Right now I seem to be at a plateau. My health has not gone too wonky in the past few months. I have nothing looming which should change this. 'Should' is the operative word here as there are no guarantees with life in cancerland. But I am feeling optimistic.
Physically I feel okay, except for my back which is having a procedure in a few weeks which should help with the pain I am having. Okay, well my feet are another story but I have a new pair of shoes which should help.
Emotionally I think I am in a fairly good place as well. Most of my emotional problems are the result of physical problems. My continued physical downward spiral in the last seven years has taken a huge toll on me emotionally. Every year I can look back and think "I could do that last year but this year I can't even think of it". How's that for the fun part of life?
But I feel I am at some nice stable plateau where I can continue with my life and not fall apart anytime soon (I hope). My stress level is down. My fall craft season is looming which will hog all weekends from Veterans Day to Christmas as well as take up a lot of my spare time as I always have something to work on.
I guess this means I am doing all right for now.
Showing posts with label being me. Show all posts
Showing posts with label being me. Show all posts
Monday, October 12, 2015
Monday, July 13, 2015
I'm running out of doctor's appointments
I got my latest appointment list from the hospital. I was shocked to realize that I only have eight scheduled appointments. Total. That's amazing. I haven't had less than ten scheduled appointments (which is the most shown on the appointment list) in years.
On one level this makes me very happy. I am sick of being sick and going to the doctor. I spend way too much time there. I have been making a concerted effort to cut back on unnecessary doctor appointments. I have opted out of some doctors simply because I don't think they do me much good. I cancelled my appointment with my radiation oncologist because I have no idea why I am still seeing her.
On the other hand, with the constant doctor appointments comes a sense of a safety net - nothing that bad can be found at a doctor appointment if someone else has seen you just a couple of months before. This can be seen with cancer patients facing the end of active treatment when their oncologist says 'all done, see you in six months' and all the continual follow up ends. This is when the most cancer patients fall apart - their safety net has ended.
When I hit the end of active treatment, I got a therapist who I still see monthly and my health continued its downward spiral so I saw doctors constantly. Finally seven years after my diagnosis, six years after active treatment, my health is stabilizing (or so it seems today) and I stop seeing doctors as often.
Now I am down to a PCP annually, rheumatologist every three months, pain doctor every four months or so, endocrinologist annually, oncologist annually - maybe not any more after the next appointment, dermatologist annually, therapist monthly, and meds therapist twice a year I hope. That works out to 11 appointments a year plus 14 for my mental health. I can live with 25 total appointments. Plus dentist twice a year and periodontist twice a year. So 29 appointments. Plus a mammogram is 30 appointments. Which is really 12 medical, 14 mental and 4 dental. If I split it up, it sounds better. Or I need back injections. Damn I guess I don't have only a few appointments.
Unless of course something happens.
I will push that looming thought out of my brain because I need to 'grow up' (is that a good term?) and get past the 'being sick' stage of my life for now. I need a being healthy stage of my life for now so I can do the things I enjoy and not go to thedamn doctor. That would make me much happier.
On one level this makes me very happy. I am sick of being sick and going to the doctor. I spend way too much time there. I have been making a concerted effort to cut back on unnecessary doctor appointments. I have opted out of some doctors simply because I don't think they do me much good. I cancelled my appointment with my radiation oncologist because I have no idea why I am still seeing her.
On the other hand, with the constant doctor appointments comes a sense of a safety net - nothing that bad can be found at a doctor appointment if someone else has seen you just a couple of months before. This can be seen with cancer patients facing the end of active treatment when their oncologist says 'all done, see you in six months' and all the continual follow up ends. This is when the most cancer patients fall apart - their safety net has ended.
When I hit the end of active treatment, I got a therapist who I still see monthly and my health continued its downward spiral so I saw doctors constantly. Finally seven years after my diagnosis, six years after active treatment, my health is stabilizing (or so it seems today) and I stop seeing doctors as often.
Now I am down to a PCP annually, rheumatologist every three months, pain doctor every four months or so, endocrinologist annually, oncologist annually - maybe not any more after the next appointment, dermatologist annually, therapist monthly, and meds therapist twice a year I hope. That works out to 11 appointments a year plus 14 for my mental health. I can live with 25 total appointments. Plus dentist twice a year and periodontist twice a year. So 29 appointments. Plus a mammogram is 30 appointments. Which is really 12 medical, 14 mental and 4 dental. If I split it up, it sounds better. Or I need back injections. Damn I guess I don't have only a few appointments.
Unless of course something happens.
