This weeks photo

It’s photo Friday!  Rose offered to pose for this week’s photo.  Again thanks to everyone who is joining me and keeping me on track.  It is so amazingly powerful to have your support.

On the health front I have an upcoming appointment with my Primary Care Physician, Dana Kromer on Tuesday.  Appointments these days cause some anxiety because there aren’t any routine doctor visits anymore.  I know some of the topics that are going to come up in this visit. (WARNING: You can stop here if you want because I’m going on a bit of a rant. Sorry)

I’ve made the decision not to take aromatase inhibitors.  To give you a little of the back story my breast cancer was estrogen positive.  The intent of prescribed aromatase inhibitors is to prevent recurrence by blocking the growth of cancer by lowering my natural supply of estrogen.  Estrogen being what was fueling my cancer cells.  So who wouldn’t want to sign up for that?

Well I’ve read as many research reports as I can and depending on the author I could gain a 2 – 50% advantage in staying alive.  The dirty little secrets left out of these research reports are the debilitating side effects such as permanent bone loss, fractures, no libido, and severe insomnia. That's just to name a few.  Another fact left out of these reports is that many cancer patients lie to their doctors about actually taking these horrible drugs because the side effects just aren’t tolerable.

To make matters worse these side effects are not addressed by the oncology field.  Patients who bring these issues up with their doctors are written off as either depressed or complainers and whiners.  Oncologists respond that this is just part of aging and cancer patients should be grateful to be alive.

I don’t want to live with regrets and I sure don’t want to go down the cancer rabbit hole again…but not one physician that has recommended that I take these drugs could come up with my name if they saw me at the grocery store. (Dr. Kanodia has never recommended that I take them.)

I’m doing everything I can to stay cancer free, but quality of life matters too.  It’s tragic that I’m in a situation which at times makes me feel like I’m choosing between the two.  And the situation is made worse when I’m pressured by “experts” who make money whether I win or lose.

Sorry for such a morose post.  I am actually having a very good weekend, just had to get this out of my system.

Have a great weekend everybody.

ready for the game