aLive @ Stage 4!

Scanxiety is the anxiety that builds up before a medical test, and even more while awaiting the results of said test. Last Friday, I had a routine every-three-month CT scan, and a routine every-six-month bone scan. They're keeping an eye to make sure those pesky cancer cells don't get bigger and/or appear anywhere else. I haven't heard from my doctor, and I'm in the no-news-is-good-news camp. That being said, scanxiety is a very real thing. Until I hear good news from my doctor or see it on the report, there's always that little voice in the back of my head.... So yesterday while I was receiving my regular treatment, I asked the nurse to print out the reports for me.  Here's the bottom line: CT Scan results:   CT Scan results looking at the lung mets we're keeping an eye on: Bone Scan results: Needless to say, I breathed a huge sigh of relief when I read the reports.  I'm good for another three months.  😊

In my post the other day ( It's Not All Pretty Pink Ribbons ), I mentioned the medications that I'm on now that chemo and surgery are over.  Not only was I a little remiss in my description (thank you, ladies, for pointing out my error), when I corrected it, it still seems a little fuzzy.  Let me try to clear it up here. In conjunction with my chemo medication, I was also given Herceptin (transtuzumab) and Perjeta (pertuzumab).  Now that chemo is over, I still am on Herceptin and Perjeta.  I will be taking these meds (every three weeks, via infusion) for the rest of my life, or until they stop working and we need to try something else.  Here's a good way of explaining what they do, from breastcancer.org : "Herceptin works by attaching itself to the HER2 receptors on the surface of breast cancer cells and blocking them from receiving growth signals. By blocking the signals, Herceptin can slow or stop the growth of the breast cancer." Also, from  bre...