Happy Summer!
As my literary alliteration suggests, I had a 6 month follow-up with Dr. Pare, my vascular surgeon who has been monitoring my Abdominal Aeortic Aneurysm (Triple A). I have to be honest, I was a bit nervous and anxious to hear the results of today's ultrasound.
It was very busy in the office, but I hardly waited 5 minutes before being called. I was instructed to follow the medical professional to an all too familiar room with the ultrasound 'thing'. I was told, "Dr. Pare will be right with you."
Shortly after, Dr. Pare arrived and greeted me with an handshake and an inquiry on 'how I was doing'. I had mentioned that since our last visit, I had had cataract surgery. He asked how that went, and I responded, "It went well." Apparently my multiple reconstruction surgeries seemed to be missing from my report, but as I lay down, he noticed my "Cesarean scars" and asked, "What happened here?" I then brought him up to speed.
Dr. Pare 'fired up' the ultrasound and began 'looking around'. Each time he stopped to spend more time in an area I was waiting for a verbal queue or tell-tale utterance that would indicate an unwanted report. It seemed to last an eternity. Finally, he said, "I have good news. No change. Let's take another look in December. Have a great summer."
Fantastic news!
Tuesday, June 21, 2016
Friday, June 10, 2016
Follow-up with Dr. Song and other sundries
Still chilly in New England, but happily - no snow.
I had my Shingles shot last Friday and like most inoculations I get, I ended up getting the 'possible' side effects. Besides the soreness of the injection site, I was experiencing a general BLAH-si-ness and my energy level has been low. By Monday, I felt like I had the flu and slept almost 12 hours. After the needed rest, I began to feel a bit better, although my appetite has also been adversely affected.
Possibly from the extended sleeping cycle on Monday, I woke up [wide awake] at 2 AM on Wednesday morning. After some unsuccessful fighting to go back to sleep, I got up and watched TV until sunrise. By then I was up for the day. I've had disruptive sleep patterns all week. So I also assumed that this deprivation was also the cause of the sudden appearance of floaters and visual anomalies in my right eye (the eye on which I had surgery).
My eye drop regimen ended Thursday, so I was thinking that the 'withdrawal' might have something to do with it. I was more aware of my floaters and could see some 'light' in my temporal region - even with my eye closed. As the week progressed the 'light' was less pronounced, but the floaters persisted as well as some aching.
Arriving in Waltham today for my follow-up, I spilled my guts about my recent turn of events regarding my eye. [Sometimes I feel like I'm being overly sensitive, but I do want to go on record.] This reporting just triggered a barrage of testing. I was there almost two and a half hours. By the time I saw Dr. Song and his review of the test results, he then gave me additional tests. He did say that the lens position was 'good' and he did not see anything out of the ordinary. He did say I definitely had floaters.
I had asked if these go away. Dr Song said, "Floaters are a result of condensation in the aqueous 'jelly'. The floaters are fairly common and the brain learns to ignore them. However, if they worsen, it could cause a retinal tear." [Lovely]. He couldn't really explain the cracks of light I could see but said, " If you get a burst of bright light, you'll need to come in."For the interim, he wants me to monitor and return in two months. [Nothing is ever easy.]
On a different front, I'm sad to report that my (unexplained) neuropathy in my forefinger and thumb has returned. Gladly it doesn't interfere with ability to play guitar or keyboards, but it is difficult picking up small things, coins, loose coffee bean, etc. and buttoning certain types of buttons becomes almost impossible to do. I've learned to let my right hand do that before putting on that type of garment. You do what you have to do.
More to come!
[By the way - tomorrow marks my one year anniversary of Chemo One]
I had my Shingles shot last Friday and like most inoculations I get, I ended up getting the 'possible' side effects. Besides the soreness of the injection site, I was experiencing a general BLAH-si-ness and my energy level has been low. By Monday, I felt like I had the flu and slept almost 12 hours. After the needed rest, I began to feel a bit better, although my appetite has also been adversely affected.
