tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68091021173251107612012-01-28T08:57:03.988-08:00Blogging my life with breast cancer, from suspicion to diagnosis to treatment. Now livin' the Stage IV Lifestyle!    Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.comBlogger3581100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-36348501411152914252012-01-15T12:18:00.001-08:002012-01-15T12:18:51.632-08:00

I have come to realize that for many of you, my blog is not rendering properly. I see it fine so I hadn't noticed right away. In the next few days, I'll be playing around, trying to fix what is broken. I'm not very good at this sort of thing, so bear with me!

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-65861295405817802322012-01-11T18:45:00.000-08:002012-01-12T12:12:30.928-08:00

A woman recently made a comment on my blog, saying that my diet probably contributed to my cancer. She said, I can't imagine trying to get well from cancer by stuffing myself with crap-food... full of man-made preservative-laden junk that probably helped you to get cancer in the first place.I corrected her, as a) there is no proof that anything in your diet will cause breast cancer, b) my diet

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com71tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-83990802252745327942012-01-04T12:55:00.000-08:002012-01-04T13:06:33.420-08:00

Did you make a resolution this year? Do you want to lose weight? Did you clean out your fridge, throw away the cookies and cupcakes, stock up on vegetables, buy yourself a juicer? Did you get a motivational diet book or three?  Are you planning on joining a gym or taking healthy, invigorating walks around the neighborhood?  Have you recruited folks at work to help you? "Please don't let me

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com59tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-62359505842310526962011-12-30T11:43:00.000-08:002011-12-30T11:43:26.003-08:00

Diamonds would work too (Click to enlarge)

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-35972526317750240902011-12-29T13:28:00.000-08:002011-12-29T13:57:27.371-08:00

Have you ever noticed that radiologists can't write?  I have read enough radiology reports in my life to know the difference between writing medically and plain old poor writing.  Radiologists either have so many reports to do that in their haste they make grammatical and word choice errors - or they purely can't write. I'd love to see a Christmas newsletter from one of these guys: "Insofar as

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-87339866116650285352011-12-24T12:23:00.000-08:002011-12-24T12:23:03.107-08:00

STAT meant stat, and I had my CAT scan yesterday.  They were not done with me until after 5:00 pm, so I don't expect to hear from a doctor until Monday after the holiday.  I'd like to think this pain is just a part of a long healing process - - - but I don't really think that's true. But, the good news is I am going to have the quiet Christmas I dreamed of a couple of weeks ago.  I'm not exactly

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-6950651531038847542011-12-22T11:43:00.000-08:002011-12-22T11:50:28.347-08:00

I have been trying to get an appointment with an infectious disease specialist since December 14th.  I even got my nurse case manager on it, to no avail.  Nobody was going to be able to see me until mid-January. I happen to have an acquaintance who is a physician, as is her husband.  It's the kind of relationship brought about by kids - our children are friends, so we see each other at birthday

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-60285568516400324912011-12-19T13:17:00.000-08:002011-12-19T15:42:04.888-08:00

Most people recover from C-Diff in 3 to 10 days.  As you all know by now, I am not most people.  It has been very disheartening being sick as long as I have been - since Thanksgiving - but last weekend, I saw an uptick in my health and now I believe I am on a (very long) road to recovery. My life, since I got out of the hospital on December 3rd has been this: 1.  Mornings about 9:30:  

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-49436405896582887862011-12-07T11:43:00.000-08:002011-12-07T11:43:09.658-08:00

This will be short but I finally can sit up and write a quick blog post, so I will let you all know what is going on. Thanksgiving evening I took a neupogen shot, which gave me a bad reaction as it often does.  I spent that night in severe agony, feeling like I was delivering a baby out of my spinal canal.  The pain eased up by the next day but I never recovered, I stayed in bed nearly

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com49tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-27479219268850748162011-11-24T10:04:00.000-08:002011-11-24T10:04:10.773-08:00

Surviving a long difficult winter, the Pilgrims - what was left of them anyway - had a feast. 101 men, women and children had arrived to the New World in December, during a winter so harsh that it had killed fully half of them  - only 53 remained.   Despite their grief, in the spring, those who had lost children or parents still planted crops with hopes for their future.  They got advice from

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-67228825327958436142011-11-23T14:41:00.000-08:002011-11-23T14:46:32.451-08:00

Thank you all so much for your comments on my article at empowerHER.  The fact that you took the time to comment is every bit as heartwarming as the applause I wrote about was. Now, on to your regularly scheduled posting. I expected to recover from surgery like a rock star, and that's exactly what I did.  Lots of narcotics, sleeping until noon, hanging out with groupies. Well, maybe not that

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-73500522295980516452011-11-18T14:53:00.000-08:002011-11-18T15:20:55.631-08:00

I have joined a network for women's health, called "EmpowerHer."  It's a start-up that looks like it could be fantastic way to meet up with others who have your health condition or concerns.  There is already a group for breast cancer, with a nurse who will respond to medical questions, and I intend to participate there and help newbies with my non-medical advice.   I also started a group myself,

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-63419888057834541412011-11-14T11:17:00.000-08:002011-11-14T15:23:56.800-08:00

I was weaned off the epidural machine.  I was eating delicious foods such as orange jello and pea soup. I was walking myself to the bathroom,  and my pain level was only a 2 or 3. It was Saturday, October 8th, and it was time to go home. There was one more hurdle to get through, and that was the drive from San Francisco to Sacramento. Now, I don't want to make this a political blog, but let's

