Survivorship

I debated yesterday about whether to go to the BC support group. Part of me thinks(and others have strongly hinted)that I should move on. As time goes on, BC is becoming a smaller part of my life. Still every time I feel like I have bone pain, my mind jumps to dark possibilities. On top of it, the weather was bad. We finally have 'significant' snow on the ground.On the plus side, I like the facilitator and they serve a free, tasty lunch so off I went, slip-sliding away. I am glad I went. The other participant, a woman I very much like, was counting on me being there and brought her extensive list of meds that she didn't understand the function of. I carefully explained the function of each med and she seemed impressed that I could make her understand as her medical team was unable. So my science education background occasionally comes in handy. She is a 'triple positive' so her treatment is quite a bit different from my own but there are commonalities.

So what to do next? Last year was focused on just surviving and then rewarding myself with the Italian trip. True we have a myriad of house projects from 27 years of neglect but I need more than that. Recently on the TNBC a newly diagnosed woman appeared, a single woman with triplets(!!!) who was asking for advice about the logistics of chemo while working and dealing with the kids. I was just thinking OMG. How lucky I was not having to work and having someone around to wait on me while I was under treatment. Even though I suffered many of the nasty side effects, I got off easy compared to many. So many cancer patients aren't as 'lucky'. How can I help others? Stay tuned.

In the category of bizarre side effects of chemo but maybe TMI: my apocrine glands have resumed their function. Until this week, since chemo, I really didn't need deodorant. There are still none on the left side but I never had them there ( a blessing when I broke my left arm and was unable to move it from my side for 3 months). This is a side effect never mentionned in the handouts (they go on and on about hair loss, compromised immune systems, shredded digestive tracts, mouth sores, fatigue, etc..)but others have reported it.

It is pretty out but very cold and slippery. I've been running in the Y but it is a 10 mile round trip. I am going out to lunch with my son soon and then I'll see how much I want to run.