Journal entry by Vanessa Simpson —
Hello!
I am getting ready to move into the next steps of treatment. We have been getting lots of questions, but we didn’t have the answers clarified until this week.
On Monday, I went in to be mapped out for radiation therapy. I went into the CT “donut” for scans, and was given two new tattoos- one dot on my sternum, the other near my left armpit. These dots will give the radiation team survey points to line me up exactly the same way every time I go in.
Today, I went in for a test/practice run and a few additional X-rays to make sure they have it all lined up just right. I have to be able to take a consistent size deep breath, and then hold it while treatments are being administered. (Heyyyoooh! Let’s hear it for yoga and pranayama practice- I was told over and over how consistent my breathing is!). The reason this is so important is when I inhale and hold my breath, my heart is out of the way of the radiation beams and the expansion of my chest also allows for less of my lung to be in the line of fire as well.
The plan is for me to undergo 33 rounds of radiation treatment over the next 6-7wks. I will be going in once a day, M-F starting this coming Monday! I’m looking forward to having this last major step underway.
Andy and I also met with Dr. Lu (my main oncologist) this week to talk about next steps. Because the cancer I have is estrogen positive, we will need to decide how to drastically reduce the estrogen in my body. There are two options - I can start a drug called Lupron, and then go on aromatase inhibitors (AIs), or have surgery to remove my ovaries, and then go on AIs. The goal is to get me into menopause so I I won’t make food for the cancer buffet. I am leaning towards trying the Lupron, if the side effects aren’t too terrible I will keep going with that. If I can’t stand the side effects, I can go in for surgery and head into menopause using that method.
While this is overwhelming at times, I am glad I have options. We still get to make choices in treatments, and that is a very good thing.
Dr. Lu also said I get to have my port removed! I am thrilled! While I know it has served a good purpose, having a foreign object lodged under my skin has been annoying and weird. My appointment is next Friday morning to get that bugger out of my chest. It’s a big little step!
I have been feeling really well the past few weeks. Since about a week or so after surgery, I have been going in about 2x a week for acupuncture. I am so very grateful for these treatments which help me heal and gain more mobility. Because Cassie (my acupuncturist) was seeing me so often, she caught that I had an infection brewing on the right side, and we got that quickly under control with antibiotics. It helps to have someone who knows what you’re supposed to look like have eyes on you regularly!
Besides that bonus, acupuncture has helped with range of motion in both arms, pain reduction, swelling, and my skin sensitivity. Some of this is also due to time passing and my body healing up as it should, but I genuinely feel like those little needles have done some big work.
I’m still stiff and numb (especially on the left side), but following the wise instructions from my PT sister in law as well as gentle yoga practices and stretches throughout the day, I am feeling more and more like my old self every day!
Last week, I got out for two runs! Orion and Andy joined me for Saturday’s 5k, i love that they join me out there, even if they are kicking my butt in speed these days! I can’t tell you how happy running made me, it was like I got a little bit of normalcy back again!
Oh, we also had a few friends in town! The picture here is of the Burke sister and their crews, and we also got to see the Wohletz gang that weekend as well.
It’s so good to feel good!!
With gratitude,
Vanessa
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