I decided to give you a little tour. So I recorded the various steps, just for those of you who take the time to read my blog. Feel free to leave a comment here or on the video!
š¼š¶Christmastime is here! Happiness and cheer! Bringing lots of traffic jams from Interstate to here… š¼š¶ Chemo’s in the air. Beeping everywhere. Nurses by their patient’s side. And many memories there.š¹šµ
Ahhh. The music of Christmas. š 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!š³š³) 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 š¤Ŗš.
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 šš. 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.
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. Itās 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! Iāve 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), “onlyĀ 2%-5%Ā 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.
. 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.