It's Been Nearly a Year

February 29, 2004

It has been nearly a year since my diagnosis.  I have gone in for my annual gynecological exam and saw the physician who began this whole process when he said.  Be sure not to skip your mammogram this year.  There's a palpable tissue change in the left breast.  Mind you, there was no lump, just a change in the way the tissue felt.  Actually, after the mammogram it was still difficult for the lump to actually be found.  It was deep and small.  It was in the same place I have had pain off and on for over 15 years.  It even received a needle biopsy about 9 years ago.  Interesting to me that this is the place where a cancer eventually took root.

I called to schedule my mammogram for this year.  The person making the appointment asked if there were any problems.  I honestly thought she was asking about my comfort.  I had been thinking that this mammogram might be more painful, my breast remains very sensitive.  So, I began telling her that my left breast was a little sensitive and having some pain.  She went on to ask about lumps, etc. and that is when I knew what she really wanted to know.  It was very funny.  I, laughing, told her that I really thought she was asking about my comfort.  She didn't think it as funny as I did.  It was very funny to me.

After the mammogram I will see the surgeon and beg, again, to have the portacath removed.  I really want it gone, but I have to say I am attached to the convenience of not being poked so tragically each time I go in for a blood test.  If only the area around the portacath was not so sensitive and the port itself so insinuating.

March 5, 2004

The coolest thing!  Stepped out of the shower today and wrapped my towel around my wet head.  My hair was wet!  It was wet enough that I automatically wrapped the towel around my head to aid in drying.  Woohooo!

And my flexibility and body awareness is increasing.  It's so much more pleasant each day.

A phone call from my gynecologist.  He says he has conferred with my oncologist and they believe that prescribing medication for osteoporosis would interfere with the Arimidex.  Did I want to just watch my calcium intake and continue exercise and see what happens in the coming year.  What a shock.  I had been playing phone tag with the woman at the office trying to find out the results from my bone density exam and had yet to connect.  He said I had 8 percent loss at the hip, which is normal to above for my age group, 10 percent overall on the spine which is average for my age group, however at L3 there is a 17 percent loss; and, did I know I had scoliosis?

Last year the surgeon noted scoliosis on my pre-surgery chest x-ray.  I had never been told I had scoliosis before then.  I have always had one hip higher than the other though so I'm not surprised.  Since I've lived this long with no untoward problems I feel this is the least of my my worries.

And I was feeling so up.

A client who is heavily involved in Reach for Recovery brought me a video and sheets about exercise after treatment for lymphedema.  Interestingly the exercises (and even the sequences) are nearly exactly what I have been doing in my chair exercise class.  I'm brighter than I knew. 

This weekend I am going to talk with Rita about our doing an Iyengar Yoga video for people with breast cancer.  This is exciting.  I am very hopeful that this will fill a need.  I read the other day where Lamaze based his breathing for labor and delivery on the pranayama teaching he received from Guruji Iyengar.  Now we can deliver another sort of teaching to a specific audience. 

Top

Go to Next Page in Journal

Return to Cancer and Exercise Index