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-2137407590672130202011-11-13T12:05:00.000-08:002011-11-13T18:32:17.854-08:00

Shaking bed Everybody who has had surgery knows about those compression "stockings" they put you in.  They are blow-up plastic tubes, kind of like a raft, only for your legs.  They are rolled around your calves, attached with velcro, and plugged in to the wall in order to give you a constant massage.   They do this to prevent blood clots from forming in your legs. Now, you might think a constant

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-47654621656303997792011-11-10T20:53:00.000-08:002011-11-11T13:36:20.512-08:00

The Cancer Card Having surgery outside of your own city brings up several logistical problems, not the least of which is lodging.  Hotel rooms in San Franciso are not inexpensive to begin with, and one problem we encountered when trying to make reservations for our family was the fact that there were several conferences taking place that week - large ones, taking up over 60,000 hotel rooms.  One

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-20490903541431967702011-11-07T16:42:00.000-08:002011-11-08T12:19:12.250-08:00

I was in the hospital for six days.  Actually, I left the morning of the sixth day, and the first day I had surgery, so being an over-achiever, I am going to say recovery took me four days, with each day getting a bit easier on me. After a day or two, I settled into a routine.  I felt really good in the morning but at 3:30 I suddenly crumpled.  The pain became intense, and I starting pushing

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-71647959732623484092011-11-06T13:58:00.000-08:002011-11-06T14:24:11.490-08:00

I know it's been a while since I wrote.  I recovered, and started puttering around the house- too busy to post. Then I had a set-back and it now is very hard to write.   But, I'm going to ignore my discomfort as I know many of you are getting freaked.  And, being the a-z creature I am, I'll continue where I left off Back on Mickey's Hospital Land Ride, I was pushed down a corridor, where I

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-8766977446161561382011-10-25T12:00:00.001-07:002011-10-25T12:02:30.303-07:00

I have a blog post about my hospitalization half written, and then I realized I needed a nap. And, that nap hasn't really ended yet. I'm resting, healing, and doing nothing. I'm fine but don't have a lot of energy so am piddling around these days. What is sucky about being home like this is all those projects you wanted to start - you don't have the energy. As soon as I go back to work,

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-17183745514176404092011-10-12T10:59:00.000-07:002011-10-12T10:59:49.976-07:00

I went feet first through double-doors which automatically opened and closed behind me, like a Disneyland B-Ticket Ride; "Mickey's Hospital World." My gurney rumbled down a hallway, one decorated the length of the corridor with dozens of white coats hanging from knobs. It reminded me of Hell's Kitchen with all the chef's coats skewered on meat hooks and flames wiping away the picture of the

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-38545177412806867182011-10-11T13:30:00.000-07:002011-11-06T16:29:20.543-08:00

October 3rd, 2011. Picture morning in a movie: an alarm clock goes off. The screen is dark but gradually sounds fade in - the drip of the coffee pot, the padding of feet across carpet. Then, eyes blink open and shut, and open again. You see that you are in a darkened hotel room, and somebody is whispering, "Ann, it's time to get up." 5:00 a.m. It's about the time I get up to go to work,

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-9046778561349769992011-10-10T11:23:00.000-07:002011-10-10T11:49:04.557-07:00

I know many of you want all the details of my liver resection, so I am going to break the description into different sections. That way, nobody is stuck at their computer for an hour, including me, since sitting up isn't that easy yet. Sunday, October 2nd. Magnesium Citrate. We were packed and ready to go to UCSF - after much angst, my liver wedge resection is on! I had everything important -

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-25410864256297167022011-10-01T10:39:00.000-07:002011-10-01T15:57:06.403-07:00

I know you people are expecting me to post immediately out of anesthesia - and trust me, I would if I could. I doubt I'll have the strength for a couple of days, but I hear that the nursing staff makes you get up and walk the very next day, so who knows? Maybe posting will be easy. I think the best way for me to update you immediately is via twitter. I can use my iPhone for that so it's

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-72474001206907034252011-09-29T15:13:00.000-07:002011-09-29T15:16:09.909-07:00

"If you knew that hope and despair were paths to the same destination, which would you choose?" ~Robert Brault I went to work yesterday. I realized I am taking a chance but by getting sick, I left unexpectedly and didn't want to leave too many things undone for my substitute. I was very surprised by a gift of cash along a long sheet of butcher paper signed by my coworkers. The cash amount was

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-1646882386087141122011-09-26T18:57:00.000-07:002011-09-26T18:57:05.876-07:00

A salesman just called me. Normally, I don't answer my home phone - ever. It's my spam phone, and one I give out to everybody I don't want to talk to since I don't answer it. But for some reason, I accidentally did. It must be my sickness making me slightly insane. "Hi, I'm trying to reach Ann?" "This is she." "Hi Ann. This is Brad from California Family Fitness. I see you used to be a

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-66102536894636753602011-09-25T16:46:00.000-07:002011-09-25T16:46:38.240-07:00

Thursday, as I as wrapping up my workday, I felt the beginnings of an illness. My stomach began rolling around in my belly, and I experienced a lower GI tract cramp. Uh oh. Attendance clerks in schools are better than the CDC in knowing whether communicable diseases are making the rounds, so I asked ours if kids had been going home sick this early in the year? Oh yes, she said, lots of

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-20667566543014593482011-09-21T21:04:00.000-07:002011-09-21T21:04:06.737-07:00

