Hello Everyone:
My Michelin-man bubble hand is back. Basically, I can’t see the knuckles on my right hand. Sometimes no matter how careful and mindful you are, one small slip and bang! A small mishap happens.
I was trying to take advantage of some warmer weather in Toronto and went golfing this past weekend. On Saturday, I was wearing my compression sleeve as usual but it was getting so hot and warm I decided to take the sleeve and glove off – to cool down. Lo and behold, we were in a valley (where there is a lot of still standing water), and there were lots of mosquitos around. More around me because as many of you know I’m everyone else’s bug repellent. For some reason they love me…..my Grandmother used to say it was my sweet foreign blood (but that was when I was visiting in the Philippines – I’m pretty local in these parts…..except I was in King City…..could the bugs know I was yellow and from the City?! LOL). Well, I got bitten. Not just once, but 10 bites in total. The bite on my right hand made my hand swell up. Tried Benadryl, Claritin, Reactine, cortisone cream, ice pack, natural World Salon salve…..nothing worked.
Luckily I saw my surgeon yesterday. She said the bite triggered my lymphedema. Fortunately it is contained in my hand…..but still…..just can’t catch a break.
Lesson learned: keep wearing the sleeve – even if I’m sweating to death…..well that or keep my drives and other golf shots in the middle of the fairway away from the woods!!
Good news: during my check up with my surgeon she said things look fine and no new bumps to be found and my tests in March were clear. Phew. I told her about some pain that I’ve been having at the site of my mastectomy. It’s like a shooting, jolt of pain that comes from inside. She said it’s likely nerve and muscle pain…..well I guess that’s good in a way – that my nerves & muscles are trying to wake up from the coma they’ve been in. Still painful though. 🙁 (And better than “tax pain” that they talk about in those commercials! LOL)
I also told her that my hot flashes are as bad as ever. Her answer was that it’s a sign that the tamoxifen I’m taking is working. Another good sign I guess, and I’m happy about that. Let’s just hope the weight gain doesn’t follow too quickly!! I mentioned that my oncologist suggested that I might have to take the tamoxifen for more than 5 years. She said that there have been new updates to the program and indicated that for higher risk of reoccurrence cases it is being recommended to continue on the tamoxifen longer. And here I thought only 3 more years to go. We’ll see when I see my oncologist this fall. Stay tuned.
So until my hand swelling subsides, (I’m on some antibiotics too just in case), I’m going to say I’ve taken up boxing!!
Hence, “the Climb”. Always seems that something pops up here and there. So first the hot flashes again that I mentioned in my last update, then the nerve/muscle pain, and now my hand. BOO!!
Why the climb? Well I was in my car on the weekend and “The Climb” came on the radio. I sang along at the top of my lungs as the sun was shining and I had the roof on ‘ol Junior down. I felt overwhelmed as I took note of the lyrics. They made me think about my Climb over the past 3 years. I thought back to my 37th birthday where I had an amazing trip to Prague and London. Felt on top of the world, only to be brought crashing down. And now as I am on the eve of a new decade in my life, I can’t be more excited to start my climb again. And although there have been so many ups and downs, so many highs and lows – I feel good about where things are now. As my mother told me last night, not only is she proud of me, she thinks it’s amazing how I keep going strong. “Winnie Strong”!! LOL! Even a person who I met on the golf course whose sister in law has gone through breast cancer said, “You look and seem like you’re handling things very well and living life no matter what roadblocks the illness and treatments have thrown your way. Very different from my sister in law who has given up, become reclusive and has gained a lot of weight”. That was a nice thing to say I thought.
I’ve attached the lyrics at the end of this message and here is a link to YouTube – in case you’ve never heard this song before:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
Here’s looking forward to Club 40!
Always, Winnie xo
THE CLIMB:
by Miley Cyrus (how appropriate – as one young boy when I was on my last chemo treatment thought I was Hannah Montana – played by Miley Cyrus).
I can almost see it That dream I am dreaming But there’s a voice inside my head saying “You’ll never reach it”
Every step I’m taking Every move I make feels Lost with no direction My faith is shaking
But I gotta keep trying Gotta keep my head held high
There’s always gonna be another mountain I’m always gonna wanna make it move Always gonna be an uphill battle Sometimes I’m gonna have to lose
Ain’t about how fast I get there Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other sideIt’s the climb
The struggles I’m facing The chances I’m taking Sometimes might knock me down But no, I’m not breaking
I may not know it But these are the moments that I’m gonna remember most, yeah Just gotta keep going
And I, I got to be strong Just keep pushing on
‘Cause there’s always gonna be another mountain I’m always gonna wanna make it move Always gonna be a uphill battle Sometimes I’m gonna have to lose
Ain’t about how fast I get there Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other sideIt’s the climb, yeah!
There’s always gonna be another mountain I’m always gonna wanna make it move Always gonna be an uphill battle Somebody’s gonna have to lose
Ain’t about how fast I get there Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other sideIt’s the climb, yeah!
Keep on moving, keep climbing Keep the faith, baby It’s all about, it’s all about the climb
Keep the faith, keep your faith, whoa