Just an Update!

Hi!
I know that it has been a few weeks since my last update and I apologize, but I am back to work and crazier than ever!

I had a Doctors appointment with Dr. K (my oncologist) on Monday. 3 Months since my last chemo treatment (crazy!!) She said that I look great. She loves my soft (short) hair. I told her that I haven't been sleeping (due to the Tamoxifen hot flashes), and she gave me two options. I could either take an anti-depressant (low-dose) or a high blood pressure pill. Both seem to counter-act the effects of hot flashes. I chose the anti-depressant (who couldn't use a happy pill right?) but honestly... I don't want to mess with my blood pressure. I asked if I could take a "Tamoxifen Vacation" (where I stop taking it for about a week and then start taking it again (to clear it out of my system). She said that I cannot afford to be without if for any length of time. With my cancer, the Tamoxifen is actually doing more to hold back the cancer then the chemo did (well hell, couldn't we have just put me on that and then I wouldn't have lost my hair!!??)

All in all a good appointment.

Update on me....
I am doing okay, I am catching everything my daughters have (Dr. K says a bad immune system due to chemo for at least a year). So I have a sinus infection, a cold, had pink eye on Tuesday and a weird rash all over my body (I think this is a reaction to the flu vaccine I had Monday). But other than that (hahaha) I am doing okay.

I am trying to feel like myself again. It is amazing how much of yourself you can loose when you have new titles... Wife, mother, employee, cancer patient, now survivor. Don't get me wrong I love all my titles (okay, I could have done with out the cancer patient title) but I wanted to do something that allowed me to be Laurie Jo again. So...

I started dance again. I have ballet class on Monday nights (Adult class) and it is fantastic!! My teacher, Melissa is really awesome! I am felling better (would even more if I could get rid of about 50 lbs), but I love it!! Once cheerleading and marching band is over in November, I am going to also go to a lyrical/jazz class on a different night. It is so wonderful for me to be getting back into this!!

Oh, and for those of you new to me? I started dance when I was 4, took until I was 13 (then moved to MD, where it was uber-expensive) then started back when I was 22 and danced until I was 28. I love it.

So that is what is going on with me.. I hope everyone is doing good and don't forget the Race for the Cure is in Baltimore on October 18!!

GO TEAM LJ!!!

My 6 Month Follow-Up

September 3, 2009

I met with my surgeon (Dr. A) for my 6 month follow-up today. I brought all my films with me. I they said that they needed the current mammogram films and the prior ones. I didn't know exactly what "prior" they wanted (the ones with the wires hanging out of my boob, or the one before the surgery), so I brought them all.

My appointment was at 9:15am. I sat there with only one other lady. I was called back pretty quick and sat in the room until Dr. A was finished looking at the films (I assume). She came in all smiles and told me that my films looked good. She did a full breast exam for both breasts and then said I looked wonderful and healing very nicely and she would see me in 6 more months.

At that time I would have a bi-lateral (both sides) MRI done and a left sided mammogram.

That was it. Easy - peasy.

Lets hope that that is how all my appointments will go for the rest of my life.

Oh, and my Mom wanted to me to take a picture of my hair growing back....

Me and all my glory...

It is really growing in nicely. Of course it is not as fast, full or curly as I had hoped, but it is coming in.