I had my second "last chemo" today. It was a bittersweet experience as I have again been chatting with people and enjoying their company, and by the time I return, many of them will be done with treatment and the group will be new again. It's funny - even when what you are doing isn't particularly fun, when you've been doing it regularly for almost two years it becomes an integral part of

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-81780560179845337712011-09-16T16:56:00.000-07:002011-09-16T17:59:42.541-07:00

“When I used to read fairy-tales, I fancied that kind of thing never happened, and now here I am in the middle of one!” ― Lewis Carroll Like Alice through the looking glass, nothing is what it seems, and everything is different than it should be. 25 months ago, had somebody told me that I would have surgery in which the entire right lobe of my liver, part of the left lobe and my

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-80167507677167988782011-09-09T19:10:00.000-07:002011-09-09T19:10:18.052-07:00

When you keep a cancer blog and you don't post for a while, well, people start to think the worst. But, I haven't been not posting because I'm very sick or even dead.  I've been not posting because I have energy!  The blood transfusion was remarkable.  I'd planned to write a book review, but instead, I cleaned out my closet. And, by that I mean this cheapo fashionista took every single thing

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-53883206394186450052011-08-28T20:31:00.000-07:002011-08-28T20:31:14.268-07:00

Fresh blood My dog can't stop sniffing me.  Clearly, I'm a changed person now that I have somebody else's blood coursing through my system.  When I left the house Friday morning, I smelled like a 53 year old woman whose interests were yogurt, perfume and chemotherapy.  When I came home, a new person walked in.  Maybe I smelled  like a 32 year old man, one who likes Monster Energy Drinks and

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-42541057337983700482011-08-25T17:16:00.000-07:002011-08-25T17:16:50.296-07:00

This is going to be a quick post, but I can't leave you all hanging!  My PET scan results are in, and guess what? Wrong!  Guess again. I had three liver tumors all along!  Somehow, in going over past scans, the hidden third one was found. Where's Waldo came out of hiding. And, all three have shrunk on chemo. So, my consult to see if I can have surgery on my liver is in the works.  It

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-86995469349505513632011-08-20T14:30:00.000-07:002011-08-20T14:30:27.489-07:00

Stoli  - comical dog.   When I came home from work every day, he had to grab a toy first thing.  He would even run away from me to pick up a toy, then run back, very excited, tail wagging.  Then he'd run to the back door to be let out, and as I opened the door, I'd grab the toy from his mouth and he'd fly outside. He was the messiest water drinker I ever saw.  He loved water, dranks lots of it,

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-30711660057310857552011-08-17T19:18:00.000-07:002011-08-17T19:18:41.169-07:00

Cancerversary - A term that still makes me cringe. I saw my oncologist to find out if my tumors were shrinking and I could move on to surgery. Astoundingly, the two did shrink. And another one grew. "Impression: Two previously described metastatic foci improved while there is a new left hepatic lobe focus worrisome for metastatis." It was a mixed result that puzzled my doctor a great

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-77934012238740487402011-08-16T19:25:00.000-07:002011-08-16T20:54:39.343-07:00

It's Wednesday afternoon, August 17 - chemo day. Your name is Ann, and you have left work early for the drip, grumbling under your breath about all the things left you want to finish. You are feeling frustrated that cancer is interfering in your life (and the life of your coworkers) to this degree. You leave campus, and the sun warms your skin as you pull your keys from your purse and push the

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-9614198383667265912011-08-14T19:47:00.000-07:002011-08-14T19:53:24.681-07:00

Doctors place a lot of importance on whether a patient is compliant or not.  Compliant means doing what they ask, taking your meds at the right time, following procedures, being a good little girl.   I see a lot of anguished posts over at KevinMD by doctors trying to reconcile how best to handle non-compliant patients. I admit that for the most part, and against my natural instincts, I've

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-78927964358764294052011-08-11T19:13:00.000-07:002011-08-13T10:48:15.592-07:00

I think I should revisit chemo brain here, although maybe I never visited it in the first place. I don't know, I can't remember. I had the strangest experience at work the other day. Apparently, our copier was out of toner. Well, not apparently, I remember that.  A teacher (they are trickling back to work) came and told me, so I went in and got the toner for him, and he put it in. Or I did

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-16603155262447765792011-08-06T14:34:00.000-07:002011-08-10T23:07:49.628-07:00

That was my hemoglobin result from my Wednesday blood test. The previous week it was 9.3. You would think that extra percentage wouldn't mean anything. But the difference in my energy level from last week to this one is striking, so like my son would say, numbers do matter. (Quick note - hemoglobin is the protein in red blood cells that carry oxygen from the lung to the brain and other mostly

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-67025407589379663162011-08-06T10:43:00.000-07:002011-08-06T10:43:44.992-07:00

For everybody. From my new favorite website.

