Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Latest Visit to Scanland

Uggghhh. I hate cancer. I am sitting here in Chapel Hill at the end of a three day scan marathon. Monday consisted of 3 visits to the bone scanner with an add-on visit to the oncologist squeezed in because I was having problems with abdominal pain, bloating, and just generally not feeling well. I was supposed to get a samarium treatment this week. That got cancelled because my nuclear medicine doc feared "complications."

Tuesday was even more fun. I got a CT scan following morning fasting, of my entire body. That was followed by a visit to the MRI for a brain MRI. At least with that, when I fall asleep and twitch, my head can't move anywhere because you're squeezed in like Hannibel Lector. Every day I have been walking to and from the hospital because I am carless (for the benefit of all of the citizens of Chapel Hill!!!!).

Today,I had a visit with my pain medicine provider and my oncologist to go over the results of the scans. The bad news: It looks like I now am the not so proud owner of a bunch of small liver mets. They should not be causing me a lot of problems right now but treatment is limited -- when there is more than one like that, treatment usually involves hormonals or more chemo (yuck). Oh, and the bone mets have grown both in number and in size. So, off the faslodex and back on tamoxifen. At least I will not have any more shots in the rear.

Funny, I was all by myself today (not generally advised when you suspect you might receive bad news but unavoidable this week) and I really did not get upset to hear the news about the liver mets. I guess when the news is fairly predictable it is hard to be surprised or sad.

Coincidentally, today is my FOUR YEAR CANCERVERSARY!!!!!! That means it is 4 years since I was first diagnosed with this blasted disease!!!! So, no matter what, I've made it 4 years. Cancer can just stick it. I will have to celebrate with the family when I get home!!

God is good and somehow, this is part of his plan. We just do not know what yet.............

Love to you all!

Sofie