Cancer Free

Out Of The Clinical Trial.....

OK......so remember the Exemestane Clinical Trial that I was on, where I go and get a shot at Roswell Park every month and take a pill everyday?

Well, I am no longer on this trial.

WHY you ask??

For the last year, or longer, it has progressively made my ankles weaker and weaker.

When I would sit and relax, and then get up and walk, it would feel like I needed a walker to get to the other room. I started to feel like a person that was ready for a cane. When I would get up in the morning, I would have to take the steps one at a time in order to get downstairs. When I would wake up in the middle of the night, I would have to hold on to things in order to get to the bathroom. It was awful, and painful at times.

They took me off of the pill for a month to see if that was the problem, and it was. My ankles are almost back to normal and I can walk fine.

When I went to Roswell today for my appointment and told them that, they asked me if I wanted to go off the clinical trial and go on Tamoxifen 20mg. I told them, "yes".

What that means is.......

No more monthly visits for me! (Now I only have to go once every 6 months.)

No more yearly Bone Density tests!

No more monthly shots!

No more three month Dr visits!

I can actually start to feel more like a "normal" person again. OK, some of you might differ about the fact that I am "normal" to begin with, but now I won't have to feel like such a "Cancer Patient"!

Because my tumor fed on hormones, that is why I still have to be on Tamoxifen, but now because I am not getting the shot that shut down my ovaries, it won't be like I am in Menopause anymore. I might regain some of the regular "womanly" functions and I just might even get my libido back. (Which has been gone for quite some time, and, YES, I have missed it!!)

Soooooo.......whoooohoooo - good news for me, but, not so good news in the name of Research.

They will continue to use my chart for any updates on my health.

My last MRI, last month, came back NEGATIVE in both breasts for any signs cancer!!

I go in for a mammogram in January 2010 and MRI in March 2010 - I will keep you updated.

WOW - it has been a long time!!

Soooooo sorry everyone!
No news is GOOD news though, right??
All is well......I am staying healthy.
Making sure I go to all my appointments and STILL taking my pill everyday.
Trying to exercise as much as I can - which isn't often enough I am sorry to say.

I definitely get scared when I hear of people having re-occurrences (which is OFTEN now that I am working at Cancer Care of WNY).
It makes you feel like, "When is it going to be MY turn??"
I HOPE NEVER!!!!
I try to maintain that line of thinking, but it is NOT always easy.

I had my two year anniversary - but didn't celebrate it because there is no one to celebrate it with and sometimes it feels like people want to forget that I even ever had cancer.
I sure do!!!
It sucks though because I want to talk about it sometimes and there is no one to listen.
Oh well, I guess that is what my counselor is for but it would be nice if I had a friend that was willing to listen, maybe someone that has been through the same thing - that would be even better!

Anywho..... I am doing GREAT and staying healthy.
I will keep you posted of my MRI's & Mammograms!!

Stay healthy.......I know I am!!

Happy Happy Holidays

Hey......so all is going well.
All tests and exams are coming back negative for cancer!!
I continue to KICK ITS ASS and keep it out of my body!!
That's the way we want it, right?!
Well, at least I do anyway!!

Dad is doing excellent with his treatments too!!

Hope everyone has the BEST Holidays ever!!

I know that I am going to try to!!

I'll be back on soon..........

Mammogram results......

NEGATIVE!!!!!!
Yeah....good for another 6 months!!
Let's hope that I continue to stay that way.
It seems like you just never stop wondering whether or not you are TRULY cancer free.
I read an article about a woman that was diagnosed and will not consider herself "cancer free" until she is done with her clinical trial which is 5 years after her treatment is over.
I wonder if she will really consider herself cancer free then?!
Does the worry or wonder ever go away?
They say that by the time you are diagnosed with Breast Cancer, the cancer has already been in your body for years.
I guess you just have to try and think positive, stay positive and laugh daily.
I actually try to think about something thst will make me laugh outloud daily!
Laughter IS the best medicine!

Ooooops......Sorry

All of my results came back.......NEGATIVE!!!!!
Y-E-A-H!!!!!!
I go back in October for a mammogram, I will let you know what happens.
I guess the routine of Roswell has just become NORMAL for me
and I have become lax in keeping up with my blog......sorry.
I am not really sure if that is a good or bad thing.
I will try to keep a better eye on it.

SEPT 5TH 2008 APPOINTMENT

HOPEFULLY AT THIS APPOINTMENT I WILL FIND OUT THE RESULTS OF MY LAST BREAST MRI FROM JULY AND MY HIP AND SPINE BONE SCANS FROM AUGUST 8TH.
NOT SURE WHY THEY NEVER CALLED ME WITH THE RESULTS, BUT I WILL LET YOU KNOW NEXT FRIDAY AFTER MY APPOINTMENT.

KEEP YOUR FINGERS CROSSED THAT NO NEWS IS GOOD NEWS.

GO "TEAM MAXIM" Ride For Roswell 2008

UP HILL AT ELLICOTT CREEK PARK

"NO BRAKING, NO BRAKING!!!"

Let me tell you that staying ahead of them so that I could take photographs of them riding was NO EASY TASK to say the least!

But I managed to get to the finish line first......

2ND ONE BACK - JANEEN

3RD & 4TH - JUSTINE & JACKIE

5TH BACK - RENEE

6TH ONE BACK - VALERIE

7TH ONE BACK - SUE

"TEAM MAXIM" AT THE FINISH LINE

20 MILES COMPLETE

NEXT YEAR 30 MILES !!!!!!!

Thank you again to everyone from UPS BUFFALO GATEWAY, the UPS Store on Broadway Ave, my friends and family that sponsored me for this ride - it was greatly appreciated.

Ride for Roswell.............1ST REST STOP

1st rest stop - almost half way done:

Ride For Roswell......Photos 1

was Saturday June 28th, 2008.

We rode 20 miles and it was a blast. I rode with Janeen, Renee, Valerie, Justine, Jackie and Susan from Maxim Management Services.

Here are a few photos:

Janeen and her HELMET.

"TEAM MAXIM "

Sue, Justine & I waiting for it to start.

Me , Janeen & Jackie at the starting line up.

Renee & her helmet

Still waiting..............