Going in for surgery on your brain during a lockdown – on the one hand, yes, I am so very grateful to be having the treatment. On the other hand, I was scared, terrified.
After the past three months, I have been slowly starting edge my way back into the wild.
At times, I am nervous and scared going into these repeat scans.
Today I will have a repeat MRI to check on the progress and swelling of my brain.
I will also have a full PET scan on my body. It has been six months since the last.
From my original diagnosis in 2016, I have been considered a stage four metastatic breast cancer patient having cancer in several areas of my body.
After my original chemo treatment and continued medication, my body scan has shown no change. NEAD (no evidence of active disease).
Yes, a feat on its own. And a reason to celebrate as a triple-positive breast cancer patient Herceptin has worked for me.
If you know me well, I hesitate to talk about this subject, let alone write about it and throwing it out in the universe.
Maybe you are out of the loop.
I had a craniotomy on June 3, 2020, to remove one growing tumor.
Honestly, the shit show scares me more than ever while awaiting scan results.
I feel that I am in “the” right place, both physically and mentally.
But I can’t stay in a safe bubble forever.
It is time once again and take the plunge and face the reality of metastatic breast cancer.
Scanxiety doesn’t serve me, so I’m once again releasing that energy.
It is a day to day and scan to scan learning.
I am accepting whatever will eventually show up again. Because the truth is that is what happens with metastatic disease.
Metastatic breast cancer remains without a cure. Many patients live beyond their diagnosis as I have and will continue for many years.
I am not able to control what is in my body.
But I can choose and control how I feel about it.
I will continue to serve myself and my heart.
I will not obsess about what I can not control.
Don’t worry, just be happy.