MRI Results on my Back

The doctor came flying in the room (as usual) and said "No Cancer!!"  I just stared at her as my mind tried to register what she was talking about. Not once did I think of the word when I was getting the MRI on my back.  But to think, she was .... it's true, everything that gets tested will always have an underlying alert.

So, what are the results?

Trouble in the L4-L5 S1 area.

A pinched nerve, herniated disk, nerve roots, spinal stenosis.  I think I have some studying to do.  Treatment: steroids and some serious exercise for the back.  Sis, I need to blow up the ball.

At least I'm not crazy .... well, that's still debatable.

I will survive this too ~



It's all in my Head

Thursday morning was my appointment with the neurologist.  The night before, I had stopped at the lab to pick up the CD of my brain MRI.  He seemed to be very thorough as I answered quite a few questions.  On a side note, he commented on my high arches and gave it a name (he was going to write it down for me, but forgot at the end of the appointment).  He said that "we will deal with that later".  Lots of pin pricks on my feet and testing the reflexes.  I still have some neuropathy.

No signs of MS.  He was actually surprised that my family doctor suggested it.
hmmmm.
No signs of TIAs or stroke.

I've had a history of migraines since I was a young adult, but I haven't had any for at least 20 years. Back then, my migraines would be accompanied by loss of vision, sensitivity to light and numbness around my mouth.  These headaches don't have that. He wants to explore that further.

He ordered an MRV that will show a different view to see if there is a blood clot. I'm waiting for them to call me with the date/time.

My headaches haven't eased up since I complained about them weeks ago.  It's been two years since my vision was checked and I've had trouble focusing while reading.

Eye exam scheduled for Sunday afternoon

Also, I feel like a medicine cabinet and I know that most of the meds have headache listed as a side effect.  He mentioned that my pain medicine will give me headaches. 

What a vicious circle



After that appointment, I went to see my oncologist.  I wasn't scheduled to see her until end of August.  When I got home after work on Wednesday, my veins were extremely pronounced like the last time (hospitalized for blood clots).  1) it was after hours, 2) i've never called her, 3) really didn't want to go to ER .... but, it had me concerned enough to call her.  She told me to come in after my neurology appointment.

No blood clots (not sure how she could tell).  She said it was the heat ... REALLY? It's been sweltering for weeks and my veins weren't bulging.  Then she said glad that I came in anyway, because I have a fungal infection.  REALLY? 

Oh Snap!

She wrote a prescription for 5 pills Fluconazole. More side effects! 

By this time, my head was really pounding





Instead of trying to go to work, I went home and slept.  Which, of course, I didn't sleep well during the night.  The next day (today), I woke up still with a headache.  What's going on?

As today wore on, so did my headache, this time with dizziness.  I left work 2:30 and made it safely home and to bed.  I woke around 5:30 because I really want to be able to sleep tonight.

As I mentioned before

welcome to my roller coaster ride

Aunt Becky's Flowers



By the way, went to work with no scarf or hat.  It felt good! 

The Boost

Yesterday, treatment was not-so-great. They had to take photos and set up a simulation for the "boost" ... then do the last of the "standard" treatment.  I had some tears leak from my eyes as I tried to deal with the pain of the position.  The placement for my forehead and chin still really hurts. The bottom edge of the rounded out hole presses against my lower rib.  (imagine all four fingers under your rib and pulling up).  The tech told me to take pain meds before coming, which I replied "I drive myself here and home. I can't take my pain meds."  She then said to take Tylenol, Advil or some type of OTC.

The day was full of all kinds of drama.  As a result, my youngest daughter has yet again walked out of our lives.  As much as she said she has changed, her true colors showed loud and clear who she really is.  It breaks a mother's heart.  I would rather be punched in the gut, shot in the heart or stabbed in the back than to witness her holy bible dumped in the trash can.  A very numbing day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Today's treatment was just as long as yesterday's.  This time, I took a pain med right before I left work.  By the time I was clamped in, it helped somewhat.  The tech recommended that I take one for the next few treatments.  Today was more photos, films, whatever they were doing

PLUS my first BOOST

6 left!!!

After treatment, the doctor examined me.  I showed her the worst part, which is torn, raw skin in my cleavage. She gave me samples of the Aquaphor and actually apologized for what was happening to me from the treatments.  That was nice of her to say because it isn't her fault at all.  I'm doing well considering I didn't get major red until now and I only have a handful left.

For other news, I went to see my family doctor this morning regarding the MRI ordered because of the frequent headaches.  He wants a neurologist to take a look at the films and assess to rule out things .... oh, when they say that, do I really want to know what "things"?  Guess there are some questions regarding my white matter and my gray matter.  The radiologist that ordered the test mentioned these "matters" to me, but I really wasn't following what he was talking about.