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-62366495639126733012011-07-31T17:08:00.000-07:002011-07-31T17:08:53.639-07:00

You all know I'm not a fan of the Komen Marketeers, but I do believe that the American Cancer Society does good work - I have personally benefited from their outreach.  So, I want to let you know about a Relay for Life happening Saturday, August 6th, 2011 in Sacramento. I was invited to the Survivors breakfast but, um, you know - it's breakfast.  8:00 a.m.  I'd rather sleep.  Sleep helps me

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-30000928721937429332011-07-30T16:09:00.000-07:002011-07-30T16:12:42.877-07:00

All of my children are addicted to the web comic xkcd. And, yesterday, I found it very relevant to me. They kindly allow hotlinking.   Click a couple of times to see the whole thing clearly. Check them out: http://xkcd.com/931/

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-35367412768764553012011-07-28T18:37:00.000-07:002011-07-28T18:37:23.536-07:00

Navy Bean to the Rescue I have my CT scan - the one that determines if my liver tumors have shrunk, on August 8th. I see my oncologist to find out the news on the 17th. Which is exactly two years to the date I was originally diagnosed with cancer. I don't know what that means. Is it a sign? I mean, would it be if I believed in signs? I was scheduled to have the CT tomorrow, until I

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-81865771648111999312011-07-23T10:36:00.000-07:002011-07-23T17:00:45.710-07:00

"Oligometastases" I know what you are thinking. "Oh my God, you have that too? Is that what the MRI showed? How unfair can life be? Haven't you been through enough? What can I do for you: is clicking on the donate button enough? ---->" Well, thank you, but actually, Oligometastases is a very good thing. It's "a clinical state of metastasis that refers to restricted tumor metastatic

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-21604647882781785442011-07-19T17:18:00.000-07:002011-07-19T20:19:37.436-07:00

A year or so back, I met a group of cancer patients in Chicago. It was a very enjoyable trip but I had just had my last chemo a few days before. I was just growing my hair back, and had almost no energy to see the city. Still, thanks to a friend who lived there, I got to take the "El" and I also got to eat the famous Chicago deep dish pizza. One of the highlights of the event was meeting

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-91264052531459860172011-07-17T12:54:00.000-07:002011-07-17T14:17:53.272-07:00

Okay, I know what you are thinking about my title above. You are totally wrong - you are putting the emphasis on the wrong word. Plus, I don't find Letterman attractive in the least. Dying to do Bourdain would be a much better title for any post of mine. But, it doesn't have anything to do with that either, so get your mind out of the gutter. You all know cancer took my hormones away, so

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-12523937640434084582011-07-16T12:20:00.000-07:002011-07-16T12:24:51.797-07:00

The machines must have missed me. It's been, what? An entire month since I've been in one? This past week has been extremely difficult for me. I won't go into details, except to say it involved my car breaking down, $750.00, travel to another state, and lots of pain: some mental and lots physical. Do you remember the worst flu you ever had? The one where your fever was so high you just slept

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-79696680244088455942011-07-11T21:18:00.000-07:002011-07-11T21:27:52.614-07:00

I constantly get people wanting me to promote something on this blog.  As I have said before, sometimes I will if it has value to my readers.  Most I don't.  I have a post here outlining my philosophy about what I will and won't do. I sum it up in this paragraph: What I will not do is promote any charity whose focus is "awareness" rather than patient support or research. What I also will not

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-79365041587877557892011-07-10T18:49:00.000-07:002011-07-11T17:20:37.924-07:00

I notice that newly diagnosed women find my blog and read the entire thing, from start to finish, which is quite the commitment - particularly with Blogger's setup - you have to go into the archives and click on each month, scroll down, read up, start again after seven posts... It's a big hassle if you want to read it all. Of course, I'm worth it. But, so are you readers.  To save you all time

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-30300077019263654302011-07-07T19:40:00.000-07:002011-07-07T21:19:29.913-07:00

.....and what I say in response. .............and what you should say. Well-meaning but clueless person: "Let me know if you need anything." Snarky Me: "Really?  Thanks!  Empty your purse and let's see what you have in there. Wait, is that purse Prada? I need that, I have medical bills to pay and want to look good paying them. Oh, that's a pretty wedding ring, lots of diamonds, can I have that

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-55440949052570027152011-07-05T18:19:00.000-07:002011-07-05T18:19:18.005-07:00

I don't like to talk politics on this blog (much), because we all have different ideas, and it's really not why I'm writing it. I believe that even though people disagree about the way to solve the world's problems, political beliefs are really not the most important factor in human relationships - but since not everybody feels the same way, it's not a nerve I feel is worth touching. So I'm

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-3699415966194729482011-07-04T13:53:00.000-07:002011-07-04T13:53:13.339-07:00

To my British friends, neener neener, we won!  (And, aren't you glad?) And, to the rest of you, I hope you are having a nice summer day. If you live in a part of the world where it is summer, that is. (Can't forget the international nature of the Internet). Today is my favorite holiday but it's a lot of work.  I always have people over and even though I keep the menu simple, (hotdogs,

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-63661463626400847572011-07-02T10:16:00.000-07:002011-07-02T10:16:12.779-07:00

As a secretary, I see the UPS guy a lot, probably several times a week. Our regular UPS guy is one of the most annoying human beings in the history of humans, and I'm including Gilbert Gottfried in that list. He is relentlessly, single-mindedly optimistic.  But, not in a good way.  He is a one-way trainwreck of false positivity - so assertively happy that you end up thinking something has to

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-31643488730293125312011-07-01T11:05:00.000-07:002011-07-01T20:26:41.084-07:00

Maybe you didn't know this about me, but I'm a surgery/medical buff.   There used to be a surgery channel, do you remember that? They'd just show surgery after surgery: heart surgeries, colon surgeries, amputations, etc - just a camera in an operating room with the doctor narrating what he was doing.  I could watch that all day. Eventually, the channel morphed into Discovery Health.  At at

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-23214829319483367062011-06-26T10:05:00.000-07:002011-06-26T10:05:51.840-07:00

