Breast Cancer Awareness

It’s my last day of neupogen. Thank goodness; I hate this drug. Today’s dose is a double dose so I will be really miserable for the next 24 hours. I think Mike will be over about noon to give me my shot. Not looking forward to it. But, whatever I gotta do to beat this disease; that is what I do. I am confident there is an end in sight.

I have my CT and MRI next week and see Dr. Rado on Monday, October 18th where we will discuss the results and the path forward. I have told you before, but no matter what the outcome we are doing 2-3 more rounds of chemo just to make sure that we have all last vestiges of this miserable cancer. I would rather keep on going now then stop and have it come back with a vengeance again.

Its funny, I’m working on my social security disability application right now, it’s required by our disability carrier, plus my cobra goes to 150% of the cobra rate next summer. If I get approved for disability I also get approved for Medicare. I am not looking forward to being on Medicare, but I certainly can’t afford 150% of cobra rates either. My wish is that by the time this is all done I’ll be back at home at Kadlec again anyway. The average person takes 24 months to get approved for SSD. They statistics show that they are denied 4 times before they finally get approved. It’s that crazy or what? It has been quite a learning process; I’ll get 4 different things from the SSA in one day from different offices asking for basically the same thing. And they always seem to want more information, and they want it now, but they take forever to get back to you. Typical government runaround. I talked to the attorney today and they had my disability date all screwed up; I have NO idea where they got the date, its like they can’t think for themselves at all, can’t look at the paperwork that is right in front of them. Its gonna drive me nuts! But it definitely gives me something to do; I’m a regular at Kinko’s getting copies made.

Its breast cancer awareness month and I want each of you to think of your lifestyle choices, your health choices and do all you can do to avoid this disease. Do your self-exams monthly, get your mammogram every year, eat healthy, exercise. There is a definitive link between a high fat diet and cancer, so consider the food you eat. I would encourage eating vegan or vegetarian, but I know that is not realistic for most people, so at least cut back on your meats and increase your intake of fruits and veggies. Over 200,000 people will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year; I don’t want one of those to be you! I wouldn’t wish this on anyone, even if I had an enemy (which I don’t believe I have) I wouldn’t wish this on them. It’s an awful disease and an exhausting battle. My dream is a cure for this disease so no one I know and love will ever have to face the choices and decisions I have had to make in the last 18 months. Not to mention the long term effects of the treatment. I don’t know what the future holds for me with the lingering consequences of radiation and chemotherapy. The potential long term side effects are not minor. I pray that I get through this and get my life back, that I get the use of my body back and my mind comes back fully. But mostly I pray for a cure. I pray I get to live my life. I want to watch my grandson start kindergarten, I want to watch my daughter graduate from college, I want to watch my son put his life together, I want to outlive my parents. I just want to live a normal life, free from cancer.

So take care of yourselves, I don’t want anyone joining me in this battle, I’d rather have you all on the sidelines cheering me on.