Another Year in the Books

Today, I had a one year follow up with my oncologist the fabulous Dr. Joseph. While I was going through chemo, I always went to the office next to Baptist East Hospital. After my last chemo in 2015, I was switched to the Eastpoint office, which is fine by me since that is closer to my house than getting on Watterson and dealing with all that traffic. 🚗🤬🚙🤬

Anyway, I show up at Eastpoint only to learn that my appointment was supposed to be at the main location by Baptist. Gah! So I made my way over to Baptist and realized it’s probably a good thing about this mix up. It didn’t really give me that much time to have to THINK about being in that office again.

I like to think that I’m really good at keeping things separate in my mind and being logical about things. But as I walked into the building to get my second COVID screening in 15 minutes, it gave me pause.

I was reminded of my very first visit to CBC Group when I just happened to run into my mom’s friend from school, Karen (also, I definitely do NOT think that was coincidence – God knew I was walking into a big storm and sent me a familiar face to give me peace 🙏🏻🙏🏻).

I was reminded of the nurse at my first chemo. She saw me and said “I’ve seen you before!” She didn’t look all that familiar (like in an “I know I’ve seen you before but who knows where and I’m on information overload and I’m getting serious chemicals for the first time and I can’t even think straight” way 🤷🏻‍♀️) but turned out she lives in my town and used to work at my PCP’s office. Peace from God.

I thought about being in those chairs and SO nauseated from chemo. And, I still cannot eat at McAllister’s Deli because we would eat it on big chemo days. Even to this day I can’t eat a cheeseburger at WW Cousins. It doesn’t make me feel sick, but I just cannot bring myself to eat it. 😢 It’s all mental for me but I can’t help it. 🤷🏻‍♀️

So I get over to the main location, go through my second COVID screening upon walking in (BTW, they ask a LOT more questions than the UofL facilities 🤔🤷🏻‍♀️) and as I’m going up the elevator I’m thinking of the last time I was there when I got my last Herceptin chemo. My mom showed up with a cake and the nurses sang to us – Hit The Road Jack by Ray Charles. 🎂

Dr. Joseph has decided that I can quit taking the Tamoxifen. I was a little surprised because I figured I would be on it for 10 years. She said that I’ve been on it for 5 full years and I had a “complete response” to chemo (my tumor actually dissolved by the time I finished chemo and had surgery). At first I said “Are you sure? Like really, really sure?” She said she was. She wants me to have a full genetic test to make sure there’s nothing to watch out for. I had a BRCA test done when I was diagnosed, which was negative. So that’ll be scheduled soon. Hopefully nothing else lurking out there!

I left the office with my next appointment schedule for 1 year from now (in the other office closer to me). And I decide, “I want a cupcake from Gigi’s Cupcakes”. And as I was driving I was thinking “do I really need a cupcake? Should I just skip it?” Well something made me want to stop. So I did. And I got 2 white wedding and 2 chocolate cupcakes and headed back to the house to get work done.

When I was about 3 miles from my exit on the interstate, I had a thought. I was driving so I couldn’t look it up and I wasn’t 100% sure but I was thinking that today is July 21st. Which, is the day I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014 (at 2:14pm to be exact). Six years! I was floored. Talk about Godly timing! I am now so glad a got the cupcakes because today is worthy of celebrating!

Get your mammogram, pap, dental cleaning, check up, eye exam, whatever – take care of your health. Just get it done, okay?

❤️,

Jennifer