So yesterday I had some more doctor appointments. I had a meeting with an oncology gynocologist and with the radition oncologist. Both were very nice doctors, and very long appointments. Loyola, being a teaching hospital, means that there are residents and students and you have to repeat your story lots of times. But, I view that as a good thing, as more ears, and more interest in details, makes for better treatment. The decision is for me to get my ovaries and tubes removed before I start radiation, so I am having that done on March 9th. Having them removed gives me piece of mind, not having to worry about developing ovarian cancer, and it will save me from having to do some painful injection therapies. It will be a simple outpatient procedure, and they won't even be making a new scar! They are going to use one of the scars from my gallbladder surgery and do it all laproscopically. Cool huh? I will also get my port removed during that surgery as well, so I am happy about that. I feel confident that that port will NEVER be needed again. I will also need to go through a bunch of tests to complete "mapping" for radiation treatments, so that will be scheduled in the next few weeks. After they are done mapping and defining a treatment plan, I will start radiation. I have been told to expect 5.5 weeks of daily radiaiton. It may be tweaked once they do their mapping, but will be around that time range. The sooner I start radiation, the sooner I can finish!
The last few weeks, especially between the scans and tests and the results, were kind of hard on me. It was hard to end the routine of chemo treatments, to stop the medicine that I was comforted in knowing was killing cancer cells. I felt like there was something hanging over me. I felt like I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. As a person diagnosed with Stage 3 cancer, I spend a lot of time going over in my mind what warning signs I missed that could have lead me to discover this cancer earlier, before it was stage 3, and then I think Thank God I found it when I did, before it went farther than lymph nodes, to Stage 4, where it is managable, but never can you be declared "cancer free." It was really hard to wait for those results of the latest scans, because unlike before, when I was first diagnosed, I know a lot more now. When I was diagnosed, it was such a whirlwind of shock and doctor appointments. This time, I have read a lot, heard a lot and experienced a lot. I still have not fully wrapped my head around the good news of the scans showing no cancer. It is a relief, but I think it is still an unfolding relief. I find myself enjoying a situation and thinking "Thank God I am here to witness this and enjoy this" and then I realize that my scans and tests all looked good, there is no reason to think I won't be here to enjoy moments like this for a long time. I think that with each season that passes, I will feel more and more confident in my health remaining stable, and the doubts and worry will lessen. I see the oncologist again in three months, and by then I should be done with all my treatments and be close the last step, reconstruction.
So, I am closing the door on chemo, and moving on to radiation. I am getting closer to that finish line! Thank you all for your support. I know it has already been a long road, 10 months since diagnosis, but there is still a few more months to go. Please continue to keep me and my family and caretakers in your prayers. I know I thank God for my supporters every day. I am just in awe of everyone's generosity and support.
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