aLive @ Stage 4!

So, you saw my post about Wednesday's cardiology appointment. Since then, this: Thursday morning I went to the dental school in Baltimore to pick up my temporary partial. I drove myself. Had to stop once to rest my eyes and stretch. Overall it was a great appointment, even though the student I was seeing graduated and will no longer be there. I stopped for a quick lunch on the way home, and another doctor's appointment. I need to see my gynecologist yearly not just for the regular reasons, but because with Tamoxifen I'm at risk for ovarian cancer.  Everything was fine at that appointment,  nothing to worry about.  Thursday was a full, long day. Yesterday, I had a 1:30 appointment with my new dental team. I have a friend who is not a dental hygienist like I thought, but is a CDA (Certified Dental Assistant), who does so much more than a hygienist does. I had never thought to go to her dental office because it's in DC. Well, with my health issues, not being...

As I may have told you before, there are specialists that I'm to see at least once a year for routine monitoring.  I haven't been very good at that.  Today I saw my Cardiologist for the first time in, well, let's say it's been well over a year.  To refresh your memory, one of the medications that I routinely receive, Herceptin, is known to cause heart trouble. We talked about my current  medications and I told her about how Dr. Pohlman (my oncologist) and I have been talking about adjusting them, which we will talk about again at my visit next week, and hopefully put into place.  More details on that next week, if we actually do it. We talked about an exercise and healthy eating plan.  The weight loss is secondary though, although I have high hopes that it will happen.  The focus, the goal, is having the heart, lungs, and muscles working together.  She thinks that this will help with my exhaustion levels.   She gave me an eating plan...

Since my diagnosis over three years ago, I have been very open about my situation.  I have shared my story as it unfolds for a few reasons.  The most selfish reason is that I need your support.  I would not have gotten through these past few years without the outpouring of love from my community, my village. The other reason is this:  I sincerely hope that it helps you help your loved one who has cancer, or any health issue.  By sharing what I'm going through, my hope is that you understand a little bit better what your loved one is going through.  If you have cancer, my hope is that by sharing what I'm going through, you will be better prepared with what to expect with your treatment, side effects, life as a cancer patient. Since my diagnosis, a few people have reached out to me.  Some have put their loved ones in touch with me.  Some have contacted me directly.  I help the best that I can.  There's not much I can do financially or ph...