I will push that looming thought out of my brain because I need to 'grow up' (is that a good term?) and get past the 'being sick' stage of my life for now. I need a being healthy stage of my life for now so I can do the things I enjoy and not go to the
Sunday, April 19, 2015
Stability
The goal of most medical ailments is either stability or remission, where the ailment isn't getting worse or is actually improving. It is kind of a happy place where you almost get to feel normal again. But we know you can't go home again so normal is a relative term.
However, I had the opportunity to speak with the nurse at Accordant care yesterday. She is provided through my health insurance and is available for my support whenever I want. It has been a while since we did catch up so we had to review a lot. At the end of the conversation she said "you seem to be doing pretty well these days". I had to stop and think. But yes I am.
I mean other than my evil 9 day stomach flu, I haven't been hobbling around and my body has mostly cooperated when things that I wanted to do. I haven't tried to run a marathon or anything but I have been able to do most of the things I want and not end up in pain in bed for a few days. This is good. This means that both my fibromyalgia and RA are behaving themselves which means I can behave myself less and do more of the things I like to do.
All my other ailments, that cancer crap, seems to be behaving themselves as well.
Now I am not running a marathon, as I said, but I might want to climb a small mountain or something. Or maybe I'll settle for a big hill. Or even a long walk.
However, I had the opportunity to speak with the nurse at Accordant care yesterday. She is provided through my health insurance and is available for my support whenever I want. It has been a while since we did catch up so we had to review a lot. At the end of the conversation she said "you seem to be doing pretty well these days". I had to stop and think. But yes I am.
I mean other than my evil 9 day stomach flu, I haven't been hobbling around and my body has mostly cooperated when things that I wanted to do. I haven't tried to run a marathon or anything but I have been able to do most of the things I want and not end up in pain in bed for a few days. This is good. This means that both my fibromyalgia and RA are behaving themselves which means I can behave myself less and do more of the things I like to do.
All my other ailments, that cancer crap, seems to be behaving themselves as well.
Now I am not running a marathon, as I said, but I might want to climb a small mountain or something. Or maybe I'll settle for a big hill. Or even a long walk.
Monday, January 19, 2015
Stability
The goal of most medical ailments is either stability or remission, where the ailment isn't getting worse or is actually improving. It is kind of a happy place where you almost get to feel normal again. But we know you can't go home again so normal is a relative term.
However, I had the opportunity to speak with the nurse at Accordant care yesterday. She is provided through my health insurance and is available for my support whenever I want. It has been a while since we did catch up so we had to review a lot. At the end of the conversation she said "you seem to be doing pretty well these days". I had to stop and think. But yes I am.
I mean other than my evil 9 day stomach flu, I haven't been hobbling around and my body has mostly cooperated when things that I wanted to do. I haven't tried to run a marathon or anything but I have been able to do most of the things I want and not end up in pain in bed for a few days. This is good. This means that both my fibromyalgia and RA are behaving themselves which means I can behave myself less and do more of the things I like to do.
All my other ailments, that cancer crap, seems to be behaving themselves as well.
Now I am not running a marathon, as I said, but I might want to climb a small mountain or something. Or maybe I'll settle for a big hill. Or even a long walk.
However, I had the opportunity to speak with the nurse at Accordant care yesterday. She is provided through my health insurance and is available for my support whenever I want. It has been a while since we did catch up so we had to review a lot. At the end of the conversation she said "you seem to be doing pretty well these days". I had to stop and think. But yes I am.
I mean other than my evil 9 day stomach flu, I haven't been hobbling around and my body has mostly cooperated when things that I wanted to do. I haven't tried to run a marathon or anything but I have been able to do most of the things I want and not end up in pain in bed for a few days. This is good. This means that both my fibromyalgia and RA are behaving themselves which means I can behave myself less and do more of the things I like to do.
All my other ailments, that cancer crap, seems to be behaving themselves as well.
Now I am not running a marathon, as I said, but I might want to climb a small mountain or something. Or maybe I'll settle for a big hill. Or even a long walk.
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
I'm running out of doctor's appointments
I got my latest appointment list from the hospital. I was shocked to realize that I only have eight scheduled appointments. Total. That's amazing. I haven't had less than ten scheduled appointments (which is the most shown on the appointment list) in years.
On one level this makes me very happy. I am sick of being sick and going to the doctor. I spend way too much time there. I have been making a concerted effort to cut back on unnecessary doctor appointments. I have opted out of some doctors simply because I don't think they do me much good. I cancelled my appointment with my radiation oncologist because I have no idea why I am still seeing her.
On the other hand, with the constant doctor appointments comes a sense of a safety net - nothing that bad can be found at a doctor appointment if someone else has seen you just a couple of months before. This can be seen with cancer patients facing the end of active treatment when their oncologist says 'all done, see you in six months' and all the continual follow up ends. This is when the most cancer patients fall apart - their safety net has ended.