Then Doc W threw me a curve ball. MS.  Really? What is multiple-sclerosis?

The other possibility is migraine headaches.  That's believable, considering I use to get them all the time.

Then, of course, it could be stress headaches.  I mean, the past 8 months have been quite a lot to take in. (but I thought I have been handling it pretty well, considering)

I can't really put into words what I'm feeling right now because I'm still processing it all.  It would be great to get answers to troubling aches and pains .... but then sometimes I feel "do I really want to know?"

Doc W said it is good to find things early. 

That is true.

Neurologist is July 26



MRI Results

I arrived for my daily "glow" appointment and a nurse met me as the tech was taking me to the treatment room.  She said that Dr R was not in today, so he wanted her to give me a message.  He looked at the MRI results and "did not find any disease in my brain".  They aren't sure what is causing my headaches, but this is a BIG RELIEF.  I didn't realize how much I was stuffing my emotions until she gave me the news.

I gave her a hug and happy tears flowed

The techs were throwing out some possibilities .... perhaps my blood pressure meds need adjusting, or perhaps my glasses need adjusted.  Sound familiar?  Same things that I was thinking about.  My sister gave me her blood pressure device so I can get some daily readings.  Then, I'll make an appointment with my family doctor. 

I asked the techs if radiation could be giving me the headaches and they said only if I was being treated on my head (which I'm not).

I don't want to live in constant fear of the "what if's". 

One day at a time. Right?

Friday morning will be another Herceptin drip.  If I see Doc Esther, I'll touch base with what has been going on.  Not scheduled to see her until August.

Enough about that ....

Praying for those surround by wild fires.  Keeping a close watch on Casey as the danger seems to be everywhere. Also for those affected by the hurricane.  Crazy, mixed up world.

My brain has been completely foggy.  I can't seem to write very well (maybe I never really have!)  Concentration is horrible too. 

Hopefully my blog isn't boring everyone to tears!  Quite honestly, writing this all down is good therapy for me and since I can't remember a lick of anything, it is a great way to keep track of events, symptoms, appointments, etc. 

Know what I mean jelly bean?

Round 15

Friday - Completed #15 = 3 weeks

Radiation treatment seems to be going quickly.  The cream is helping to keep the redness under control (although it is staining my bra).  Tonight we went out to dinner and did some shopping at wally-world (aka Walmart) and I experienced a deep stabbing pain in my treated breast.  Haven't felt that before and I'm not sure if it is "normal".

Life is full of "new norms"

Traffic was really backed up and I made it there 10 minutes before closing.  Crazy construction.

The MRI is scheduled for Saturday at 10am.  They are going to use the contrast ... last time, it was accessed in my hand and it felt like the dye was exploding my veins.  Not looking forward to this.

After everything else, what's one more needle?

Have a blessed weekend.

Remission

Today is Wednesday ~ I see the radiation doctor every Wednesday.

I mentioned that I have been getting headaches daily for a couple of weeks and told him about the incident that happened Saturday.  I thought it could be my blood pressure.  I've been on my B.P. medication for at least 3 years now.  If anything, I can at least contact my family doctor and get checked out, or at least buy a pressure cup for home and monitor it.  He wants to do an MRI instead.

Just to make sure

I haven't considered that before (and I'm not even going to speak it out loud).

My blood pressure (taken from ankle vs arm):

Jun 20    159/95

Jun 8      146/85

May 22   138/74

May 7     128/78

Apr 27    140/69

So I mentioned, what about my vision changing and the need for new glasses? 

He said that could be it as well .... or possibly stress.  Let's do the MRI

Just to make sure

Okay, let's talk about that then. 

Once the radiation is done,

how do you know all the cancer is gone? 

He said that "we don't".  There is no blood test that will confirm it is gone. Just monitoring me on a regular basis and running various "scans" (mammogram, ultrasound, c-scan, mri).  It is all based on statistics and patients before me as oncology is researched year after year. 

My nodes were tested and clear of cancer.  They also got "clear margins" when the lump of cancer was removed.  That is all good news.  He said I was actually in remission after surgery.  Hmmmm, I didn't realize that.

I haven't asked that question before.  Now, the question is foremost in my mind ~

Just to make sure

That word caught my attention .... remission.  He said that patients have told him what it was like after going into remission and how it felt like a dagger was hanging just over their head waiting for it to fall.  And after year one, year two, etc the feeling slowly lessened as remission continued. 

That is something cancer patients are always going to have. Fear of it coming back.  I know a lady who has had it FIVE times.  How do you cope with that?

Constant fear cannot control your life

These headaches? I probably need new glasses or it could be stress .....or it could be side effect from the Herceptin.  I could be part of the very few who might have side effects such as:



Well, I will wait on the MRI .... Just to make sure