Possibly from the extended sleeping cycle on Monday, I woke up [wide awake] at 2 AM on Wednesday morning. After some unsuccessful fighting to go back to sleep, I got up and watched TV until sunrise. By then I was up for the day. I've had disruptive sleep patterns all week. So I also assumed that this deprivation was also the cause of the sudden appearance of floaters and visual anomalies in my right eye (the eye on which I had surgery).
My eye drop regimen ended Thursday, so I was thinking that the 'withdrawal' might have something to do with it. I was more aware of my floaters and could see some 'light' in my temporal region - even with my eye closed. As the week progressed the 'light' was less pronounced, but the floaters persisted as well as some aching.
Arriving in Waltham today for my follow-up, I spilled my guts about my recent turn of events regarding my eye. [Sometimes I feel like I'm being overly sensitive, but I do want to go on record.] This reporting just triggered a barrage of testing. I was there almost two and a half hours. By the time I saw Dr. Song and his review of the test results, he then gave me additional tests. He did say that the lens position was 'good' and he did not see anything out of the ordinary. He did say I definitely had floaters.
I had asked if these go away. Dr Song said, "Floaters are a result of condensation in the aqueous 'jelly'. The floaters are fairly common and the brain learns to ignore them. However, if they worsen, it could cause a retinal tear." [Lovely]. He couldn't really explain the cracks of light I could see but said, " If you get a burst of bright light, you'll need to come in."For the interim, he wants me to monitor and return in two months. [Nothing is ever easy.]
On a different front, I'm sad to report that my (unexplained) neuropathy in my forefinger and thumb has returned. Gladly it doesn't interfere with ability to play guitar or keyboards, but it is difficult picking up small things, coins, loose coffee bean, etc. and buttoning certain types of buttons becomes almost impossible to do. I've learned to let my right hand do that before putting on that type of garment. You do what you have to do.
More to come!
[By the way - tomorrow marks my one year anniversary of Chemo One]
Wednesday, June 1, 2016
"June is bustin' out all over"
By golly it's June. And Mother Nature did not disappoint as she served up a splendiferous day to mark the first day of this month. As I flipped the calendar page I could see many doctor appointments scheduled. These check-ins and follow-ups also serve as vivid reminders of what I had undergone last year. Looking back, by this time last year I had already been under the knife three times and was about to begin my regimen of chemotherapy. Looking ahead, it's all behind me and I survived!
I've reached the clean-up and stabilization phase.
In the interim, I'm enjoying life, retirement and music. I'm happy to report that the lingering (non-explained) neuropathy in my forefinger and thumb has almost completely dissipated. I'm still feeling (not feeling) the neuropathy in the balls of both feet. But as I reported earlier, it does not impede my ability to walk or stand. I do experience chemo brain, still. It happens at the oddest times and it's very disconcerting to me. Luckily it's sporadic and for the most part just when trying to find the right word or remember some piece of information, like someone's name. But for the most part my memory is in tact. I suppose my feet of clay are showing (LOL).
More to come!
I've reached the clean-up and stabilization phase.
- Cataract surgery was successful and (hopefully) I just have one more follow-up with Dr. Song.
- Dr. Gruber administered a spray of liquid nitrogen to treat a pre-cancerous area of my ear lobe and I have a follow-up scheduled for this month.
- In a visit with Dr. Chatson today, he indicated that things were coming along nicely and wants to see me in December.
- Also visited Dr. Mehta who 'felt me up' for possible cancerous lumps and found none. I will also be seeing him in December. He filled my Tamoxifen prescription for another year and instructed me to perform self examinations for lumps.
- Towards the end of this month, I am also scheduled to see Dr. Pare to see the status of my Triple A (Aneurysm). It would be great to hear that there has been no change. But it is what it is.
In the interim, I'm enjoying life, retirement and music. I'm happy to report that the lingering (non-explained) neuropathy in my forefinger and thumb has almost completely dissipated. I'm still feeling (not feeling) the neuropathy in the balls of both feet. But as I reported earlier, it does not impede my ability to walk or stand. I do experience chemo brain, still. It happens at the oddest times and it's very disconcerting to me. Luckily it's sporadic and for the most part just when trying to find the right word or remember some piece of information, like someone's name. But for the most part my memory is in tact. I suppose my feet of clay are showing (LOL).
More to come!
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