Good morning and Merry Christmas!

It's been quite a while since I've written...activities, errands...all get in the way.  While the men in the house will be having a sleep in, I thought I'd  take advantage of this quiet Christmas morning to update you on my health. 

October 1st, I went to have a CT scan at VCI (Virginia Cancer Institute) of all of the areas where the lymph nodes were enlarged - basically my whole torso. I week or so later, I remember I was traveling either to my cousin Denelle's house in Georgia with my brother or to NC with Mark to see my FIL and drop off a truck. Anyway, I saw the office number and got nervous. It was Dr. Friedman's nurse. My immediate thought was, "Oh, gosh. They want to schedule an appointment to speak with her." But no, that isn't what she called for.

"Hi, Monica this is Dr. Friedman's nurse."

"Uh, huh." Heart racing.

"Dr. Friedman wanted me to let you know that your lymph nodes are back to normal size." 

"Really?"

"Really!" She confirmed.

"Oh, wow! That's awesome!" I said gratefully.

"It is, isn't it. So...Dr. Friedman won't need to see you until December for labs and check-up."

I hung up and was absolutely grateful beyond words to a God that is faithful and so good - no matter what.

In the meanwhile, I have been trying to address my thyroid. As I read Dr. Park's email (it was his nurse that wrote it), which was rather long so the first time I only glanced over it. I read it over again and got to the bottom half - that I missed. "Once you send us your medical information, we will review it first to see if you are a candidate for RFA and then we would schedule a consult, but more importantly, RFA is considered an experimental procedure by the insurance and it is most likely that they will not pay for it, so you should be prepared to pay for it yourself, which is $8500." I was stunned. Well, we aren't prepared to do that anytime soon so it will have to wait.

Meanwhile, I called my GP's office and asked them if they could do a Hashimoto's test for me and they said yes, but they would look at my chart. The nurse called back later in the day and told me that I had tested positive for Hashimoto's Disease in 2019. I was shocked because I never remember the PA telling me. I thanked her but hung up annoyed. The Hashimoto's Disease explained A LOT. Hashimoto's Disease is an autoimmune disease and one of the things I read about NHL (non-hodgkins lymphoma) is that you are susceptible to get this disease if you have autoimmune problems.

I started researching diet for Hashimoto's and monitoring my food intake closer. I stopped all my supplements and slowly added one by one over the weeks. Peanuts and peanut butter, which I love, aren't my thyroid friends, neither is coffee decaf or regular. Mushroom supplements, which I was taking to boost my immune system, seem to enlarge the nodules/thyroid....and continuing on eliminating and slowly adding like that it seems my nodules and thyroid have gone mostly down with occasional flare-ups.  My current supplements are a women's general multi-vitamin, Barlean's Omega-3 in liquid Key lime flavor (yum), COQ10 liquid, Vitamin D3, Ceylon Cinnamon, Red Yeast Rice in the morning. At night it's Turmeric, another Vitamin D3 (I'm always low), another Cinnamon, and Magnesium. There are two doctors in Reno, Nevada that I would like to have a tele-health meeting with that specialize in Hashimoto Thyroiditis. They are integrative naturopathic doctors. I listened to there Youtube vlog - it was nearly two hours long, but it was informative and extremely helpful. I am going to try scheduling some time next year. And I am still determined to find a better endocrinologist. 

Since October I have been dealing with pain in my armpit area (sometimes both sides) that radiates along my back and flank areas and it really can shorten my day as far as home keeping progress in concerned. And I guess that is part and parcel why I haven't updated. "What am I going to say today...that I'm in pain AGAIN??" Living in pain is extremely disheartening an enormous battle of the mind...I'm sure I've said that before. You can never truly understand it until you live it, and I wish it on no one. 

I continue with gentle yoga, but admittedly not as often as I should since Thanksgiving. Gentle yoga is extremely helpful with the lymphedema. I also do dry brushing, which is also super helpful. You can find a number of how-to's on YouTube. I take Red Root (herbal supplement) on occasion when the lymphedema is particularly bad. 

Since Thanksgiving, I am now back with Dr. Pelicaine, a breast specialist. Pain sent me there a couple of weeks ago. He will be doing all my mammograms from now on in 3D so that I don't have to keep going back a second time every year. Highly recommend it if that is something that happens to you. First mammo is free from insurance, but it's the call-back that is on the patient $$. I have a 3D scheduled in February. Meanwhile, I am treating a cyst he found with Vitamin E and Evening Primrose. 

December 16th I had my follow-up/routine appointment with Dr. Friedman and she said that my numbers were good. The only issue is the white platelets that are always high, but they have been high since 2012, so she is always monitoring that. I was experiencing terrible right and left flank pain but poking and prodding did not indicate liver nor kidney issues. She was extremely doubtful that it was the lymph nodes regrowing and was hesitant to do another CT scan because I've had so many. I asked her about a PET scan. The PET scan would be able to tell whether the cancer is gone or not. She said that was not something she planned on doing for me because my diagnosis was low-grade, my lymph nodes were small,  and with the sugar (something to do with the sugars in the tracers?), she said it often gives you false negatives especially with low-grades. At issue though, was my blood pressure. Suddenly, out of no where, my BP was extremely undesirable 148/98. I usually run 110-115/70. I was quite high at the visit with my bottom number (diastolic) being 98! I have to work on that now. I probably could work on my potassium intake and good cardio work out like walking (I miss Marina, my walking mate). I have been plagued with severe headaches as well the last two weeks. I don't know if it's because of the BP or low potassium...or something else. Dr. Friedman wants me to monitor my BP at home by keeping a diary [big sigh]. I will see her again in three months. 

And that has been my last few months. One thing y'all should know, is that I am completely off of Fakebook...I mean Facebook. I have DELETED my account. Nothing personal...I'm over THEM...THE COMPANY in particular. You can find me on MeWe, just know that it is not my daily dose of entertainment, so I'm not on there everyday. I don't have Instagram either. My life is better for it. I am more productive. 

Christmas Eve we spent at our darling daughter's and son-in-love's house with all the Fickens and our Matt who is here for the holidays, which is always a treat and a blessing. We will go over there again tonight and share a Norwegian style dinner. We have been journeying around the world for Christmases according to our ancestry tests - Ficken and Espinosas/Sanfords (Mark didn't do one). And the food journey has been fun. We have included some food dares - ordering from Amazon or World Market ...country favorites/staples. Absolutely no one could be triple-dogged dared on Vegemite on toast nor lutefisk. We have terrific fun and look forward to it every year. Felicia and Jack have been the hostess/host with the mostest/most!

Have a wonderful and very blessed Christmas! I know I will. I have been extremely blessed by the cards I have received from you with your prayers and words of encouragement throughout this journey. I have them all up and will keep them up. I pray for all of us that 2021 will bring the end of the Rona and mask wearing. Yep, I'm over the masks! Sorry not sorry. 😏 😉 😍 May God richly bless you all and may the New Year bring you amazing and abundant favor and blessings. I have received the Christmas cards, but have just put them up (no pic). 

With Love, hugs and smiles,
Monica