7 years

Well this year it went by without even a thought but Sunday 7.24.11 marked 7 years since I was diagnosed with ( stage 2 ) BC the first time.  I always celebrated that as my " Life Day" . Now I guess I have a new one, March 8 ( which is when I was diagnosed with stage 0 ) Just another day to celebrate.
Please anyone seeing this get your mammogram it truly does save lives.
God Bless
Lah

4 week check up

Gosh can you believe it has been 4 weeks since I finished radiation? Me either. I saw Dr.MaKay today she is my radiation oncologist and she said everything looks great I am healing well , Thank you God. I did tell her of some discomfort I experience and she said that is perfectly normal and she is pleased with how I am progressing. So I feel good with that. She also assured me that the medical oncologist I will be seeing ( Dr. Gayle  [ I think] and not sure if that is a first or last name) is a nice lady and " good" since my current medical oncologist Dr. Tipping is retiring { how dare he :) } All is well and I will be posting again after my next Dr.Visit please continue to check in. I hope this is helping others as much as it is me.
God Bless
Lah

Yesterday's oncology visit.

Well I was very inpatient yesterday, when I finally got in to the doctors office ( which was right on time, I was just early cause I was anxious to get this Holiday weekend started) I sat there for 20 minutes in his office, finally I opened the door to ask how much longer he was going to be  and he was at the desk doing paper work. He came in and asked if I had to use  the rest room ( really???) I smiled and said I'd be ok until we were done. He asked how I was and then said Here is where we talk about Hormone Therapy.. He gave me 2 choices ( Last time I was on Arimidex and can't do that again) My first choice ( and he and my surgeon recommended  this ) was Tamoxifen I did not want to go on this 7 years ago because a side effect is uterine cancer, the other choice was a fairly new drug Aromasin ( Exemestane )  and according to the Doc didn't have much for side effects. I decided on that one because the Tamoxifen still scares me. He then said we have one other thing to discuss " I am retiring ... :( ( sad face because I really like him for a oncologist) So I am getting a new oncologist, not only will she be new to me but she is new to the Marshfield Clinic.
 So I get to the Pharmacy to pick up the RX and the Pharmacist tells me one of the side effects may be hair loss, bad but not as bad as possibly getting uterine cancer, then he said good thing you have insurance. your co pay is ( are you ready for this) $96.00 and change) after I picked my jaw up off the floor he said this is what it would be with out insurance $348.00 and change) That is per month for 5 years , in short a huge chunk of change.  I swallowed my pride and asked how much Tamoxifen would be and he said considerably less because it comes in generic form, he then said if you want to wait and talk to your doctor you can do that but once you leave with it , it is yours. So I left with out it called the doctor and I am now on a 5 year course of Tamoxifen. :(   ( My co pay with the Tamoxifen is $5) Reading the side effects this morning not only is uterine cancer one but so are Stroke, Heart Attack, Blood Clots and other less severe ones. Jeekers is it worth it????
Have a great and Safe 4 of July.
God Bless
Lah