On The Road Again
Hey everyone!
I went back to work last week on January 3rd. After working a 4-day RV show in San Antonio, I am now in Phoenix, AZ, doing the Maricopa County Home Show at the Arizona State Fairgrounds. I return back to Texas on Monday. My next shows are the last week in January in Sugarland/Katy, TX. You could say I am back in the saddle again with my work schedule in full throttle. So far, so good. My boss is understanding now, and will continue to be in the future, as far as ongoing doctor appointments and future treatment schedules and will work with me in reducing hours should I find I am tiring more easily. I am very lucky.
Money is tight as my checks have not gotten back to normal; that should ease soon as our busy January through April show season kicks in full force. I am feeling much more like myself pre-cancer and like I am easing back into what I think of as normal life. That is a good feeling.
I am healing slowly but surely. The pain is much less (but not completely gone) and I am rarely taking any pain medications now. I have looked at both the scars and though they will never disappear completely and will always be my battle scars, they are not that bad and are hidden somewhat by their placement. Except for the scars, my breast looks normal ... the shape and size is the same. I am very lucky.
Just a side note:
I have spend thousands of dollars out of pocket on my medical care this past 6 months. I am under the care of several doctors who should be connecting dots. I have had a nagging cough that has interfered with both my days (work) and nights (sleep) pretty much since early October. In September, I was put on a hypertension med called Lisinopril. Even though more than one of my doctors has been made aware of my ongoing cough, none has been able to figure it out. I've heard everything from allergies to a tough hard-to-shake cough strain "going around." A plethora of cold/cough medications have had virtually no effect in getting rid of it.
Well, I did some research and figured it out. And I don't have 8 plus years of medical schooling either. Apparently, the blood pressure medication, Lisinopril, causes a side effect in from 10 to 35% of patients that is described as a persistent or chronic cough. AHA!!! So I took myself off the med about 3 days ago and voila! no more cough. Of course, I will have to go back to the doctor to find another medication that controls the hypertension. But getting rid of the cough is so awesome!
My next stops on this journey: a meeting with the radiologist at NE Baptist next Thursday and a meeting with an oncologist the following Monday. Stay tuned. But right now things are good.
I have asked for very specific prayers and thoughts throughout this process. It's okay to just pray for healing and good health, however, I believe in being as specific and targeted as possible. So the new prayers I ask for are that I can bypass chemo; that the cancer is no longer anywhere in my body even in the smallest, most microscopic form; and that my cancer does not come back anywhere ... EVER.
I'm not out of the woods yet ... But I am very lucky.
I went back to work last week on January 3rd. After working a 4-day RV show in San Antonio, I am now in Phoenix, AZ, doing the Maricopa County Home Show at the Arizona State Fairgrounds. I return back to Texas on Monday. My next shows are the last week in January in Sugarland/Katy, TX. You could say I am back in the saddle again with my work schedule in full throttle. So far, so good. My boss is understanding now, and will continue to be in the future, as far as ongoing doctor appointments and future treatment schedules and will work with me in reducing hours should I find I am tiring more easily. I am very lucky.
Money is tight as my checks have not gotten back to normal; that should ease soon as our busy January through April show season kicks in full force. I am feeling much more like myself pre-cancer and like I am easing back into what I think of as normal life. That is a good feeling.
I am healing slowly but surely. The pain is much less (but not completely gone) and I am rarely taking any pain medications now. I have looked at both the scars and though they will never disappear completely and will always be my battle scars, they are not that bad and are hidden somewhat by their placement. Except for the scars, my breast looks normal ... the shape and size is the same. I am very lucky.
Just a side note:
I have spend thousands of dollars out of pocket on my medical care this past 6 months. I am under the care of several doctors who should be connecting dots. I have had a nagging cough that has interfered with both my days (work) and nights (sleep) pretty much since early October. In September, I was put on a hypertension med called Lisinopril. Even though more than one of my doctors has been made aware of my ongoing cough, none has been able to figure it out. I've heard everything from allergies to a tough hard-to-shake cough strain "going around." A plethora of cold/cough medications have had virtually no effect in getting rid of it.
Well, I did some research and figured it out. And I don't have 8 plus years of medical schooling either. Apparently, the blood pressure medication, Lisinopril, causes a side effect in from 10 to 35% of patients that is described as a persistent or chronic cough. AHA!!! So I took myself off the med about 3 days ago and voila! no more cough. Of course, I will have to go back to the doctor to find another medication that controls the hypertension. But getting rid of the cough is so awesome!
My next stops on this journey: a meeting with the radiologist at NE Baptist next Thursday and a meeting with an oncologist the following Monday. Stay tuned. But right now things are good.
I have asked for very specific prayers and thoughts throughout this process. It's okay to just pray for healing and good health, however, I believe in being as specific and targeted as possible. So the new prayers I ask for are that I can bypass chemo; that the cancer is no longer anywhere in my body even in the smallest, most microscopic form; and that my cancer does not come back anywhere ... EVER.
I'm not out of the woods yet ... But I am very lucky.
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