Follow up.

A beautiful Gold Coast day – not a cloud in the sky, sun shining and 24 ˚ç by 9am.  I was headed for the hospital where I had my chemotherapy.  I felt proud as I parked and made my way up in the lift to my Medical Oncologist’s rooms.

I smiled at other patients who were clearly at the start of, or part way through their treatment.  My heart goes out to them right now of course, but I also took a moment to enjoy the sense of having achieved something at times many of us thought was not possible.  I was standing tall and indulging in that fact.

The day had started early, confirming a radio interview with Geoff from the ice, posting on social media, working on the Pink Polar blog.  All super satisfying.

Now I sat in the waiting room where I’d been so desperately ill, not that long ago.

I was happy to see Dr Horwood, my list of questions long.

Blood tests I had done yesterday?  Nothing unusual.

Aromasin? Still not great, but better than Tamoxifen.  Stay on it and things should settle down, first 12 months he says are usually the hardest.  Worst parts; confusion, hot flushes, bone pain.  Apart from acupuncture (which I’m having) only other suggestion is the anti-depressant which I’ve resisted since that horrible experience back when I first had chemo.  Unfortunately, I think the time has come. He writes a script and I try not to think about it too much.  Just another tablet.  If it can help ease some of these symptoms, I’ll do it.

Bones? Keep going with what Rheumatologist Dr Sharma says.  Osteo-eze, Plaquenil, Tumeric. Good thing to have dropped the Prednisone from the regime.

Eyes? Yes, go to the Optometrist, make sure they take photos of the back of your eyes.

Fingers? Feel like the pinky and ring finger on my right hand are jammed.  Take some magnesium.  Put it down to a musculo-skeletal side effect of the Aromasin.

Monitoring?  Have Bone densitometry and bone scan with focus on mass on sternum before next appointment in April.  Wohoo – FOUR MONTHS AWAY!

I look at the requests which have specifics such as  ‘post menopausal <40yrs history of breast cancer’.  Sometimes can’t believe that’s me.

He asked about whether I’d have the BRCA testing done and confirmed that the results mean next to nothing for me, but could help family members.  He also asked about Pink Polar and how Geoff was doing.  Keith has been most interested since I first mentioned the expedition and a driving force in Allamanda’s support of the campaign.  He and his wife came to the Allamanda Pink Polar Gala and we’ve appeared in numerous press articles regarding the partnership.

Special.