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A Bombshell – October 31, 2017

My appointment with the breast surgeon is at 1:30. I've been waiting since August for a surgery date at Kaiser's Woodland Hills Medical Center, and I'm getting impatient. I want to get the prophylactic mastectomy done this month, so I can recover over the course of December and early January, and be ready to travel again early next year. Travel is what I do, and I have many opportunities I'd like to take advantage of, but this as-yet unscheduled surgery/recovery…

Bits ‘n Pieces – January 29, 2017

Some random bits and pieces about my progress over the past couple of weeks: 1. Chemo I received the first infusion of my new and improved chemo regimen last Wednesday. I was pleased to see that this medicine is pink! Don't know why that made me happy, but it did. This drug is specifically formulated for patients for whom the platinum-based chemo drugs don't work - which is what has happened in my case. I think it's wonderful that they…

Thursday, January 12, 2017 – Ode to Joy

My husband, Scott, started piano lessons on Tuesday. The piece of music which he's practicing, over and over and over, is "Ode to Joy." It's a fitting title for this blog. You might think it odd for me to write about joy, since I reported last week the unwelcome news that, "the disease has progressed," as my doctor carefully articulated. (I'm noticing that doctors deftly avoid using the word 'cancer' whenever possible.) But today was such a beautiful day. It rained a lot here in…

Thursday, Oct 27 – Happy Birthday to Me!

It's my birthday. A few months ago, my calendar showed that I'd be flying to India today. How things change. How things we take for granted - like health - can sneak up and whack you (me) alongside the head and rock ones' world. India will wait. As will every other country in the world. They'll be there next year when I've tamed this cancer. Yesterday I completed my 8th chemo cocktail. Again, without suffering any negative side effects. I…

Sunday, Oct 16 – One-third through, Woo Hoo!

Wednesday was my 6th chemo treatment, out of 18. Two 3-week cycles complete, out of 6. I've completed one-third of the regimen! When I started chemo, I didn't delve too deep, didn't ask too many questions or do too much research because I didn't want to imprint all the horrid possibilities in my mind. The staff tried to prepare me with some basic information and guidelines. They told me that - with 100% certainty - that I would lose my…

Sunday, August 21 – Getting Anxious

Someone who knows me quite well sent an email a couple of days ago. "We've read your blogs and newsletters and sense that there may be more going on than what you've said there." It stopped me in my tracks. I thought on the question for a long while, analyzing if I've been in denial, or if I've put on some kind of Pollyana persona to deflect my fears. I suppose I would wonder the same about me. I am,…