Yesterday was an eventful day. I did go to the gym and work from home (just so you know I am still boring). I also did my exercises for PT twice (just so you know I am doing what I am supposed to). In addition, there was lots going on.
A friend of mine recommended me to write some press releases for a local company who she used to work for but no longer is available. I spoke with them and actually it looks like I may have a fair amount of additional work from them. So I can worry less about job hunting. I will know more in the next week or so but in the meantime I have to write a press release today, as in this morning.
I finally could register for the Stowe Weekend of Hope. This takes place the first weekend of May and is desired and an educational and supportive weekend for us lucky people who had cancer. They get medical professionals and others to talk about the latest in cancer research, etc. and you get a weekend in Vermont. Did I mention that its free to qualified first time attendees? After the first year, you have to pay a small amount. I figure its a weekend in Vermont and we (meaning my husband and I) might actually get something educational out of it as well.
I also went to work yesterday afternoon and it was the beginning of the summer chaos. We run a summer program for about 1000 children in July and parents have been calling about availability since before the holidays. The catalog just went live on the internet and its starting to get VERY busy. (This can make me cranky too.) Of course, I got to work late because I had to wait around the doctor's office.
Oh, yes, the doctor's office. I went at the appointed time for the blood tests - they always want blood tests. The nurse got me and took my vitals (and actually weighed me - eek - the nurse last week just asked me how much I weighed). She took my blood pressure and it came back as 135/85. I said that's wrong. Its never that high so she tried again, after I took off my sweater. It was 120/80 which is much better. Then she said 'are you having blood tests today?' I said 'yes because that was what was scheduled'. She said 'well there's nothing in the computer' and went to find my chart to read the doctor's notes from last fall. Yes, I was scheduled for blood tests but they never made it into the computer. Two more examples of speaking up and managing your health care. So then I went for a blood test and the tech couldn't find the vein in my arm so she used the back of my hand (ow, ow, ow, but not awful).
Finally, I got to see the doctor. I told him about my back and he asked me 'did anyone say anything about cancer?' I said no they hadn't but I wanted to make sure I brought it up to him - especially since the physical therapist has been bugging me about this. (Also, if there had been any cancer found, don't you think I would have called him instantly, since he's the oncologist? I would have been in his office the next day.) He wasn't concerned about any of my complaints - random abdominal pains, fatigue, blah, blah, blah. All he was concerned about was my menopausal state so he can switch me from Tamoxifen next year to an aromatase inhibitor. Evidently my estrodial levels (thats the fancy word for estrogen production) were at 5 in October when I last saw him. He didn't have yesterday's results yet but when I come back in NOVEMBER I should get my blood test the day or two before so he can have the latest results then.
Yes, that is right, I don't have to go back to see him until November. But the only reason for that is I am seeing my primary care in April, have a mammogram and the surgeon in May, and see the radiation oncologist in August. (And the dentist today, in June and October - in case you were keeping track.) I am very happy about this. I really hate going to the doctor all the time and if I can get this down to a reasonable level, like every three months or so, that is just fine by me.
This means in the meantime I need to resort to drastic measures:
1. Get a life.
2. Get more work.
3. Plan my garden for the year.
But first, I have to do some work this morning.
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