Here's how I'd like to put my affairs - in order: Ah, even a cancerous girl can dream. They should make an adult version of the Make-a-Wish Foundation, don't you think?  I'll bet Disney wouldn't even make the top ten. So, I've been thinking about all I need to do.   I am going to want to finally scrapbook all those baby photos of my 24 year old son that have been sitting under my bed for 17

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-52392696927402593982011-06-24T16:39:00.000-07:002011-06-24T16:42:10.711-07:00

What? What kind of title is that? Has she gone crazy? Wow, and she was handling it so well. No silly, that is my new treatment protocol. Hey, cancer patients need something to get cute about - why not give our chemo little nicknames? Navelbine is sometimes called Navy Bean, and Herceptin is known as Vitamin H. Now we just need a name for poor little Zometa, always left out.

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-64607820043956094992011-06-20T19:20:00.000-07:002011-06-20T22:28:43.215-07:00

My oncologist cut to the chase, "It looks like there are only two lesions in your liver and no cancer anywhere else." Then he smiled a little. I did a fist pump. "Yessssssss!" That, ladies and gentlemen, is the crazy world of cancer. All grins and celebratory gestures because cancer has spread to only one organ. But, you ask: what about my flank pain and the bloating? It's still

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-27427544493266102132011-06-17T20:02:00.000-07:002011-06-18T10:27:16.374-07:00

Can you guess that this picture is not of me?  I may have an abnormal growth, but not that one. I was lucky enough to get an opening for a PET scan immediately. PET, for you cancer newbies, has nothing to do with your dogs or cats or hamsters. Or snakes, if you swing that way, which you shouldn't if you have hamsters. It stands for Positron Emission Tomography. It is nuclear-based and gives

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-24639252217173249802011-06-15T18:11:00.000-07:002011-06-15T21:09:18.358-07:00

I started this blog a couple of years ago for a few reasons. The first has to do with sleep, a recurring theme 'round these parts. I have always loved to nap, and for some reason, it seems like the phone rings as soon as I lie down. That makes me swear and get very grouchy, and say stuff like "Who the f*ck is calling me NOW?" but then I have to be fakey nice on the phone so nobody knows I'm

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com76tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-80112092859215998282011-06-14T20:08:00.000-07:002011-06-14T20:08:12.506-07:00

Check out the top of my page! I have a new sponsor - Aqua Delight! Here's the story: One day I was googling for chemical-free water bottles since I'm a water addict. I came across Aqua Delight. I was actually looking for empty bottles to put my own water in, but this product intrigued me. Not only are the bottles are chemical-free, but they contain pure, fresh, clean water. While the

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-9972013864011700002011-06-11T12:47:00.000-07:002011-06-12T16:32:59.197-07:00

It was a lovely spring day after a cold, wet, and very long winter. On this day, June 9, 2011, I was scheduled for a liver biopsy. This did not make me nervous as I: a) have never had an uncomfortable medical test and, b) asked others who'd had the test, and all responses were "it's nothing to worry about." I knew the hardest part would be not being able to eat or drink for 8 hours before

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-80448578862930241102011-06-08T20:22:00.000-07:002011-06-08T20:24:35.071-07:00

I want to let you know about a new site out there for breast cancer survivors, from Latest Medical. Latest Breast Cancer is called by the company, "a one-of-a-kind website for patients and survivors." The site provides access to the latest news and research on tests, procedures, drugs, and lifestyle options for women with breast cancer. Currently, there is a subscription model ($35.00 a year)

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-63554648859027286252011-06-06T18:16:00.000-07:002011-06-06T18:16:41.080-07:00

If you make the rounds of the breast cancer blogs, you might know about Jeanne Sather and the 13 years she's been living with metastatic cancer. If you don't, she has blogged about her experience in the Assertive Cancer Patient. Jeanne and I have been in contact, off and on. We share a dislike of Pink October and emailed about that some time ago. And, now that I am likely facing my own

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-63824528375168773172011-06-05T10:13:00.000-07:002011-06-06T17:38:23.996-07:00

Drumroll please..... Beth Gainer! Mary Vaughn What I did was take the name of every person who entered and put it into Random.org's list randomizer: Then, I hit "randomize" and the winner was selected! Beth Gainer came in first, but, lovely soul she is, she decided to give it to somebody on chemo. #2 on the list is Mary Vaughn, who starts chemo about now. So, Mary, please email me at

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-41781940815668714372011-06-04T11:52:00.000-07:002011-06-04T12:17:11.551-07:00

There are some amazing kids in this world, who truly want to help victims of cancer. I'm not talking about the kind of kid who buys a trendy and subversive bracelet that announces their love of boobies. I'm taking about kids who are actively trying to raise money to help researchers prevent and treat cancer. One such student contacted me to tell me about a dance party she is arranging to

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-36213065992713089312011-06-01T16:48:00.000-07:002011-06-01T18:44:03.315-07:00

My liver biopsy is scheduled for June 9th.  I plan to celebrate with a bottle of nice chianti and some fava beans. The outpouring of love and well-wishes about my scary new condition has been overwhelming, and I appreciate it more than I can say. Understandably, a lot of people seem to think that this upcoming biopsy might be happening to determine if it is cancer, rather than to figure out

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-11699340111534467872011-05-28T19:09:00.000-07:002011-05-29T14:10:33.256-07:00

