Two Down, One to Go

As I mentioned the other day, my recent visit to the ER and then the follow-up appointment with Dr. Lee the First yielded three more medical appointments this week. 

Yesterday, I saw my cardiologist, Dr. Julie Heyn, and then this morning I had an ultrasound exam of my legs to look for blood clots. The only thing left is a CT of my lower right leg to see if there is a bone met there. That appointment is tomorrow. 

I've been having pain in that leg, especially at night, but I wasn't too worried about it, partly because other body parts were hurting more, and partly because I thought I couldn't get a met below the knees. 

Well, Dr. Lee popped that bubble. Mets below the knees (or below the elbows, for that matter) are rare, but not impossible. I'm not sure how quickly Dr. Lee will have those results--I'm hoping by the end of the day tomorrow--but in any case I will leave for Hawaii on Sunday, met or no met. 

A blood clot would have been a bigger issue, since I wouldn't want to fly with one, but the technician who did my scan told me when she was finished that she didn't find anything. 

I really enjoyed my appointment with Dr. Heyn yesterday. Yet again, I've managed to find someone who is my kind of doctor. "You're in charge," she said to me. "You're driving the boat."

Of course, that's how I see it, but it's unusual for a doctor to say that right up front when you are discussing how aggressively you want to follow up on symptoms like I've been having, chest pain. 

I told her I try to do as few tests and scans as possible, and so we decided that I will have an ECHO exam, to look for damage to my heart from the Herceptin, and that's about it, unless I have more problems. So, basically, we are taking a wait-and-see attitude to dealing with my heart, and that's what I want. 

Seriously Behind

I'm slowly bouncing back from the radiation therapy, which causes fatigue, and also from the decadron, which causes all sorts of weird little problems, including draggy legs, in my case. But I am seriously behind on most fronts in my life. 

If you've e-mailed me and haven't heard back, please be patient. Or e-mail me again. 

Several new jewelry orders came in during my special sale, and I need to get those pieces wrapped, packed, and in the mail. I expect to mail all the orders that I have before I leave on Sunday. If for some reason I'm not going to be able to get a piece in the mail, I will e-mail and let you know.

Oh, Julie e-mailed me photos of her new puppy. The puppy is, of course, adorable, and Julie is over the moon to have her. I'll get a photo posted as soon as I can. 

As much as I love Constant the Wonder Dog, seeing puppy photos makes me want to add a puppy to the household, but I think I'll wait till after the two trips I have in March and then bring home some foster kittens. Kittens are pretty adorable, especially when you have two or three.

Nap Time

I did a few errands after my ultrasound exam, including seeing Chez for a hair cut, and now I'm tired. I think I'm heading to bed for a nap, and then later I'm going to try to get Connie out for some play time. 

More later, I have some interesting information about breast cancer and aspirin that I want to share. 

Oh, and after discussing it with several of my doctors, I am now taking a baby aspirin--more correctly, a "low dose" aspirin--daily to help fend off heart problems. I even bought the orange chewable type, which reminds me of my childhood.    

@ Jeanne Sather 2010. 

Comments

[jeanne Sather]

Test results--no blood clot! So I could fly tomorrow, assuming that Honolulu isn't washed away into the Pacific.

Just going to watch the news and wait.