I decided to start this blog to journal my thoughts and adventures in Stage 4 Breast Cancer land. The last few weeks have been a real roller coaster. Actually more like the Tower of Terror. I don't know if I'm coming or going, and trying to keep everything straight is really stressful. I was busy as it was, but now I have to add a bajillion doctor appointments, stabbings, zappings, scans, and who knows what else is coming. Today I saw the radiation oncologist and the fabulous Marvin. I am going to have 15 radiations, which is only 1/3 of the number of radiations I had with the original breast cancer. Marvin gave me 3 more "tattoos" bringing me to a total of 7. I am soooo tatted up lol. I should not have the same skin falling off issue as I had with the original radiations, which is good because it's going to be thru my stomach. I read the list of possible side effects you can get from the radiation, from UTI's to all kinds of scary things that no one wants to hear. I think the most that I will get is redness and some fatigue.
I think I should explain something, I am sure a lot of you that are not stuck in this cancer world, may have questions on. And you all know me, I am an open book, heck, more of a TMI person, so if you have any questions, let me know. I have breast cancer in my iliac crest - which is your hip bone. Now I am sure you are wondering, how can you get breast cancer in your hip?? Basically, a few of the cancer cells survived the chemo and radiation (like cockroaches) and were just joy riding around in my body,probably blasting some 80's hair band on their radio, looking for a place to hang. They finally found a good spot in my hip. The reason they like that spot is because there is a good blood supply there - a smorgasbord of food for them. So it's not bone cancer, it's Metastatic Breast Cancer, Stage 4. The marrow they removed during the biopsy had BC cells in them. This also means Tamoxifen didn't do it's job, so it got fired. I happily take it out of my pill box and say in my best Trump voice, "You're Fired!" My medical oncologist will give me something else, probably Femara, instead. Also will get a drug called Zometa, which is for old people, to rebuild bone. I hear the first infusion makes you feel like you have the flu really bad, something to look forward to, but I know that I should plan on taking the next day off of work.
I had a bone scan today, so I am kinda radioactive. They actually gave me a certificate thing that I have to carry with me in case I am stopped by Homeland Security for being radioactive. I am sure they are busy and not looking for this lady, but who knows. They did this scan to make sure that nothing more popped up since my PET scan. I guess I will be a frequent flyer in the bone scan machine. When I was having the scan, the tech was asking me if I had hurt that hip recently. I thought and thought then I remembered, when I was home with Abbie before she had her "independix" issue, I was trying to get up to use the tinkler, and my feet were caught up in the blankets and I literally fell out of bed, onto my knee, hard. I now remember I did tweak my hip a bit - could I have cracked it a little and that's all those little cockroaches needed to sneak in? I guess I will find out. Keeping my fingers crossed that this is the only "met" I ever have to deal with.
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