I keep waiting to post an update until I have something to share, but it appears that may never happen. I guess I better just go with what I know ... which is frustratingly little. I'll put the inadequacies of my cancer knowledge acquisition into categories for your convenience.
Medication:
I've been taking Arimidex for two and a half weeks now, so only 4 years and 50 weeks to go! (Although, they have warned me that by the time we get to the five-year mark, it's probable that the recommendation will be a course of 10 years instead of a mere 5.) Apparently early results of several studies show that an additional 260 weeks may be beneficial. We shall see.
I'm managing it fairly well at the moment. The first week was tough. I was so weak and tired that I had a hard time walking down the hall to the copy machine. During a team meeting one day I started upright but became progressively slumpier (it's a word. I just coined it.) as the discussion progressed. By the 40-minute mark, I had morphed into a sea cucumber sporting business casual and testing the limits of my ergonomic chair. They sent me home. It was probably a good choice.
DEXA Scan:
Monday, I had a dual energy X-ray absorptiometry test to get a base line for my bone density. It was no big deal, unlike some of the other scans I have had involving contrast dye or I.V. radioisotopes. I was not told that I could not fly after my DEXA scan for fear of setting off metal detectors with my very self. So, that's good, I guess.
What wasn't good was that the technician seemed to be a non-sensical mixture of an adult and a hyperactive toddler. She threw her arms up to accentuate a loud "YAY" upon learning that I had not accidentally swallowed any calcium or antacids in the last few hours. I was startled.
Then, after I was changed and ready to go, she inquired with entirely too much excitement for the occasion: "Are you ready to play?"
I wasn't, but it seemed rude and possibly ill-advised to say so.
The test was fine, but I didn't really have fun, which is the point of play as far as I understand it. So, I guess she isn't really that good at her job.
Radiation:
To radiate or not to radiate, that is the question. The answer remains elusive. We haven't heard back from radiation since my last post. As a review, it's up in the air, based on several things but mostly a second opinion from the Mayo Clinic. Hopefully that feedback will come soon.
Genetics:
We met with a genetic counselor on the 12th. She was very nice and spent a long time explaining genetic code, mutations, variants, sequencing, chromosomes, and all other things I have forgotten since high school. Genetic testing on cancer cells can help determine why cancer occurs and if it poses a risk to others in the family. There is a high chance that we will learn something really helpful, like I was born with a predisposition for cancer or I have an acquired gene mutation that caused my cancer and may continue to encourage abnormal cell growth. I'm pretty curious to see a report card on my cells' delinquencies.
Unfortunately, there is a lot of paperwork and arranging before the test can take place. So, although we spoke to her two weeks ago, I don't go in until this Friday to have the blood drawn for the testing. Once that is done, the sample will be sent to Utah visit a lab and possibly go on a hike in Zion National Park. We won't hear anything back for about a month ... presumably because climbing to the top of Angels Landing is terrifying and my blood might need a couple of tries to work up the courage.
Chemo:
I hate this part of the story. I still don't know if I'm having chemo. We're waiting on the results of a test called Oncotype DX. This report will tell us both the likelihood of recurrence of my specific cancer as well as the extent to which that recurrence percentage would be affected by chemotherapy. I was supposed to get this information last week. Then I was supposed to hear yesterday. Spoiler alert: I do not have the oncotype results.
To be fair, I did talk to the oncology office yesterday. Unfortunately, what they told me was not the results of the test. Instead, they shared that there had been a snag between the lab and the insurance company. This resulted in a three-week lag during which time nothing had been accomplished at all. Naturally, I was delighted.
I have been assured (and I obviously trust every medical detail that I'm told) that it shouldn't be another three week wait and that answers are imminent. I remain unconvinced.
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