Home Stretch

Well Monday is my last Radiation treatment. Underneath my left breast is slowly healing  and I have now peeled around the incision from the "Boost"  procedure.  I still have much to say as of today but I am not sure what I will be talking about in the future except that you can count on me for having something to say for sure. 

I do believe that I have fatigue although I am not certain I know what fatigue is. It seems that I can still push through exhaustion. I have been coming home from work or other activities and having to go right to bed- I can't think or function to do some routine things after a day at work. I become weary easily. I think they call it fatigue. I recognize that I am not sure  that I am suppose to stop. I believe that all those many months when I had my major depression and I experienced laden paralysis, I just pushed though the physical immobility. And now I am doing the same. Again - more disconnect from my body's signals that something is wrong and I need rest. 

There is a big brass bell in the waiting area at the radiation center that they ask people to ring 3 times when they are done. I will let you know now, I am not ringing it. I am still resistant to being part of the cancer community. You will likely not get invitations to join me on a fund raiser for breast cancer or any other kind. I kind of believe that cancer does not need me like some other causes that are closer to my heart. And I do not want to represent them.

I am grateful for the science that has helped me be treated and hopefully successfully. I am even more grateful for Shari, Maureen and Rona and all their wisdom and support. I am deeply appreciative of all the women who have gone before me and been saved from dying from this disease. I guess too, the fact that I work in the medical field has led me to distance myself  from the research community to solve problems of cause and treatment. I need to focus on the day to day challenges that face our patients and their families that come in for guidance. I need to keep my reservoir of energy and compassion full. My career demands that I have all that I need to give to those in need on their unfamiliar road.

Yesterday I went for a bone  dexascan as asked to do by Dr. Gor, my medical oncologist. The new hormone suppressing medication that I am now taking has possible side effects of weakening the bones.  So I got my baseline- I have also lost an inch of my height. I am now only 5' 4 1/2".  I used to be be 5' 5 1/2". While I was there I saw a friend who just learned that she needs a breast biopsy and she was scared.  So although I do not  want to step into the shoes of a crusader for cancer cure, I would provide comfort and information to anyone who is faces the challenges that I experienced. I did give her my number again and I hope she reaches out to me. It is important not to feel alone.  

I do have more to say but right now I need to go rest. I cannot type any more or sit up. Will write again as soon as I am up to it. 

Dexa scans are the most commonly used test to measure bone density. Your results from this test can be a great help for diagnosing your initial bone loss and for monitoring the effectiveness of your Osteopenia treatment plan. 

What are some common uses of the procedure?

DXA is most often used to diagnose osteoporosis, a condition that often affects women after menopause but may also be found in men and rarely in children. Osteoporosis involves a gradual loss of calcium, as well as structural changes, causing the bones to become thinner, more fragile and more likely to break.

DXA is also effective in tracking the effects of treatment for osteoporosis and other conditions that cause bone loss.

The DXA test can also assess an individual's risk for developing fractures. The risk of fracture is affected by age, body weight, history of prior fracture, family history of osteoporotic fractures and life style issues such as cigarette smoking and excessive alcohol consumption. These factors are taken into consideration when deciding if a patient needs therapy.

Bone density testing is strongly recommended if you:

• are a post-menopausal woman and not taking estrogen.
• have a personal or maternal history of hip fracture or smoking.
• are a post-menopausal woman who is tall (over 5 feet 7 inches) or thin (less than 125 pounds).
• are a man with clinical conditions associated with bone loss.
• use medications that are known to cause bone loss, including corticosteroids such as Prednisone, various anti-seizure medications such as Dilantin and certain barbiturates, or high-dose thyroid replacement drugs.
• have type 1 (formerly called juvenile or insulin-dependent) diabetes, liver disease, kidney disease or a family history of osteoporosis.
• have high bone turnover, which shows up in the form of excessive collagen in urine samples.
• have a thyroid condition, such as hyperthyroidism.
• have a parathyroid condition, such as hyperparathyroidism.
• have experienced a fracture after only mild trauma.
• have had x-ray evidence of vertebral fracture or other signs of osteoporosis.