Wow, I feel almost normal today. My bones still hurt some, but tylenol helps. Yesterday I went grocery shopping and after a little rest and food, to the library to do some research. It was hot in there so I was pretty much wiped out after that.
I finally read all this material sent to me by the insurance caseworker nurse. People have been asking me why I don't get in a clinical trial, or do I know about Her2 or does my doctor know about the latest research. I'm a bit overwhelmed, but let see if I can sort some of what I've figured out.
Not being a doctor I'm just sort of paraphrasing the way I understand things. Risk factors... Apparently most women who develop breast cancer have no risk factors so the safety I felt from it was an illusion. Also, while I claimed not to have any risk factors, further study has changed my mind on this. I had no family history of breast cancer, but apparently this connection is overstated and people shouldn't assume, as I did, that no history meant not likely to happen. Here are some risk factors they've linked to breast cancer that I did (do) have, along with, I imagine, billions of other woman.
1. Early onset of menstruation (before age 12).
2. Birth control pills - may increase risk depending on age, length of use, etc. I took the pill for a total of about 15 years. (Not consecutively).
3. Obesity - well we can argue over the word, but I'm definitely overweight and have been for several years.
4. Age - 40 or over.
5. Recently they've done studies that link second-hand smoke to breast cancer. Since I spent my childhood, as many of us did, playing under a cloud of smoke produced by my chain-smoking father, I can easily see this connection. The reason it's linked to second-hand smoke and not smoking itself is because, apparently the act of smoking suppresses the estrogen production that works with the carcinogens in the smoke. So if you are breathing it without smoking you are being poisoned more quickly.
There are other factors, but these are the ones I have.
Some other things I've figured out. I said I thought the third chemo drug was tamoxifen. That was a mistake. Tamoxifen is used to prevent recurrence after the treatment is over. It's used if the cancer was hormone dependent. This, I understand, they won't really know until they do surgery and remove whatever is left of the tumor. I believe the chemo drug I'll be having for the second 4 treatments is taxotere, which works equally well with estrogen-sensitive and non-estrogen sensitive tumors.
Now about clinical trials - several people have encouraged me to look for and participate in a clinical trial. In response to that I have this to say. There is a research coordinator at the cancer treatment center that I'm going to. If there is a trial available they invite patients who fit the criteria to join the trial. I may not fit any trials because of my kidney disease or my age or anything. But if I did I still don't know that I would want to join the trial. If you are in a trial you spend a lot more time at the center. You have lots of paperwork to complete all the time. You have many more tests, some of which your health insurance won't pay for, so you have to. The center is 70 miles away. Already I'm doing a lot of driving back and forth. Sometimes I have to depend on the kindness of others to get me there and home again. Finally, some of the treatment given in the trials takes a lot longer than the traditional treatment. For now, I'll stick to what my doctors recommend. If that doesn't seem to be working than I'll consider trials.
I do plan to ask for a copy of the pathology report from the doc next week. I'm ready to look at that and to dig a little deeper. Everything I read shows a pretty grim prognosis for Stage III breast cancer. The one I have here in front of me says 36% survival rate. That's just impossible. The docs sure don't act like it's so hopeless.
Things I want to do: Take a north pacific sailboat cruise up the coast of Canada and into Alaska with 20 of my closest family and friends.
9 comments:
OOPS, I am new at this and didn't realize that there was a comment section under each entry. See my initial contribution under the first entry, even though it really belongs here.
I, too, am learning :-)
The sixth day sounds like a good day, Dawn. Alaska is an unbelieveable experience. All about are magestic views that never quite end. Driving to meet them brings yet two more vistas into view and then two more and so on for miles and miles at a time.
The Beluga whale is observable from just outside Anchorage and children snowboard right off the main highways (which are mostly dirt). In late winter the Iditarod begins with excitement, shaking the normal routine of a state that might be more identifiable as a foreign country.
It is beyond words.
That having been said, if you plan to visit it is a good idea to be prepared to see many dead animals, stuffed as decorations, draped across the backs of some people and sometimes shodding the feet of passersby.
Sending deep New Mexican Vibes,
R.
Perhaps if I visit Alaska on a ship I won't have so much dead animal adorned people sightings. I found this sailboat cruise that takes you to some archaeology sites along with seeing the belugas and the awsome Alaskan vistas. Someday....
Dawn
Does that include the "UGLIES" on your world travels?
But of course! And what a hoot that will be!! Then again, I'm hoping to see some Uglies before then. Surely they will want to see me bald and crown me "Queen of the Uglies!"
Dawn
I am hoping to be in that number of 20, but then maybe you could go with 30 or 40 because I would think it would take more than that to count those who love you!
Whose in NM? Sounds like Beth!
Hale to the "Queen of the Uglies"
Please keep that positive attitude!!
My dad had stage III lympoma and after chemo the cancer is gone.
LOVE the hair cut, so CUTE on you.
Hope to see ya soon!!
Ugly #6, I think????
love ya yvette
Yvette,
So glad to hear your dad's cancer is gone! If he can do it, so can I! And thanks for the cute hair vote. Weird to see me so fat, though, huh? Oh well, whatayagonnado? I thought the chemo might make me lose weight, but they are giving me steroids too. A couple of women who have been through this have told me they gained weight. Just my luck!
Return of the Uglies!
Dawn
You can do this, with new technology it is easy. As long as you keep the positive attitude strong, get lots of rest, but not lazy and do everything the Dr. says, you'll be fine. Dad gained weight. We rather you over weight than not here at all, so put as much as you want on, then you'll look like me, marriage does funny things to a body.
I'm leaving on vacation tomorrow and one of my stops is the Grand Canon, so I'll take lots of pictures, to give a preview, so when you go, you'll know it is more beautiful than in the pictures.
yvette
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