Catching up with reality....
I keep thinking I have to write and update the blog, but when I write, I have to think and when I think... it makes everything real.... and I was just fine in my not so happy "Happy Place". So, a quick summary and update...
I saw the doctor at the Banner Cancer Center in Phoenix and I really liked her. She listened, was compassionate and answered my question regarding the "non small cell carcinoma". She said that it was probably an older pathologist and that term was one that not commonly used anymore. She had me schedule a follow up with a surgeon and get an MRI to get a better idea of where the cancer was and my case was presented to the "Cancer Panel". They discuss new patient cases and give their suggestions based on each case. Unfortunately, they weren't able to schedule the MRI before the case was presented, but the results probably would have been the same. They recommended surgery to ensure the margins were clear, radiation and hormone therapy. They had never had a case with somebody having an anaphylactic reaction to the anastrozole, so they recommended I try different manufacturers. They agreed that it was probably the compounds and not the drug itself that was causing the reaction.
I tried another manufacturer... and had another reaction within ten minutes. I had my friend that is an RN come over to witness the reaction and also be there in case I had a serious reaction. It wasn't horrible and the liquid Benadryl got it under control, along with Flovent, Prednisone and some more Benadryl. So, one more checked off the list. I called Walgreens and they had one pill of another brand that was recommended by my lymphedema therapist. I figured I would wait a couple days until the effects wore off of the second one, then give that one a try.
After a few phone calls with the pharmacist at Walgreens, I got one Teva brand anastrozole and took it with a very mild reaction. A slight tingling in my throat, but nothing like the previous brands. I called to get more instead of just using the phone app to do a refill, because I wanted to make sure I got the correct brand. I knew they had said they were out of it, so when I called and talked to the pharmacy tech, she said that they had it in stock. I told her that I needed the Teva brand and was allergic to the other brand. She assured me that it was Teva. When I went in to pick it up, luckily the same pharmacist was there and he stopped me before picking it up... it was the wrong brand. I was planning on checking it before taking it, but still, I wasn't too happy with the tech. So, I am waiting for that brand to come in and I will continue taking it if I can. That will hopefully take care of the hormone therapy.
I had an appointment with the oncology radiologist in Havasu. I really like him, although the office is really weird. You would've thought they could've come up with something better than that since it is a new building. I'm not sure what they were thinking. I will have another appointment with him to get set up for radiation, but I need to wait about 4 weeks after surgery before having any radiation.
I am getting tired, so I am just going to do a quick summary. The surgery is scheduled for Tuesday, July 25. Mike and I will be going up on Monday. I have an appointment at the hospital on Monday for some pre-surgery stuff. I will be spending the night at the hospital so we don't have to drive back to Havasu after surgery. She is planning on doing a re-excision of the primary mass and also taking out some more lymph nodes to make sure there isn't any other positive nodes. When I saw the surgeon, she felt some abnormal nodes under my arm. They showed up on the MRI, but were not necessarily cancer. The mass did not show up as being in the muscle. She said if it was, it was very superficial. She said there was a chance of hitting/cutting the nerve while removing the lymph nodes which could cause permanent loss of sensation to my arm or mobility. There is also an increased chance that the lymphedema that I already have will become worse. It is going to be a lot more extensive than I had thought, but I trust that they know what they are doing and feel that this is the best option.
I would like to thank all the people that have offered help and prayers. It means more to me than you will ever know.
Okay... well I am off to my "Happy Place". Hopefully I will return sooner than last time.
I saw the doctor at the Banner Cancer Center in Phoenix and I really liked her. She listened, was compassionate and answered my question regarding the "non small cell carcinoma". She said that it was probably an older pathologist and that term was one that not commonly used anymore. She had me schedule a follow up with a surgeon and get an MRI to get a better idea of where the cancer was and my case was presented to the "Cancer Panel". They discuss new patient cases and give their suggestions based on each case. Unfortunately, they weren't able to schedule the MRI before the case was presented, but the results probably would have been the same. They recommended surgery to ensure the margins were clear, radiation and hormone therapy. They had never had a case with somebody having an anaphylactic reaction to the anastrozole, so they recommended I try different manufacturers. They agreed that it was probably the compounds and not the drug itself that was causing the reaction.
I tried another manufacturer... and had another reaction within ten minutes. I had my friend that is an RN come over to witness the reaction and also be there in case I had a serious reaction. It wasn't horrible and the liquid Benadryl got it under control, along with Flovent, Prednisone and some more Benadryl. So, one more checked off the list. I called Walgreens and they had one pill of another brand that was recommended by my lymphedema therapist. I figured I would wait a couple days until the effects wore off of the second one, then give that one a try.
After a few phone calls with the pharmacist at Walgreens, I got one Teva brand anastrozole and took it with a very mild reaction. A slight tingling in my throat, but nothing like the previous brands. I called to get more instead of just using the phone app to do a refill, because I wanted to make sure I got the correct brand. I knew they had said they were out of it, so when I called and talked to the pharmacy tech, she said that they had it in stock. I told her that I needed the Teva brand and was allergic to the other brand. She assured me that it was Teva. When I went in to pick it up, luckily the same pharmacist was there and he stopped me before picking it up... it was the wrong brand. I was planning on checking it before taking it, but still, I wasn't too happy with the tech. So, I am waiting for that brand to come in and I will continue taking it if I can. That will hopefully take care of the hormone therapy.
I had an appointment with the oncology radiologist in Havasu. I really like him, although the office is really weird. You would've thought they could've come up with something better than that since it is a new building. I'm not sure what they were thinking. I will have another appointment with him to get set up for radiation, but I need to wait about 4 weeks after surgery before having any radiation.
I am getting tired, so I am just going to do a quick summary. The surgery is scheduled for Tuesday, July 25. Mike and I will be going up on Monday. I have an appointment at the hospital on Monday for some pre-surgery stuff. I will be spending the night at the hospital so we don't have to drive back to Havasu after surgery. She is planning on doing a re-excision of the primary mass and also taking out some more lymph nodes to make sure there isn't any other positive nodes. When I saw the surgeon, she felt some abnormal nodes under my arm. They showed up on the MRI, but were not necessarily cancer. The mass did not show up as being in the muscle. She said if it was, it was very superficial. She said there was a chance of hitting/cutting the nerve while removing the lymph nodes which could cause permanent loss of sensation to my arm or mobility. There is also an increased chance that the lymphedema that I already have will become worse. It is going to be a lot more extensive than I had thought, but I trust that they know what they are doing and feel that this is the best option.
I would like to thank all the people that have offered help and prayers. It means more to me than you will ever know.
Okay... well I am off to my "Happy Place". Hopefully I will return sooner than last time.
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