Hit by a Truck - also known as Zometa

I’ve heard the first Zometa infusion is the worst - and gosh, I hope that’s true. I spent all of yesterday in a fetal position, crying in bed, with fevers, chills, and unrelenting bone pain. 

I spent a lot of yesterday feeling sorry for myself, that this is my life, that I have three more years ahead of these infusions and 7 more years on my aromatase inhibitor. That this isn’t going to get “better”, even if my cancer doesn’t come back. 

It was a low point on this journey for sure. 

Today I woke up feeling human and grateful not to be in pain - so I went to the pool and swam 3200 m. Because I have a race this Saturday, and I’m not letting breast cancer mess with that. It felt like heaven to move in the water, without my bones and joints aching. 

Then I attended the research and advocacy committee meeting of the Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance. I decided I might as well use my clinical training to advocate for research on the disease that’s wrecking my life, and I’m honored they’ve accepted me onto their Board of Directors. Sometimes it’s useful to be a doctor and a patient. 

I’m hoping to use that platform to spread the word about lobular breast cancer, that it’s different than ductal, that it’s frustrating there are few studies done on preventing recurrence, and that the surveillance for ILC is unique. 

Zometa sucks, breast cancer sucks, and menopause sucks. Advocacy and speaking up do not. 

#zometainfusion #lobularbreastcancer#lobularbreastcanceralliance#doublemastectomywithoutreconstruction#noboobsnoproblem #smashfestqueen #biscaycoaching#breastcancerwarrior #breastcancerawarness