Tuesdays With Naqvi--Results

Well, people.  It's official.  I'M CANCER FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I got my final results in, and all of my blood work is completely normal.  It was so nice to hear such amazing words from Dr. Naqvi this morning.  All of the pain, suffering, time, and sacrifice has paid off.  I am officially a survivor!

As is fitting for my life, the appointment didn't go quite as planned.  I expected this appointment to be no big deal.  I knew everyone was quite confident about the results, so I assumed I would show up, walk in, get my results,  and walk out.  Because of that assumption, I didn't bother with trying to find someone to watch Evan.  THE ONE TIME I take him with me, you can imagine what happened.  EVERYONE ELSE also decided to have an appointment today!!!!  I waited for an hour and 40 minutes to see the doctor for 5!!!  WITH A TWO-YEAR-OLD!!!!  But, Evan was very good.  I had plenty to keep him entertained for a hour, and then we walked all over the halls until my name was called.  I got many, MANY compliments on his behavior, so---we fooled 'em all, Evan!  And then I did get my results and walk out happy!  Plus, I got to have someone from my family there to celebrate the moment I heard the good news.

Now what?  For the next 2 years, I will go back for blood work and check-ups every 3 months.  After that, I graduate to once every 6 months.  Eventually, it will be just once a year.  Although there is some concern that cancer could return, mostly because of my type and my age, I feel confident in knowing that I will be closely monitored for the rest of my life and even if something does come back, most likely we should catch it quickly.

   
 Dr. Naqvi's only real concern for me now is to lose weight.  The Tamoxifen I take---and will continue to take for at least 10 years---blocks Estrogen, thus making my metabolism basically nothing.  So, not only have I been taking steroids for a year, now I'm on a drug that suppresses my metabolism.  No wonder I feel like I'm going nowhere!  Here's the *great* news on what I have to do:  fruits, vegetables.  No fat.  No sugar.  Get sugar from fruit and maybe honey.  No cheese.  No fried foods.  No pizza.  1,000 calories a day.  Just when I was really starting to like everything Dr. Naqvi was saying about me beating cancer and being officially cancer-free and stuff, she has to go an say something like "no cheese," and totally blow it.  I guess I will just have to work that much harder since my body is working against me.  But, I can do it.  I'm a survivor!

 
  As for now, I am looking forward to feeling more "normal," or more like my normal self.  I feel blessed and grateful for all the love, support, and service that helped me survive this journey.  I will always be on the defensive against cancer.  I will have to take some sort of drug for the rest of my life to help block my receptors and try to prevent this disease from attacking me again.  I have fought a good fight and will continue to guard against a return.  It feels good to survive the war!