Now that my BSF year has ended, I have a little more time... to catch up with all the other things have been put on a holding pattern.
Last Wednesday I went to see Dr Karmen and she greeted me with, "Doris, you're as strong as a bull!" I'd had a blood test taken and bone density test done the day before. The results were excellent - strong bones, no sign of osteoporosis, blood count, haemoglobin levels were all good. The only thing was an elevated level of potassium - she asked me to cut down on eating vegetables and fruit! Hmm... didn't know that eating vegies could be bad for me.
I started Radiation Therapy last Monday, 3 Nov 08, at SGH. My cousin's good friend Dr Susan Loong is taking care of me there. I'll be receiving radiotherapy for 5 weeks (25 sessions). The treatment itself takes less than 10 minutes. But the whole exercise takes about 1 hour daily - including travelling time, changing into the gown, waiting for my turn, receiving the radiation, changing out of the gown and travelling home. Once a week I have to see Dr Susan so it will take longer on those days.
So far, the only side effect is slightly darker skin (like a tan) although I expect some more side effects as time goes by. My friend Grace S who herself underwent radiotherapy this year gave me 2 tubes of aloe vera gel to apply. It helps to keep the area cool.
As my cancer is receptive to hormones, I will be going on hormone therapy (to block the action of hormones in my body) for the next 5 years. I will be taking a drug called Femara (letrozole) and for this drug to work properly, I have to become post-menopausal. Sometime next month we plan for me to have an oopherectomy (removal of ovaries).
It's kind of scary as I've heard many stories about the process of menopause - the mood swings, hot flushes etc etc. I know God will give me sufficient grace to go through it... he's promised it in the Bible.
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 2 Cor 12:9
