4/19/12 - A little surgery tomorrow

My sweet daughter, Jill, has reminded me that it's been since 4/3/12 that I've posted anything.  Since she may not cook for me when I go visit, I'm going to update now!  My first week after the last chemo was quite rough, but the next week... wow!  I was amazed at how good I felt.  This week, even better.  I'm still working on building up my stamina, but I've seen signs that it's coming back:  I no longer have to stop and rest walking up the hill from our house.  And I caught myself running up the stairs at work yesterday!  I can't tell you how good that made me feel!  Bodhi and I are back to walking at least 3 miles a day, sometimes 4, and I'm walking at a brisker pace... which makes my doggy very happy.

I still have moments of having to think about things that I do routinely, but they are very infrequent now.  The biggest problem I'm dealing with is swollen feet and ankles.  I had been drinking iced tea when it all started, and I've since given up caffeine, but they are still swollen.  I don't know what is causing it, or what to do about it.

Dr. Cohen gave me a prescription for Arimidex, the drug I will take for 5 years designed to prevent recurrences of hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer. 

Tomorrow morning, I go into the hospital for the minor surgery of removing the port that was inserted in my chest before chemo.  Yay!  Well not "yay" for surgery... but Yay! because I'm finished with chemotherapy and no longer need the port!

Next week, I have an appointment with my radiation oncologist and he will begin mapping the radiation plan.  I'm eager to get the radiation started... and finished! 

Okay, Jill... what's for dinner... and lunch... and breakfast?  No hurry... you have a couple months to plan my Mexican feast!