Chapter 24: Crappy Anniversary!

November 20th, 2024: it is exactly 1 year to the day since I received the call that changed everything. Ironically, I am sitting at Mayo Clinic (Rochester) as I write this entry, waiting to see my Oncologist. My day started out with a Mammogram for breakfast, and a bone density screening for lunch. Now I’m working up an appetite for dinner with Oncology. I have about 3 hours to kill before my next appointment. I’m temped to go to the gift shop and browse for a 1 year Cancer-versary gift for my Oncologist. Seems like good etiquette, right? The wait in between appointments stinks, but at least Mayo Clinic is essentially a small city within itself, making it easy to find somewhere to go & something to do. The pedestrian subway system connects Mayo to downtown without ever having to go outside (which comes in handy during winter). Within the subway matrix, there’s a decent selection of boutique retail shops, restaurants & coffee shops to choose from. My favorite restaurant accessible via the subway is Victoria’s, an authentic Italian sit-down joint with gorgeous trompe l’oeil murals on the walls. Anytime Brian comes with me to my appointments, Victoria’s is a must-stop for us.
One year. It’s been exactly one year since I received my diagnosis. Oh, how things have changed. This day last year, there were so many unknowns, so much fear. I literally had no idea what my prospective mortality was. My blog chapter Hell Week illustrates the mental turmoil of that day. Fast forward to today: I have beat the shit out of my cancer. I am on an upward trajectory of healing and restoration. I have continued to live my life nearly uninterrupted this past year. My only hiccup was the 6 week recovery period after my mastectomy, but I was a quick healer…getting back on my motorcycle just 4 weeks after surgery. I went back to work full-time, resumed my motorcycle trips, got back into the swing of drawing portraits and making chainmail. Other than my post-mastectomy recovery, I never skipped a beat! It helps that didn’t require chemotherapy or radiation. The only post-surgical cancer treatment I’m undergoing is endocrine therapy to keep my cancer from returning. Long story short: my cancer feeds off estrogen and progesterone. I receive a Goserelin implant in my abdomen every 12 weeks, which shuts down my ovarian function…in other-words: medically induced menopause. I also take Tamoxifen daily (oral pill) which blocks any rogue estrogens bouncing around my body. I tolerate endocrine therapy quite well. I experience typical menopause symptoms, primarily hot flashes. But, that is something all women go through as a natural byproduct of aging. My next step is breast reconstruction, which is scheduled for December 26th (just over a month away). I will be out of work for 4 weeks afterwards, but I’ll be healed up before motorcycle season comes back around…so, it’s actually timing out quite nicely! All this taken into account: I am quite fortunate as far as cancer goes. Hopefully my Oncologist gives me an “all clear” when I go in for my appointment later today…but, I have a good feeling things are on the up & up. I will keep you posted. Stay tuned!

UPDATE: Todays mammogram results came back: negative! No signs of malignancy detected. WHEW!