Tag: oncology
Screening month is finally over (April 2024)
April 29, 2024 Breast cancer update. Doreen and I were busy this month. Medical oncologist visit, chest x-ray, bone scan, whole abdomen ultrasound are all clear (my liver ultrasound says I am fat… yes, I am working on that weight loss!). Next round of screening in about six months.
55. April Screening
Update. April’s screening is done! Seeing the physicians (breast surgeon and oncologist) who ordered the tests next week. Bone scan, blood work, abdominal ultrasound, chest x-ray and finally today… a chest wall ultrasound at the (no-)breast center where all the health craziness of 2022 started in February of that year. At least I didn’t have […]
52. Chemo Brain and Aphasia
I’ve sent some friends an early draft of this post, and was debating whether I should put it here for everyone to see. Obviously I’ve decided 🙂 so here it is along with Doreen in an oversized bucket hat to represent chemo brain. Two days ago, I realized I am not ready to start seeing […]
42. Radiation Therapy, Session 20 of 20 (100%)
September 26, 2022 Update. Done with radiation therapy, 100 percent! 20 of 20 sessions. On Sunday afternoon, I was a bit worried about whether Monday morning’s radiation therapy session would push through. Tropical storm Noru (Philippine name: Karding) rapidly became a super typhoon Sunday morning with “explosive intensification” – quotable, almost poetic words from the […]
41. Radiation Therapy, Session 18 of 20 (90%)
September 22, 2022 Update. As usual, we started off with arriving early at the radiation oncology unit for the 8-9 AM time slot. Someone else was in my usual waiting room seat so here’s another view of the area. The rooms housing the linear accelerators (Linac) are in the background (closed green door on the […]
40. Radiation Therapy, Session 16 of 20 (80%)
September 20, 2022 Update. I wasn’t going to write an update today, but I might forget the details so I’ll do it anyway. 16 of 20 radiation therapy sessions done, 80 percent. Although I may be further along than I think, because the boost dose (after the “primary course” of 15 sessions) is really a […]
39. Radiation Therapy, Session 15 of 20 (75%)
September 19, 2022 Radiation therapy session 15 of 20 done, 75 percent of total course. The radiation technologist reminded me today that sessions will be shorter from tomorrow onwards: the first 15 are like the “main course” and the last 5 are “dessert”. Technically they are called boost doses, and not dessert The boost doses […]
38. Radiation Therapy, Session 13 of 20 (65%)
September 15, 2022 Lucky 13(th) zapping today at radiation therapy. Lucky 7 more sessions to go. Here’s Doreen showing off the Calmoseptine ointment (Doreen : ahem, oink-ment), newly-prescribed protective barrier for the skin under my armpit which has begun to darken from the radiation. This happens in areas with skin folds; my flat chest does […]
37. No-Breast Clinic
September 13, 2022 Update. We can truthfully say I am now more than halfway through radiation therapy, with session 11 of 20 (55 percent) today. After radiation and a mid-morning snack with coffee at Starbucks, I made my way to the Breast Center for a follow up appointment with the breast surgeon. It was strange […]
36. Radiation Therapy, Session 10 of 20 (50%)
September 12, 2022 Update. Radiation therapy session 10 of 20 finished this morning. Fifty percent! Does that make me half-baked?
