Saturday, September 10, 2016

Mountain Climbing: The Next Phase

I started the next phase of my mountain climbing, today.  I started taking the anti-hormone medication I will be required to take for the next 5-10 years of my life.  The radiation oncologist said 5 years due to risk of long term side effects (leaching of the bones, risk of heart attacks, arthritis, etc.)  The regular oncologist said 10 years due to clinical tests indicating an increased survival rate from being on it for a longer period of time.  It will be monitored and adjusted as needed, I guess.

It's been a long and tiring day, today.  I didn't fall asleep until after 2:00 a.m. and then, kept waking up every couple of hours until my alarm went off at 7:00 a.m.  My cousin came over around 7:40 a.m. and we left a few minutes later.

My first appointment today was with the radiation oncologist.  It went well.  He checked to see everything was healing well and he wanted me to come back in 2 months' time.  I made the follow-up appointment before I left the clinic.  

The appointment at the oncology clinic entailed a longer than usual wait.  My appointment was for 9:45 a.m.  When I got there at 9:30 a.m., the waiting room was full!  Since Monday had been a holiday, all the patients who would have normally come for treatment on Mondays had to be rescheduled on other days during the week and they were one doctor short.  So, everything was backed up.  I didn't see the nurse practitioner until almost noon and I didn't start hydration until almost 12:30 p.m.  It was 2:30 p.m. when I got home.  

My cousin didn't stay too long after that.  She teaches piano and she had students coming for lessons later in the afternoon.  I packed up the leftover lentils and okra I had cooked yesterday and sent home with her, so she wouldn't have to cook dinner after spending her free morning accompanying me to my appointments, along with a jar of my tomato chutney and the packet of cookies I had bought for her mother.    

Then, I spent the rest of the afternoon and early part of the evening working on my office work.  I sent in this week's assignments around 7:30 p.m.  

As I was tired, I didn't do any housework, today.   My gardener friend cleaned the front covered walkway for me, though, breaking cobwebs, etc.

Friday's To Do List:

- Radiation oncologist appointment at 9:00 a.m. - DONE
- Regular oncologist and hydration appointment at 9:45 a.m. - DONE
- Office work - DONE
- Ask gardener to fix broken sprinkler - DONE
- Laundry?
- Dancer's flea meds.
- Do a baby step in the 3rd bedroom for cleaning.

I plan to finish Friday's to do list on Saturday.  

Today, I am grateful for:
- My cousin accompanying me to my medical appointments
- The medical appointments going well, even with the extra long wait
- The radiation site is healing well
- I've started the next, maintenance, phase of my treatments
- Phone calls, emails, and video chatting.  

How was your Friday?
 

14 comments:

  1. Hope the new media region e goes well. My Friday was wonderful , my 2 daughter's and new baby granddaughter arrived for the weekend. Hope your weekend is good too x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Angela. I hope you have a lovely weekend and enjoy the visit with your daughters and baby granddaughter.

      Delete
  2. Oops my spellchecker went crazy. That should have said hope your new meds regime goes well. Publish this one not the earlier gobbledegook x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LOL, sorry, I published both! I love those spell checker auto corrections! :D

      Delete
  3. There's a huge difference between 5 and 10 years, it's odd (to me) that the 2 oncologists would have such differing opinions on how long to take the medication, especially one that sounds so harmful. I guess that is yet another hard decision to make when you're suffering from a serious disease. I hope you don't suffer from any side effects.

    What a long wait at the office! Keep that in mind next time you make an appointment: avoid the day after holidays! It would probably be safer to also avoid the last day before a holidays, as they might be short-staffed if personnel decides to have a long weekend.
    You repaid a kindness with more kindnesses, a lesson that my kids need to learn. I tell them over and over again that it's what they should do but they never seem to listen. I guess they'll get it once they stop being the recipients of the kindnesses, lol.

    Have a great weekend, Bless!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I guess it is safe to say that there is a difference in medical opinion on how long to continue with the hormone treatment! :D As always, it will be a weighing of the pros and the cons, the risks of long term use of a drug vs. the benefits. There will be regular monitoring to see how I respond to the medications and I guess adjustments will be made as needed. A friend of a friend started out on the same medications and had such bad side effects that her meds were changed.

      Delete
  4. Appointments - these things are sent to try us! So frustrating that you had to wait so long after your actual time, especially with your cousin kindly accompanying you. But at least that was someone to chat with. I'm glad the radiation site is healing well.

    I hope you get a better night's sleep tonight. I was surprised this morning when DH came in and said it was nearly 10 am! I had woken earlier but gone straight back to sleep. Always good to catch up.

    Bushlady

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wouldn't have minded the long wait if I had been on my own (I go prepared with a sandwich, a drink, my prayer book, a crossword puzzle book, etc.), but felt bad for my cousin having to wait, as well. But she had had to wait 1 hour for her flu shot a couple of days ago, so she understood. What's more, she's promised to accompany me when I go to the ophthalmologist's in a couple of weeks! She has been such a blessing to me.

      Delete
  5. Sending hugs. I hope you feel better after some rest x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you. I feel better now. Just have to remember to take it relatively easy for a few more days.

      Delete
  6. What a long day.. Know you were tired.. Praying for your continued climb.. hugs.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Judy. Those long waits at the doctor's office do tire one out, don't they?

      Delete
  7. All very new to me. I wonder what came of the deliberations (5 versus 10 years) and how you are getting on with the meds now. Have they done the intended job, and do you know how much longer you will need to continue with them?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am still on the medication (it will be 5 years, this September) and the dosage remains the same. I have some side effects from it, but, I've a feeling I will continue to be on it for longer than 5 years. Well, so far, the cancer has not returned, so, I am presuming the medications are effective! :)

      Delete

Thank you for visiting my blog and commenting. Your comments are much appreciated. Please comment in English. Thank you.