Some days you get the bear and some days....

I went to Johns Hopkins in Baltimore today to see my oncologist and get my Zometa drip. I had blood work drawn last week both to check my liver function and so she could check on my tumor markers. The good news is that my liver is great. The bad news is that my tumor markers were less than stellar. Basically the tumor markers are a way to monitor the progression or stability of my cancer. Currently one that normally should be around 32, is now 77. The other one is elevated as well. I was kind of expecting that though becuase I haven't felt the greatest lately.

These are the days when I love my oncologist and I know that if she moves to a hospital half way around the world, I will follow. She told me that although the numbers seem high for me that they can go much higher. She has one more aromatase inhibitor in her arsenal of drugs that we can try before looking at chemo, but she wants to see the 'full picture' before selecting just the right drug that will help me out. She is always calm, never making promises, but always hopeful. And, let's face it, on September 19th she will have gotten me through seven years of breast cancer. Not too shabby!

She sent me home with two scripts: one for a CT Scan, and one for a Bone Scan. These scans are nothing new to me and I'm looking forward to seeing the radiology staff at City Hospital who now know me by name and recognize my face. The scheduling staff is very accommodating so I'm going to call tomorrow and try to get them done next week because I'd like to get them out of the way before school starts. They send the report to Hopkins and then we will pick a course of treatment. If the counts are high because existing lesions are 'acting up,' then I will be changing to an aromatase inhibitor given monthly via shot. If there are new lesions, depending on the amount, I will begin chemo. So time will tell.

Since I was pretty much expecting news like this and it was presented to me by my favorite doctor of all time, I'm OK. I took advantage of the hour and a half ride home by myself to have an impromptu concert, rocking it out to Brad Paisley and Lady Antebellum. All the while thinking about the great hair day I was having and the fact that I am wearing brand new underwear today. Then, we ate dinner and canned a half bushel of peaches. That's just how I roll!