Back to the doctors again...

Episode LXXIV - I'm Back!

I had a few months off - sort of - and now it was time to get back to the cancer doctors...

Time to get checked...

I made my way back to the hospital to visit the Radiation Oncologist. It was nice to see my techs again. They were all happy to see me with hair. They all said I looked younger... being off treatment helped with that! It was awesome to just visit with them and not there for them to blast me with radiation!

Today was an easy appointment. It was a small follow-up to confirm that my skin had grown back healthy and that I was all good. So we covered the basics:

I explained that I still had some residual burning feeling inside a spot of my breast and under the nipple. Apparently, no biggie.

I told him that just a few weeks back I finally caved and removed the very last part of my nipple with tweezers. Seriously, I could not stand the burnt tip of my nipple hanging on and not falling off. So, I took the tweezers and removed tiny bits of crispy skin until it was all gone. I would have stopped if it hurt, but the skin was ready. The nurses face was priceless - she was totally grossed out!

The nurse was like?!?!

We discussed the side effects of Tamoxifen and he told me I needed to see my Oncologist for options. He did remind me the importance of staying on the medicine for my case and that I needed to find other medicines to make my bone pain better. Yep, I know - I do not want the cancer again!

Finally, he was surprised that I had not seen the Oncologist yet and that I did not have any testing scheduled. It seems my left breast was due for a mammogram and my right breast needed one in 3 months. So, we split the difference and scheduled one for in a little over a month. However, I was going to see the Oncologist in a few days and I am sure he will be happy to schedule some tests!

Then I got felt up. We all knew it was going to happen. He had to examine my breasts and my skin to make sure I was healing properly. Everything looked good. I was back to having "clinical affairs" - aka - medical professionals groping and fondling my boobs! Too bad they are not satisfying!!!

In my head...

While it was no fun knowing that I was going to be back at doctors for the next month or so, I was glad that every thing seemed good. I was grateful to be alive and pretty healthy. And I was glad that I was getting some hair on my head...

Spiky-hair?

"Keep your face always toward the sunshine - and shadows will fall behind you."

- Walt Whitman

Episode Reference: Back in the Saddle Again, Aerosmith song
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