Medical Updates

Well, I don't think I've shared recently and there may (or may not) be a lot going on here soon!

My iron levels started to drop again this summer. Though, thankfully, my red blood cell counts have remained stable. But still, the low iron is a huge pain - sometimes literally.

Along with the iron levels dropping, my headaches and migraines have seemed to ramp up here lately. It is a lovely combination, if you're into that whole pain and fatigue thing.

So, with this in mind, I decided to go visit a hematologist for a second opinion. Not that I doubt my oncologist, but you know, I am just so tired and worn out and I am feel like I'm grasping at straws and willing to do anything.

The visit with the hematologist was, well, interesting. The doctor was very nice and friendly. And then she basically said there was nothing she could do for me. She mostly agreed with my oncologist, though felt one point he made was wrong (he thought there might be something else going on like my immune system just being on overdrive and it is possible I am not allergic to iron after all).

She also told me that I should basically get a hysterectomy. Well, okay, she suggested a form of birth control that is hormone-free (the only kind I can get) but because of my uterine anomaly, it wouldn't work, hence hysterectomy. Because I need every ounce of blood in my body and even with very light periods every month, I need to completely stop them. I fought hard to avoid this surgery a few years ago and probably will not take her recommendation.

So I left kind of deflated. She did, however, agree with the oncologist that my next step should be to seek out an allergist doctor who could desensitize me to iron - something suggested a while ago, but I had decided to not pursue that route for a few reasons.

I called the practice my son goes to (it's an allergist/asthma office) and wanted to set-up an appointment to start the iron desensitization - which I decided was time to do. They didn't know what I was talking about and couldn't really help. Sigh.

My son went in last week and so while there I asked his doctor. His doctor has never done it before and doesn't know much about it. He called a colleague into the room. She has never done it before either, but they both agreed to try it out and see what we could do. They're going to research it and I meet for my first official appointment later this week.

Then the allergist, after talking to me, wondered if there wasn't something bigger going on and if maybe I wasn't actually allergic to the iron. (That would be score one for my oncologist!)

I'm not nearly as excited about this as I think I should be. I'm worried it's not going to work. I'm worried it's another dead end. But, I'm going and we'll see what happens.


In addition to this, I visit with the endocrinologist this week as well too. I'll see how all the growths on my thyroid are doing. In the spring, the doctor felt pretty confident that this fall he'd recommend that we surgical remove these growths. I went in for my ultrasound and we'll see how they've grown. Or maybe not grown - though I doubt that! He also said maybe we'd just re-biopsy the area and go from there.

Regardless, I'm a bit on edge about this. Because maybe surgery. Again.


On top of this, I met with the plastic surgeon for a check-up. And I learned that there is another procedure I can do to make my foobs (fake boobs) look a little more natural. And that I am also a candidate to switch out the implants he gave me for new ones on the market, that are also more natural looking.

Of course, non of this is required. It is all completely optional and unnecessary. But there is a part of me that wants to do it. I know the foobs will never look "perfect" and there isn't a procedure out there that will make them suddenly not fake. But, there is one part of my reconstruction that I hate and these procedures could help fix it

But. Surgery.

And so many people counting on me. And I'm already exhausted most of the time. And I'm in pain some of the time. And the migraines keep coming.  So it feels completely and totally selfish of me to even think about doing anything that is optional, especially knowing it's for reconstruction.

Sigh.

Anyway, two big appointments coming up this week. The allergist - to see if we can figure out a plan to get some iron on me. And then with the endocrinologist to see what's he recommends for the growths there!

In addition to all of this, last week I started to get the dental work that has been delayed for several years. Oh, yeah, several years. Sigh. So my mouth is sore. And it has set off a flare-up of my lymphedema. So, basically, my life is all shiny and roses right now! ;-)

No, it's not that bad. Just trying to get things taken care of and get these bumps in the road ironed out!