Elizabeth & Brendan

…cancer free – many to go.

Going to dinner at Hungry Mother.

Everything is fine, got my new, annual prescription for tamoxifen. She doesn’t want to see me for 5 months so I am not a priority case which at an oncology office is a good thing.

I find it interesting that on this Friday (June 18), we were cleared to close on the house while one year ago on that Friday (June 19) I was told I have cancer (which I then met up with Kristen and JB and said “I have cancer.  So let’s get drunk.”  And thanks guys for taking the commend seriously and getting drunk.  The night ended in a dive bar with the entire bar singing along to Baby Got Back.)

To celebrate just how far we have come, Brendan and I cashed in a christmas gift and went to erbaluce for dinner.  (We both wanted what we got last time but branched out.  I got the steak and Brendan got the poached lobster)  And in talking, we both never thought that 1 year later we would have a dog, be buying a house and Brendan at a new job.  And while I am still technically “in treatment” and still finishing up the reconstruction, we are doing tremendously well.

And we have to thank you for all your support, cupcakes, well wishes, food, babysitting, prayers, etc.  We couldn’t have made it to this point without you.  And I am serious.

I am back from the hospital and Brendan took today off as well to tend to me. I am a bit sore and there is more pain then the last time. I think my nerves have regenerated a bit more so there is more to feel if that makes any sense.

While watching day time tv I saw a commercial for Huggies Jeans. Diapers that look like jeans. It is so bizarre and stupid. I think the tagline is something like “The only way to be stylish while pooping in your pants”. Seriously? Crazy.

Today I had my first 3 month check up with Dr. Tabesh the oncologist. Seriously, the appointment was 6 minutes but we did have one funny exchange and provides more proof that she gets us.

Dr. T: Are you having any problems with the tamoxifen, any side effects like hot flashes?

Me: No but I do have mood swings.

Dr. T: OK, tell your husband it is the medication and fairly common.

I heart her and I will see her again in 3 months.

On the mammogram debate…

Again just my opinion and call me a cynic but what I have yet to hear is anyone demanding for a better screening tool.  Obviously at these rates (From USA Today.com: Doctors would have to screen 1,904 women ages 39-49 for a decade to prevent one death, vs. 1,339 women 50-59 and 377 women 60-69, according to a study accompanying the recommendations in the Annals of Internal Medicine.), mammogram is not good at what it needs to do – detect cancer.  And it would not have detected mine and it didn’t detect Ann’s so why isn’t anyone saying “let’s get a better test?”

I understand the MRI is a more sensitive test (and more likely to have false positives) but the expense and yearly exposure to radiation is not advised at the population level.  So work on a better imaging test that can be used for screening of average risk patients.

Can someone help me off this soapbox?

That is our plan for 2010.  And give back actively rather than the passive giving we normally do.  We started to feel the need to do something while watching the Biggest Loser.  There is always a bit about the Pound for Pound challenege where if you lose a ound, they donate a pound of food to a local food bank.  This of course was usually followed by a commercial highlighting that 1 in 8 Americans go hungry.  Media worked.  It got us feeling guilty and interested in helping.  Because even after the trials and tribulations of 2009, Brendan and I are doing well compared to the average American. 

For the past year, we have been donating through Kiva.org.  It is a micro-finance site that allows for direct person-to-person lending.  (And since it is non-profit, you don’t make money on the loans, it is charity people.)  According to the website, “Microfinance is the supply of loans, savings, and other basic financial services to the poor.  As the financial services of microfinance usually involve small amounts of money – small loans, small savings etc. – the term “microfinance” helps to differentiate these services from those which formal banks provide.”

We found out about Kiva through a gift.  Jody and Katie gave us a Kiva gift certificate for our wedding and we have taken that giift and helped out four people (in Kenya, Ghana, Peru, and Tajikistan).   The premise being tht you take the money and as you get repaid, you loan it right abck out.  The one thing I wish is that they would post stories after the loan is repaid so you can check in and see how these people are doing.   

Which leads us to wanting to help out more in our own backyard and we plan to work with BostonCares, Somerville Homeless Coalition or some other organization. We have the applications, just need to feel them out and send them in.

“It is every man’s obligation to put back into the world at least the equivalent of what he takes out of it.”
Albert Einstein

Surgery was scheduled for noon but we didn’t get in until 2:00. But other than that everything went smoothly. I had the same anesthesiologist as last time (but I thought she was a nurse – oops) and another nurse was on my case last time. The day surgery family waiting room is not as nice as the main waiting room but Brendan only had to wait about 2 hours this time. So no more surgeries for awhile!!!!!

We have been having fun in ATL and Athens but promise we will post pictures soon. 

Surgery date has been changed from the 30th to December 7th.  This means that my first surgery was on my niece’s birthday and the follow-up will be on my nephew’s birthday.  Weird.

My next surgery date has been set for November 30. The Monday after Thanksgiving.  Hopefully the triptophan has worn off by then.  My procedure is at noon and will be in the OR but I will leave that day.  Heck, for part of it they won’t even be giving me any anesthesia since the procedure happens in a place where the nerve endings have not regenerated yet.   I hope they give me some anxiety medicine because I don’t want to see them performing the surgery regardless of whether I can feel it or not. 

I will say that having no feeling is weird and weird when you notice it coming back.