While I'm waiting for my biopsy to be scheduled, I figure I'd tell you about a product I found. Ever since I became a world-famous blogger, companies contact me to try to get me to promote their product on my blog.  Most of the time, I don't do it, but once in a while, I find the item worthwhile, as in the case of Sheryl Crow's cookbook. When they ask, it is important to me that the product add

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-85300763887505007382011-05-25T17:14:00.000-07:002011-05-25T17:14:53.754-07:00

This might be the first time I'm at a loss for words on this blog. So, I'll let my path report speak for me: There has been interval (since December 10) development of a subtle ill-defined hypodense lesion within the right hepatic lobe. This lesion measures 2.8 x 2.4 cm in size. In the hepatic dome in the lateral left hepatic lobe there is a new hypodense lesion which measures 2.0 x 2.0 cm in

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-80429191825788624052011-05-24T16:07:00.000-07:002011-05-24T17:19:42.737-07:00

In keeping with my Keep Calm and Carry On theme, as promised, I will post a recipe from Sheryl Crow's book. Below is the recipe I was given by the editor to share with you. For those of you who don't want to eat soy due to your ER+ status, you can substitute ground turkey or chicken. I don't think you have much to be worried about in the way of soy eating though, studies seem to show its okay

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-76319567570869518302011-05-23T16:21:00.000-07:002011-05-23T16:21:51.787-07:00

I spoke too soon. It's true that no news is good news, but I arbitrarily made up the date when I thought no news would actually BE good news. I was just a teeny bit off. I got a call from my oncologist's office today, wanting to set up an appointment. I asked his secretary if it was my ovaries, and she said no, that they'd found a spot on my liver. I have an appointment at 10:45 on

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-38413284872164291242011-05-22T14:27:00.000-07:002011-05-22T18:13:41.121-07:00

I'm happy to annouce, via video, that the winner of Sheryl Crow's cookbook is: (If you didn't enter the contest, watch the video anyway. There is a surprise ending. :) ) Tomorrow, I'll post the consolation prize recipe. Tell all your friends to check in - my new contest will start soon and it's an important one for those who are starting chemo.

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-9876719578298934722011-05-21T11:52:00.000-07:002011-05-21T11:52:24.506-07:00

My CT scan was Monday, today is Saturday, and my phone has not rung. Since my doctor said he'd only call if there was bad news, you know what that means - time to exercise. Wait, that is bad news. At least I'm not spending today fighting demons. That would be really bad news. On the orthopedic front, I finally got my long-awaited cortisone shot. You remember, the one I'd requested four

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-54365753594072914082011-05-15T13:56:00.000-07:002011-05-15T14:01:21.619-07:00

Breast cancer is an equal opportunity disease.  The rich, famous, and talented are as likely to get it as is a school secretary or stay-at-home mom.   Nancy Reagan and Maura Tierney (who was HER2+) are just two of many famous women who survived breast cancer. In some ways, it would be harder on them.  None of us want to lose our breasts or hair, but for a woman in the public eye, who makes

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-47332082732629197732011-05-13T18:14:00.000-07:002011-05-13T18:18:40.038-07:00

Once you have cancer, they are always prospecting for more.  Cancer doctors are like miners. They strike gold once and never stop looking for the Mother Lode. Yesterday, when I went to see my oncologist for my three month checkup, he found an excuse to go cancer hunting once again. The fact that I have gained about 7% of my total body weight since my last visit, all in my abdomen, is that

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-20612407607095357672011-05-07T10:28:00.000-07:002011-05-07T10:40:53.079-07:00

Every so often, you find somebody that is totally sympatico with you. You are are instantly on the same page with this person, their thought process mirrors yours, they have the same interests and same way of looking at the world, and you become friends. In the day of the internet, this can happen without ever meeting the person, and so it was with me and Sarah. I first became aware of Sarah

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-67447692857139786692011-04-28T18:39:00.000-07:002011-04-28T18:48:53.186-07:00

It's been 15 whole days since I wined whined about something, so clearly, I am neglecting this blog. I shall get out the corkscrew and remedy that immediately.   Grab a glass. My shoulder pain is  right back to being a level 7 or 8 again.  Not only does the shoulder hurt - a lot - but it is spasming and I can feel it in my elbow, up my neck and down my wrist.  It throbs if I move it, too.  The

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-20375738510535863602011-04-18T16:23:00.000-07:002011-04-19T21:25:21.834-07:00

Your favorite breast cancer blog has a name change! No, not, Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog.  Me!  My breast cancer blog! I felt sorry for all you ladies with achy tamoxifen fingers who are still typing all those words, so I shortened it. What was formerly butdoctorihatepink.blogspot.com is now butdoctorihatepink.com. On your end, you shouldn't have to do anything if you have a link in - it

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-23691850901136540442011-04-16T12:01:00.000-07:002011-04-16T12:40:08.636-07:00

A fellow breast cancer blogger, Anna Rachnel, who writes the excellent Cancer Culture Chronicles, recently pointed this story out: A Christchurch woman dying of cancer will be buried in a pink coffin decorated with pairs of breasts. Far be it from me to comment negatively on anything that gives a dying woman comfort. If this makes her happy and helps her face the inevitable, than so be it.

