Dr. B draws three circles with tiny nipple-like circles inside.
"I only have two breasts," I say.
"Those are cancer cells." He adds a line, a barrier. He adds little x's bouncing off the barrier.
"That is the anti hormone treatment that will prevent any nourishment getting through to any remaining cells that are invisible to us."
He is another kindergartner (despite his baldness), although he was there 13 years ago when my housemate went through the same procedure only with chemo. He is also leaving the service to run another larger service. He gives me the name of his replacement that I will see in July.
He talks about only 2 of all the possible markers in my tumour were aggressive. He says even with that I could stop treatment at this point, but it is NOT his recommendation. It is such a far cry from the past when they took the breast, nodes, gave chemo, radiation and anti-hormone treatments. He say the success rates are about the same.
I will continue with radiation and pills.
He warns me with the pills that I could have hot flashes and become depressed and moody. I told him I would warn my housemate. He also said some of my joints might hurt in the morning. At 68 5/6 I still think it is worth it. He said with severe reactions, there were alternatives.
He will order more tests to get baselines to make sure that no other cells are anywhere in my body.
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