Oncology

I found out today that there is nothing like keeping an appointment with your oncologist, your CANCER DR.,  to bring home the reality that cancer is a part of your life.   I felt an overwhelming sadness when I walked into Michiana Hematology and Oncology.  I did not want to be there but then again neither did Sherry Tuttle, Bobby Leland,  Sandy Clauser, Joyce Funderberg, Shelia Kaiser or Jean Ernst to name a few.  No matter how hard I looked I never did find an “opt out” form to sign!

The appointment with Dr. Ansari could not have gone any better that is unless he would have said…sorry, we all made a big mistake.  You don’t have cancer.

After looking at all the reports the first thing he said was that I have two of the most curable malignancies.  The breast cancer I have was stage 1 and low risk.  The type of cancer I have/had  in the breast was fed by estrogen.   In other words it was not a good idea for me to be on estrogen therapy after my hysterectomy in November 1998.  When the hormone replacement therapy scare came out a few years later I struggled with the decision whether to get off of it or not.  I am so glad now that I decided to.  So, for me any type of estrogen therapy is not a good idea.  No black cohosh, etc.

I will need radiation.  I have an appointment with Dr. Chester Wilson, my radiologist,  on the 28th of February for a consultation with him.  Dr. Ansari said once radiation therapy starts it would be take about 6 weeks,  5 days a week.  That combined with the hormone pill I am to take every day for the next 5 years should give me about a 90%+ change of staying disease free. 

I have an appointment tomorrow morning for a CAT Scan  that will check for the possibility of cancer in my neck, lungs and liver.  He said I do not need a full body scan.  This was arranged after I told him that I have had two family members with lung cancer and that it is a concern of mine.

Tomorrow afternoon I have a follow up appointment with Dr. Kletzing.  He will remove the stitches I have and will go over results from the pathology report on the thyroid with us.     He will also be able to direct us about the time frame for the radioactive iodine therapy I must have as a follow up and preventive measure for the thyroid cancer.

I may have walked in with a heavy heart but I walked out thanking God for his faithfulness and goodness.  Great is his faithfulness!

~Please continue to pray for healing and strength for me.  I am really feeling that my body is tired…but not as tired as it could be!!  I am well aware of that.

Psalm 66:16

Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he has done for my soul.

Reflecting on and rejoicing in God’s goodness.

Love,

Carmel