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-28199821029718991862011-04-14T20:10:00.000-07:002011-04-14T23:33:52.491-07:00

Many of you know that a judge in Pennsylvania has determined that the popular "I Heart Boobies" bracelets worn by middle school students are a form of free speech intended to raise awareness of breast cancer and cannot be restricted by schools. As much as I love a good double-entrendre (and I do), I find the entire situation to be sad, particularly the misinformed comments I've seen made by

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-5558305479474769712011-04-13T17:19:00.000-07:002011-04-13T19:45:47.477-07:00

I confess, I've been having a bad cancer day. Most of the time I'm fine, and I don't worry about a recurrence or think about the changes I've undergone. Trite as the saying may be, "it is what it is" captures my mindset. I don't consider myself in remission, I consider myself done with this beast. But today?   I'm tired.   My shoulder hurts more than normal, and I feel very frustrated being in

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-69866533475021291162011-04-11T16:37:00.000-07:002011-04-16T07:55:17.210-07:00

Many breast cancer patients who have reconstruction end up having revision surgeries.  You are warned about that at the beginning of the process (or you should be).  It might be as simple as a scar tweak here or an adjustment there, or it could be more involved, like cleaning out contracture.   Implants have a median shelf life of ten years, and sometimes need to be replaced.    People with one

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-11559013923447260042011-04-09T11:07:00.000-07:002011-04-09T11:07:25.066-07:00

I was recently offered a handbook by Natrelle, the maker of silicone implants.  (An Allergan company) It's a darling little book, completely pink with the ubiquitous ribbon in a cut-out design.  A scrapbooker must have designed it. If you hate pink, like me, you'll need a cover if you plan to carry it around.  Alternatively, if you pull it out at, say, a sporting event, you are pretty much

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-36856302525019846202011-04-06T17:05:00.000-07:002011-04-06T19:49:04.827-07:00

I work in a high school, where there are many brilliant students. One girl spends her extra time in a lab, and she just won $30,000 for her work in cancer research.  This 17 year old girl actually discovered a way to cure a form of liver cancer without the use of chemotherapy.  Yes, she did, it's documented, and she did it by herself. She also is the captain of the dance/drill team, and they

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-90351532386449728802011-04-02T17:46:00.000-07:002011-04-02T21:09:06.155-07:00

Time flies when you are having fun. Actually time gets a bit confusing after chemo. I had my last chemo infusion March 31st 2010. When I realized the date the other day, I was shocked. It certainly didn't feel like a whole year since I sat in that infusion room and watched and waited as the toxic yet healing drugs were poured into my body. I was stunned at how swiftly time was passing. Then

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-57105599946733835682011-03-20T12:49:00.000-07:002011-03-20T12:57:02.970-07:00

I sure hope none of my doctors read this blog, because I have a feeling they won't like this post.  On the other hand, I wasn't getting a lot of help from them, and desperate times call for desperate measures, ya know? My shoulder has been a big, throbbing, agonizing trial in my life; quite unfair after what I've just been through.  Yeah, cancer can be life-threatening and scary and

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-70638907554417402752011-03-07T18:45:00.000-08:002011-03-07T19:38:50.288-08:00

What do you get when you mix Viagra and Rogaine? Hair on your head that stands straight up. I regularly receive email updates about new breast cancer treatments. You never know, foreplay forewarned is forearmed, or something like that. I recently opened up my inbox to find this astonishing news:  Get Viagra 65% off! No wait, that's not right.  What the email actually said was, "

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-40126881033450335872011-03-06T14:29:00.000-08:002011-03-06T17:05:56.101-08:00

Regular readers, bear with me as I do a quick recap for newbies:  Immediately after my breast reconstruction surgery, my shoulder began to hurt.   At my two-week follow-up, I told my plastic surgeon, who said give it time and if it didn't go away, he'd refer me to physical therapy.  It didn't, he did, I went. My first two visits were with some nice but granola-y ladies who iced my shoulder and

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-29304340690570900492011-03-01T17:23:00.000-08:002011-03-01T17:23:03.499-08:00

Back when I was first diagnosed with breast cancer, some of the other school secretaries pitched in and bought me a large, creamy white orchid, which was delivered to my home with a card signed by them all. This was impressive because school secretaries don't actually work together - there is only one per school, and we see each other once a year at district meetings, if that. We do email each

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-52806918822410348772011-02-26T13:05:00.000-08:002011-02-27T13:56:04.766-08:00

So, you've cut off your breast(s) and poisoned and radiated your body.  You've hit all your medical milestones - surgery, chemo, herceptin.  You've recovered and the  hair on your legs has grown back to plague you, and you have gotten back to a normal life.  Work, jobs, family. Shaving. Yet you are changed.  You didn't expect this, but each time you get dressed or undressed, you can't help but

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-57355331389295324912011-02-22T14:42:00.000-08:002011-02-22T14:47:26.550-08:00

I like to read the doctor blogs.  It's interesting getting perspective from behind the white coat.  Hearing their struggles managing patients, running a business, dealing with insurance companies and of course, with illness and death has been useful to me as a patient.  Well-written blogs can give us an idea about the problems facing the people who, by virtue of our disease, have become a

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-14194731061994271212011-02-20T12:12:00.000-08:002011-02-20T12:12:39.641-08:00

When I was diagnosed with cancer, my children were 12 and 22, respectively. I know, I know, what can I say?  My oldest put me through a 48 hour labor, it took me a while to want to try again. Anyway, at the time of my diagnosis, my oldest was out of the house and on his own (yes, young moms, they do leave and yes, it's hard - dealing with that could be a blog on its own, and honey, if you

