WHAT THE...!?!?!


I hate it when my students say, "what the..." my response to them is always, "find another phrase, nothing good ever comes after the...."  

I've acknowledged my "good fortune" throughout this process, but it feels like that has come to a screeching halt in the last hour.  Dramatic?  Yes.  Pissed off?  Yes.    

Last Monday, 6/10, I met with my Medical Oncologist.  Dr. Caribbean.  He told me no chemo (hooray!) and probably Tamoxifen for 10 years, BUT he also wanted to do a genetic blood clot test since my dad had a pulmonary embolism.  He told me he'd call me by Thursday 6/13.  I'd thought about the call at random times, but also decided that surely no news was good news!  

I went to a 2 day class in Cedar Rapids this week that wasn't at all what I was expecting, recovered yesterday and today sent an email inquiring about the results.  To which he responded very quickly:
    
Oh geez.  Sorry. I totally meant to call. Sorry.

You do have 1 copy of the Prothrombin 20210 A mutation. This is the second most common           hereditary defect of clotting.  This and Tamoxifen do not work well together.

Since this is hereditary, your children will need to be tested when they turn 18 or if you have girls when and if they start taking birth control pills.  Your siblings should be tested.

 

I would consider what is referred to as ovarian suppression, one of two ways:

  1. Using a medication to shut down your ovaries or
  2. Have your ovaries removed

Then place you on an Aromatase inhibitor.

 

Are you receiving radiation now?

 

If you have questions, let me know.

WTAF, DUDE!  Oh geez!?!  Sorry!?!

I went to walk the dog, then started Googling, then started my giant list of questions!  Of course I have questions, asshole!  I'm 41 and you're going to put me into menopause and Google doesn't make either of these options sound good!  LOOK AT MY CHART and you should know that I'm not starting radiation until 7/8!  You'd also know that I have one son and no siblings!  I think this is the most anger I've felt since this diagnosis.

Here's the start of my response, I need to convey how angry I am, and I may need to ask for a different doctor!:

WOW!  That's a lot in an email.  I guess I do have a lot of questions about both of these options.  Google, at first glance, is definitely not helpful!  

What do these options entail?  
What kind of side effects exist for the medication to shut down ovaries?
Which is better for my long-term health?  
Should I talk to my OBGYN or primary care physician?  
What would you recommend, of these options, to your 41 year old loved one?
What is recovery like for an oophorectomy?
Who do I schedule this through?  
What might happen if we went ahead with the Tamoxifen?
What are the chances of recurrence if I don't do either of these things?
Do my parents need to be tested for this gene?
Do we need to have another appointment?

I start radiation on 7/8/24 for 4 weeks.



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