Yes. This was: Appointment Week.
Monday: Gave them all of my blood. Five or six vials, I think. I didn’t have much left when they were done.
Tuesday: Oncology appointment where we got to look at some numbers from the blood work, but not all because some weren’t back yet, and my oncologist got to say, “Still can’t feel anything.” Exciting. My RBC was a little low, but otherwise it appears I’m doing okay. That could be why I’m feeling a little winded walking, though. Since red blood cells bring this thing called “oxygen” around your body. My blood pressure was also a little low. I’m guessing because I don’t have any blood left after they stole it all on Monday. And my weight was indicated as ‘LOW’ on my paperwork. I think I just wore lighter shoes. I want to lose weight, but I’m trying not to.
Wednesday: Ultrasound. Or as I’m going to refer to it, the boob goo appointment. At least the goo was warm! Today my biggest tumor on the right side measured…
<drumroll>
.2cm less!!! Woohoo!! Happy dance.
Meaning: It appears my treatment is working!! Yessss…
But my left side was, of course, like, “Hold my beer.” My DCIS appears to have grown. The doctor that I talked to today believes it might be scar tissue from my biopsy where they shoved a 9-gauge needle up in there to say, “Yep. There’s something there.” It didn’t hurt when they did it. But the external bruising on that side took weeks to recover from. So, I am hopeful that it is just scar tissue and not my left tata trying some one upmanship.
Overall, I’d say a successful day. I’ll be waiting to hear if they want additional tests on the left or just let it do its thing until month four (November) when I have my next ultrasound. I am hoping for more tests, but if I have learned anything in this process, it’s that it’s really easier to expect the worst, hope for the best, and the result will probably be somewhere in the middle.