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-29804256129933375522011-02-19T09:29:00.000-08:002011-02-19T11:21:24.182-08:00

I went to see my cute young doctor for the results of the MRI Arthrogram.  I knew what he was going to say, "this is really bad, we are going to schedule surgery for tomorrow - I'm quite afraid your arm is going to fall off if we don't." I'd already purchased a post-surgical pillow wedge pillow on Amazon, knowing I would have to sleep sitting up again, and wanting to do it better than I had the

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-7978542780342611902011-02-12T12:54:00.000-08:002011-02-12T12:54:37.910-08:00

I had my first three month follow-up with my oncologist, Wednesday the 9th.  My blood looks good, no tumer cells showing up.  I explained my shoulder injury to him, and he looked incredulous.  "You have a labrum tear?"  "Yes, that's what they think," I said.  "The Arthrogram is tomorrow."  He next comment surprised me.  He stated that they probably positioned me wrong on the operating table

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-1103456958076683202011-02-06T12:14:00.000-08:002011-02-06T12:41:05.468-08:00

At the risk of having to rename this blog:  "Ann's continuing complaints about her health.com" I plan to update you with current news of my shoulder.  Like any gray-haired old lady, I like nothing more than describing my medical procedures and tests.  Pretty soon I'll think nothing of going into details about my bowel movements at a dinner party,  just you wait and see. While my shoulder injury

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-16669717072438408802011-01-29T13:30:00.000-08:002011-01-29T18:26:22.383-08:00

The last surgery I am to have, the final dollop in my cancer sundae, is the creation of nipples. A nip, as it's known in cancerland, is the cherry on top of a scarred mound of ice cream, without which the dessert is not complete. It's a minor surgery, but one that requires anesthesia. A false nipple is made out of skin from another part of your body (in my case, my doctor said the stomach)

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-50852665559330181452011-01-28T18:46:00.000-08:002011-01-28T18:51:47.907-08:00

73220 Magnetic Resonance Imaging Any Joint Upper Extremity w/out & W Contrast-73220 REQR 73222 MRI Any Joint of upper extremity; w/contrast REQR 77002 Flouroscopic Gude for Needle placement Narpos 23340 Injection for shoulder x-ray - 23350 AA Those were the diagnostic codes I received in the mail today - after my 73220 MRI. Yes, I said after because I got a phone call this morning at 8:30.

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-44607825153906728852011-01-27T20:54:00.000-08:002011-01-27T20:58:14.210-08:00

One question: When people in the UK or Canada have an MRI on their upper arm bone, do they spell it humerous? My hilarious MRI - the one to check out that funny spot on my humerus, is scheduled for Saturday morning at 8:00 a.m. Eight. A.M. On Saturday. I think the joke is on me. I've been all, "oh, this is ridiculous and a waste of time. I am only seven weeks out of herceptin, it is

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-38715387964263607042011-01-24T17:47:00.000-08:002011-01-24T17:49:36.271-08:00

So, I tried to get out of having an x-ray. I really, really did. The nurse came in and got me and I said, "no thanks." I explained that I'd had several CT scans, a bone scan and had enough radiation to power a small IKEA lamp. She said she'd tell the doctor and see what he thought. Hell, I figured it was pretty clear cut, some sort of ligament injury. Why x-ray me, it's not like my shoulder

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-87522021896376517082011-01-22T16:44:00.000-08:002011-01-22T16:44:48.249-08:00

So, I found myself back at the old familiar medical complex - the place I'd hoped to get a month-long vacation from. I was there for my first physical therapy session in the hopes of restoring movement and reducing pain in my shoulder. I arrived late, because as many times as I'd been there, I couldn't find this particular office. I'd never experienced physical therapy before and wasn't

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-1211150551548606682011-01-22T11:52:00.000-08:002011-01-22T11:52:41.482-08:00

One of the breast cancer bloggers that I linked to in my blogroll, Living with Cancer, has died. Daria has been very generous in sharing her struggles with metastatic cancer with her readers. She fought to the end, and never gave up hope. We never met, but I considered her a friend. My heart goes out to her family.

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-26502932876526348682011-01-17T18:33:00.000-08:002011-01-17T18:38:14.046-08:00

I know you are all frantic about the fact I haven't posted in two weeks. When a cancer blogger stops posting...well.....minds wander. The fact is, my mother died. She passed away on December 31st. I hadn't seen her in a couple of years, and we have only spoken a couple of times since I began this blog. My mother had her own health issues, as I had mine. I won't eulogize her in this space,

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-42272209216203851852011-01-02T16:02:00.000-08:002011-01-03T17:24:48.524-08:00

The winner of the fabulous Paula Young wig is..... ta da! Suzanne/mommafluff61 I drew names out of a Santa hat but it was too dark to show up on video - relentless rain here in my parts combined with a dark house means poor video quality.  You know me, as much as I like you, I'm not going out in the rain for you. So, congratulations Suzanne and please email me at butdoctorihatepink AT

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6809102117325110761.post-21354457438623731582010-12-30T12:00:00.000-08:002010-12-31T12:08:05.303-08:00

I have already hinted at my resolution for the year 2011: I plan to take the entire month of January off from being a cancer patient and just live like a normal person. No doctors, no appointments, no tests, nothing medical. After 70 appointments in 16 grueling months involving pokes, prods, chemicals, scans, treatments, sticks, pain, mutilation, radiation, x-rays - after being questioned,

Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06952736107114454660noreply@blogger.com6