December 27th, 2008, Cancer Paranoia

I hit the "funny bone" of my knee on the edge of a chair. It was the usual funny bone incident, that wierd pain resonating throughout my leg until slowly dying out. After two days the resulting bruised feeling went away and I forgot about it. When it it came back a week later I was jumping to conclusions - bone cancer. I remember having trouble with this knee before because my Step Aerobics teacher told me to find an alternative exercise.

I'm wondering if my PET scan missed something. A friend told me her doctor doesn't trust the Prescott Valley PET scan which is where mine was done. So I'm wondering if its the machine or the radiologist who reads it he doesn't trust. Anyway I'm not really worried except about the fact I may be analayzing every normal ache and pain which have been increasing with the advancing years.Its an unfamiliar paranoia for someone who, other than breast cancer, is the picture of health. I'm hoping after a few clear reports the tension will ease.

I noticed a blogging headline on this topic a while back but didn't realize its pertinence until now. Its all part of the journey. How else to understand the whole cancer picture but to experience it?

The antibiotics I took for my tissue expander rejection caused an intestinal problem which was zapping my energy so now I'm taking antibiotics for the antibiotic reaction. My surgery wound is fully healed. At last I feel great - almost normal except for my knee. Now I'm ready to finish my chemo, 7 weeks if radiation. My radiologist nixed the idea of trying the expanders again before he gets his job done. What that means for me as far as reconstruction is concerned, is I will wait 6 to 12 months and then have reconstruction surgery using the latissimus dorsi muscles from my back. Whew! I get worn out thinking about all this. One day at a time.

Just to keep life interesting Shoyei has just been scheduled for surgery Jan 21st to have his gall bladder removed which is right between chemo session 6 and 7. It's outpatient surgery but it's sounds fairly invasive so I'm sure he won't be very comfortable for a while. Hopefull next year we can look back on this time of challenges with gratitude for good health! I'm so blessed to have both of my children with me for a week and my wonderful son-in-law here as his job permits. They are a fresh breath of air at a time like this! Life is good!