When I hit the end of active treatment, I got a therapist who I still see monthly and my health continued its downward spiral so I saw doctors constantly. Finally seven years after my diagnosis, six years after active treatment, my health is stabilizing (or so it seems today) and I stop seeing doctors as often.
Now I am down to a PCP annually, rheumatologist every three months, pain doctor every four months or so, endocrinologist annually, oncologist annually - maybe not any more after the next appointment, dermatologist annually, therapist monthly, and meds therapist twice a year I hope. That works out to 11 appointments a year plus 14 for my mental health. I can live with 25 total appointments. Plus dentist twice a year and periodontist twice a year. So 29 appointments. Plus a mammogram is 30 appointments. Which is really 12 medical, 14 mental and 4 dental. If I split it up, it sounds better. Or I need back injections. Damn I guess I don't have only a few appointments.
Unless of course something happens.
I will push that looming thought out of my brain because I need to 'grow up' (is that a good term?) and get past the 'being sick' stage of my life for now. I need a being healthy stage of my life for now so I can do the things I enjoy and not go to thedamn doctor. That would make me much happier.
On one level this makes me very happy. I am sick of being sick and going to the doctor. I spend way too much time there. I have been making a concerted effort to cut back on unnecessary doctor appointments. I have opted out of some doctors simply because I don't think they do me much good. I cancelled my appointment with my radiation oncologist because I have no idea why I am still seeing her.
On the other hand, with the constant doctor appointments comes a sense of a safety net - nothing that bad can be found at a doctor appointment if someone else has seen you just a couple of months before. This can be seen with cancer patients facing the end of active treatment when their oncologist says 'all done, see you in six months' and all the continual follow up ends. This is when the most cancer patients fall apart - their safety net has ended.
When I hit the end of active treatment, I got a therapist who I still see monthly and my health continued its downward spiral so I saw doctors constantly. Finally seven years after my diagnosis, six years after active treatment, my health is stabilizing (or so it seems today) and I stop seeing doctors as often.
Now I am down to a PCP annually, rheumatologist every three months, pain doctor every four months or so, endocrinologist annually, oncologist annually - maybe not any more after the next appointment, dermatologist annually, therapist monthly, and meds therapist twice a year I hope. That works out to 11 appointments a year plus 14 for my mental health. I can live with 25 total appointments. Plus dentist twice a year and periodontist twice a year. So 29 appointments. Plus a mammogram is 30 appointments. Which is really 12 medical, 14 mental and 4 dental. If I split it up, it sounds better. Or I need back injections. Damn I guess I don't have only a few appointments.
Unless of course something happens.
I will push that looming thought out of my brain because I need to 'grow up' (is that a good term?) and get past the 'being sick' stage of my life for now. I need a being healthy stage of my life for now so I can do the things I enjoy and not go to the
Monday, January 12, 2015
A plateau
Right now I seem to be at a plateau. My health has not gone too wonky in the past few months. I have nothing looming which should change this. 'Should' is the operative word here as there are no guarantees with life in cancerland. But I am feeling optimistic.
Physically I feel okay, except for my back which is having a procedure in a few weeks which should help with the pain I am having. Okay, well my feet are another story but I have a new pair of shoes which should help.
Emotionally I think I am in a fairly good place as well. Most of my emotional problems are the result of physical problems. My continued physical downward spiral in the last seven years has taken a huge toll on me emotionally. Every year I can look back and think "I could do that last year but this year I can't even think of it". How's that for the fun part of life?
But I feel I am at some nice stable plateau where I can continue with my life and not fall apart anytime soon (I hope). My stress level is down. My fall craft season is looming which will hog all weekends from Veterans Day to Christmas as well as take up a lot of my spare time as I always have something to work on.
I guess this means I am doing all right for now.
Physically I feel okay, except for my back which is having a procedure in a few weeks which should help with the pain I am having. Okay, well my feet are another story but I have a new pair of shoes which should help.
Emotionally I think I am in a fairly good place as well. Most of my emotional problems are the result of physical problems. My continued physical downward spiral in the last seven years has taken a huge toll on me emotionally. Every year I can look back and think "I could do that last year but this year I can't even think of it". How's that for the fun part of life?
But I feel I am at some nice stable plateau where I can continue with my life and not fall apart anytime soon (I hope). My stress level is down. My fall craft season is looming which will hog all weekends from Veterans Day to Christmas as well as take up a lot of my spare time as I always have something to work on.
I guess this means I am doing all right for now.
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