A year ago today........

A year ago today I had my breast cancer surgery. I remember thinking that August 18th was the anniversary of the day my mom died, in 1984, and I wasn't particularly thrilled about having that be my surgery day. But, I since I had no choice in the matter, the surgery went on. So, here it is......August 18th again, a year later. What a year it has been! God has been so gracious to me; it amazes me, even now, to think about it.

The first 2 weeks of the month have been filled with trips to various doctors and for various tests. Here is a rundown for you:

Wednesday, August 1 - went for labwork and a chest x-ray in preparation for my appointment with Dr. Holmes

Thursday, August 9 - appointment at Dr. Holmes' office; met with NP Janice who told me that the chest x-ray and labwork looked GREAT! The tumor markers were also GREAT! My blood pressure was rather high, so she told me to call my primary care dr. to see what he wants to do about it. Guess I have to....it's been something they've talked about for a while now. I also filled Janice in about the few bouts of dizziness I had been experiencing since my last appt. in May (does anyone else ever get dizzy just when lying down on one's left side?), in addition to the headaches I had while in Denver (altitude?) and as much as I didn't want to hear it, she ordered a brain MRI (and come back in 3 months). Ugh. I was honestly thinking and hopping that it was sinus related or something. She explained that my type of breast cancer (her2+) most often metastizes to the soft tissue in the brain. Double ugh. While she said I "looked stable," she wanted to cover all the bases. That's a good thing, right? What a double-edged sword.....wanting to know what's up but dreading the answer..... So, I came home and immediately made an appointment for the MRI (made for Monday, 8/13), as well as the MUGA (heart) scan that was also ordered (the last of the series, I am told).

Saturday, Tomball Hospital calls to tell me that they have to rescedule the MRI as the system is down and won't be repaired until Monday, then tested on Tuesday and Wednesday was already filled (so much for the word URGENT on my order). We reschedule the MRI for Thursday, 8/16, and I again ask God to give me the grace to be patient.

Monday, August 13 - Since I am not having an MRI, I get to take Meaghan bowling with a group of young people from our church. It was her first time bowling, and she had a fun time, in spite of taking one hard fall at the beginning of the session. The soreness hit her about noon on Tuesday, but she still said it was fun!

Wednesday, August 15 - Dropped Kathryn off at the library for her last volunteer session for the summer, then Meaghan and I headed over to the Cancer Center for my appointment with the radiation oncologist. While Meaghan worked on a puzzle in the waiting room, I met one of the new doctors, Dr. T. Phan (I am told his brother also sees patients there - he goes by another initial, I guess!). This doctor is even younger than the last one, if I were one to bet. Whatever his age, he was very attentive and encouraging about the upcoming MRI. He even did a short neurological exam and told me that I looked "sound." So, after being told they would follow up on getting the results of the MRI, I made my next appointment.....for next February (6 months)! It is hard to even think that far ahead, but I enjoy filling up those calendar pages with things "to do" far off in the future.

After the doctor, we headed back to pick Kathryn up from the library where she had been hob-nobbing with our US Representative, Michael McCaul. He was there reading to the pre-schoolers.........want to guess how many of the little tykes even knew where Washington, D.C. was, let alone who he was? Kathryn said that one little girl did know who the President was ("Bush!"), but that was pretty much it for the civics class at the library. So, I dropped the girls off at home and headed back to the hospital's Heart Center for my afternoon MUGA test It was uneventful, other than the one lady who drew my blood and made such a big mess you would have thought I was bleeding to death - there were bloody gauze pads everywhere! But the lady who administered the test was the same one who has done all of them since I had my first one in May of last year. I always appreciate continuity when it comes to a health care team; it's nice to know that they "know" you.

Thursday, August 16, 7:35 AM - Michael and I drive to the hospital to check in for the MRI. Since it was my very first MRI, I opted to take a "happy" pill before I went; Michael was my designated driver. Other than the fact that the buildings were freezing that early in the morning, things went quickly and smothly. Whoever said they could sleep through that test can probably sleep through an earthquake! It was the noisiest test I have ever taken, and I surprised by movements of the machine. But, I realized that I probably didn't need the "happy" pill; I don't think that I am claustrophobic enough. Closing my eyes always seems to take care of any issues for me. We were back in the car by 8:45 and home by 9. I was in bed by 9:30, to sleep off my drugs. Good thing I did, as I didn't wake up until 1:15!!!

The doctor's office had told me that the results would take about 3 days, but when I left the MRI building, the lady there said the doctor would have the results by the afternoon. I was sure that meant that they had seen something bad during the test and needed to rush the results (oh ye of little faith crops up again). So, I prayed some Psalms as I drifted off to sleep, to take my mind off of the "what-ifs." At about 3:00, the phone rang, and my heart sank as I saw the doctor's office's number on Caller ID. You see, NP Janice had said that we should call in about 3 days, but they would call me if there was a problem. Ugh. So, I took a deep breath, said hello, and nearly burst into tears when Robin, the lady on the other end of the phone, told me that the test results were back and that everything was


So, I don't have an answer yet as to why I have had those few dizzy episodes and headaches. I'll follow up with my primary care doctor since I have to see him anyway. But, for now my brain is cancer-free, and for that, I am eternally grateful to my Father in heaven. He continues to extend His tender mercies to me time and time again.

posted by Kim @ 6:03 PM