More of the same

Hi All-
Monday's Duke appointment was more of the same, junkie news. In short, Duke doc confirmed the diagnosis of stage four breast cancer of the lungs. Since the drugs I'm currently on are working, she recommends I continue this regiment. Since we weren't going to radiate the lungs, she recommends no radiation to the chest, clavical, & axilla areas. Orignially, I wasn't excited about "having" to have radiation. Hearing what this Duke doc had to say about radiation only confirmed that for my quality of life, I'm not radiating anything in my body. Duke doc was happy that my cancer was responding to the current treatments, and doesn't want to change anything.

I'll finish chemotherapy around January 4th. After that, I'll have scan's every 6-8weeks to see what is or isn't metabolically active. A plan only goes in motion after there is a re-occurence. Duke doc gave me a short time line to "live", however she did say that there are many trials out there that maybe the cure. "Be here for when the cure is found", is what she said. Now, people (mom) don't get mad about the time-line, I asked. I was curious, so she gave me a best guess, along with the be here when there's a cure speech. I shoulda asked....... Anyway, people don' t get upset or hurt or blow off what I was told, I was interested & thought ya'll should know too. (notice I wont give out exact time ''cause I'm gonna be that 1 in 4 who wins the fight)

If anything, my experience should teach others to not to wait "until maybe the next deployment is over", or "maybe in another paycheck or two" to live. Time gets short somehow? I really hope that they're are others out there who know me, know my experience and share it with others. 1)Get your boobs checked. If you have fibrocystic tissue anyway, have a history and are "to young" to have a mammogram, force the issue. 2) Buy, yes give up those few extra dollars for somekind of disability from your jobs. You'll never know when you have to be outta work. I never invested in anything, and that was/is a bad choice. Thank goodness friends on two coasts fundraised for me, but there is nothing like a pay check and over-time! These are a couple of lesson's I hope others learn from my experience.

Until next time, I"m okay. Steve is taking care of me this week; I have a head cold on top of just having chemo on the 27th. Again, I"m okay.