Postcards From The Edge
Every three months, like clockwork, I receive a postcard reminding me to schedule my check-up with the oncologist. I address these cards to myself whenever I'm in the office and then they send them out when they want to see me, so it's always a little creepy to receive them. A year ago, I eagerly awaited the arrival of the next postcard so that I could get confirmation that I'm ok. Now it just irritates me that I have to go to the doctor, again.
I spent my time in the car today rehearsing the speech I'm going to give the doctor the next time I see him. And I still have three weeks before my appointment, so I'm sure it will be quite a dozy by the time I get there. I still battle pretty severe fatigue from the tamoxifen and there doesn't seem to be enough caffeine or sleep in the world to cure it. Last time it got this bad, I stopped taking it for a month. I know that by doing that I'm only pushing the end date for this treatment out even further (four more years!) but it seems to be the only thing that makes it tolerable. If he can't offer something other than a cup of coffee to combat the fatigue, he's going to have to consider an alternative treatment.
I spent my time in the car today rehearsing the speech I'm going to give the doctor the next time I see him. And I still have three weeks before my appointment, so I'm sure it will be quite a dozy by the time I get there. I still battle pretty severe fatigue from the tamoxifen and there doesn't seem to be enough caffeine or sleep in the world to cure it. Last time it got this bad, I stopped taking it for a month. I know that by doing that I'm only pushing the end date for this treatment out even further (four more years!) but it seems to be the only thing that makes it tolerable. If he can't offer something other than a cup of coffee to combat the fatigue, he's going to have to consider an alternative treatment.
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