Clean bill of health

Yesterday I went to see my oncologist for my first official 3 month follow up,.  My cute cousin Debbie greeted me and took my vitals and took my blood for a CBC.  I get so nervous going to that place since it doesn't have very good memories for me.  It is hard to believe that I go there just for an office visit now and not for chemo.  It even has a very distinct smell and makes me really uncomfortable.  Maybe the further away I get from chemo I won't get so anxious to go there for a doctors visit.

When my doctor walked in he made a comment on my hair and said that I almost have more hair than Jeff.  I told him I have more hair than him now but it is very curly so it is hard to see the difference in length.  We had a good laugh.  After that he talked to me about how I have been feeling. 

I feel great with the exception of the joints in my legs.  He said that is normal and sometimes caused by chemotherapy but it is probably arthritis due to lack of estrogen in my body.  It may be here to stay.  I also told him that I am unhappy with my weight gain since all of this started.  He looked at my chart and said that I really didn't gain that much weight compared to most people.  I feel like I have gained a lot because when you are short and gain 20lbs it appears to be quite a bit.  I told him how I have tried to exercise but it is very painful on my legs.  He told me take some Ibuprofen or Tylenol about a half our before I start and see if that helps.  I am to the point now that I just need to buck up and live with the pain because I need to start exercising.  I need to get this 20lbs off as well as a few more.  

Lack of estrogen in a women's body can create so many uncomfortable symptoms.  I am going to have to get used to it because if I feed my body estrogen through hormone therapy the cancer will surely grow back.  Right now I am still in menopause.  My doctor is still calling it temporary until you don't have a cycle for one full year after finishing chemotherapy.  I am only about 5 months out from finishing chemo.  I still have a tremendous amount of hot flashes every day.  If I had to guess, on most days I probably have 1-3 an hour, so do the math and that amounts to quit a bit.  I never understood why women would complain about them so much but now I know.  Not only do they make you super hot and sweaty, they also make your heart race and an anxious feeling overtakes your body.  They are terrible and I don't wish them on anybody.  Because I got thrown in to menopause at a younger age it will take my body quite some time to adjust before they start to dissipate and hopefully go away forever.  My mom says she still gets a couple of them a month, what I wouldn't give to only have a couple of them a month!!!!  At least I am alive and for the time being healthy.

My CBC (complete  blood count) all came back within the normal ranges so that was good.  I have a risk for Leukemia because of the AC chemo I had.  They will watch my blood for the rest of my life because of it.

We are not going to do any scans or anything like that because unless I have a symptom there is no need.  That way I get so save myself the anxiety and I will have more money for other things.  I want to experience all that I can right now while I am feeling good.  I love vacations with my family because we always make such great memories and memories are what we will take with us when we die.

At the end of the appointment my doctor said that he is giving me a clean bill of health.  

My next appointment will be in November.  Until then I hope all goes well and I can enjoy my time and all the fun things that I have planned for the next couple of months.