Psychological Bunk

I once again went through a psych evaluation and once again I am crazy! Doc-Have you ever seen a psychologist other than for bariatric surgery? No. Doc-Have you ever been treated for depression. No. Doc-Have you ever been hospitalized for a psychiatric issue? No. Doc- Have you ever had a psychotic break? At this point my response is-If that had occurred, wouldn't I have seen a psychologist/psychiatrist? Doc-not if you were admitted to the emergency room, you may have no memory of it. My response, wouldn't that be in my medical records. Doc-yes.
DUH?
She and I obviously had some issues, but after that initial repartee, I pretty much shut up and answered Yes or No. It didn't help that she was this tiny little woman of about 30 who was drop dead gorgeous, never having had a weight issue in her life. Who knows maybe she battled bulimia in a prior life?
Anyway she passed me off as sane enough to qualify for surgery. I have completed all the other requisite tests so far including that tetanus shot-which surprisingly never swelled up and hurt. All the tests have come back relatively normal-no new cancers, or any disqualifying diseases. So all I have left to do is lose enough weight to get back to my goal weight and then I should get on the waiting list!

Back in the Saddle Again

My appointment with the bariatric surgeon went really well, other than I am back at square one. I need to redo a number of the tests performed a year ago but because of my history they seem to be willing to expedite them-so hopefully by the end of next week I will be done the medical part of the preparations and the only thing left to do then is lose 13 pounds to reach my goal weight to qualify for surgery. So the plan is to get myself on the surgical waiting list before the end of July and then I am told to be willing to sit on that list for three months before they call my name. I am excited that I am that much closer to starting down this new road and who knows, it may go faster than all that!

Here We Go Again!

Wedenesday, June 24, I get to go see Dr. Hahn, my gastric bypass surgeon. Another trip to Fremont-whoopee. When the nurse set up the appointment she said she had no clue what Dr. Hahn was going to do-possibly order tests redone, new tests, more tests, who knows-I'm just hoping we can start this car rolling again. Will keep you posted!

20% Cured!

If you know anything about breast cancer, it takes five years of no recurrences to be declared cured and then it is a dubious diagnosis at best. But neither here nor there, I have made it through my one year out diagnostic tests with a clean bill of health. They found nothing except the machine kept malfunctioning so we had to use another machine, but in the process the technician would show me the x-rays and point out how she wanted them clearer so she would redo them until she was satisfied. I have had more mammograms since my cancer diagnosis than I have had in the rest of my life.
Things they don't tell you about surgery. When they first located my cancer they put a "clip"next to it so anytime I had x-rays the radiologist would recognize this clip as a surgical marker that there was scar tissue present. Seeing my mammogram, I discovered there are about a dozen clips in my breast which was explained as what the surgeon must have used instead of internal stitches. Anyway my breast x-ray looks like a road map with all these little markers pointing out points of interest. I hope they are plastic because I really don't want to have to explain this going through security checks!

9 Month Check Up

Today was my nine month check up and all seems to be going well. My scars are apparently healing beautifully. (As if scars can be beautiful!)
It's the next visit which brings the anxiety-it will be my first post cancer mammogram, which the doctor explained will probably always cause some anxiety but hopefully it will lessen as the years go by. I asked about the new digital mammos they do now adays and while she felt it was unnecessary to go digital her major concern was just that it is different. All my prior mammos have been done by x-ray and as she described it, we should be comparing apples to apples not apples to oranges so even if I tried the new digital stuff, they may make me redo it with x-ray so they can compare history. Otherwise I was given a clean bill of health. We have been lucky so far this winter and not many germs have landed in our vicinity-Brian has had a cold, and Cait had a nasty one over Christmas, but Larry and I have been blessed to not have succumb.

Back on track!

So many of you ask what is going on with my gastric bypass surgery and I have had no clue where I stood until today. I received this e-mail from my doctor and thought I would just share the whole thing! The drug he refers to is one I have to take for 5 years to suppress any female hormonal activity in my body because my cancer is fed by estrogen. Isn't it amazing the things they can figure out-like what makes your cancer grow. This news will make March a much more anticipated time rather than as so many women tell me the first mammogram after cancer is usually a high anxiety event.

Dear Ms. Moore,
I did discuss your case for weight loss surgery with my colleagues at our group meeting. We agree that your risk of breast cancer recurrence is low and should not be a contraindication to a gastric bypass operation. I think once your annual followup mammogram (I think it is due in march) has been completed to confirm there is no evidence of recurrence you can potentially be placed on the waiting list for surgery. Of course you will need to have completed all other program requirements and be at goal weight. My group does believe you should stop your arimidex for about 6 weeks around the time of surgery (2 weeks preop and 1 month postop) to minimized the risk of blood clots/deep venous thrombosis/pulmonary embolus so you may want to discuss that with your oncologist. If you have any questions let me know.
Sincerely,
ERIC RUSSELL HAHN MD

Christmas is coming. . . . .

Larry is doing better, but still has vision problems so we are still tethered to Kaiser. The double vision can be relatively okay one day and really bad the next and it always seems to get worse when it has anything to do with church-do we see a pattern here?
We went and saw/listened to the Messiah last night and it was a wonderful way to start the holiday season. It has been hard getting into the the hustle and bustle this year as it's times like this that I realize I just don't have all my stamina back from my surgeries and radiation. It has taken a while to regroup from Thanksgiving so we've agreed to keep Christmas really lowkey this year-as lowkey as you can and be Yw's President so that is where my efforts will lie.
Caitlin comes home this Saturday so we are getting excited. She LOVES school this year and just keeps saying "it's going so fast!" She has already made New Year's plans and has a full dance card for the 3 weeks she's home. It's hard to believe 2009 is just around the corner!