The rewards of an attentive family (and network) are tested regularly for breast cancer patients.  In our case, the same reward is tested for our breast cancer survivor as our survivor’s medical team weighs in with their ideas on new tests to ensure her breast cancer has not spread. ¶ This [post] is only a forecast to provide you with the research conducted [and provided herein] before the questions begin.  Bonnie is scheduled for a bone scan for Thursday.  Last night I whispered to her “close your eyes and relax” which is far easier said than done.  The angst before these tests, coupled with the worry factor (X 100) upon waiting for the white lab coats to deliver the results are enough to do cause the strongest individual to seek the path of least resistance. ¶ Yes, we’ve been here before, which hardly provides any level of comfort.  One of the reasons behind this continued level of concern is the partnership cancer patients have with each other.  Misery truly does enjoy company,  and it’s within this company that we learn a number of things about this disease;  the medical professionals; support groups; insurance companies;  governmental policies; questions we need to ask;  research we need to execute; the list goes on. ¶ Cancer is no longer second page news.  We learned yesterday of the battle ABC’s own Robin Roberts is going through with MDS (myelodysplastic syndrome).  Ms. Roberts was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007 long before we first heard that knock on our door.  Robin’s headline on the Good Morning America website reads “I Can Beat This” … wonder where I heard that before? ¶ Unfortunately we don’t need to turn on the television to learn who’s been diagnosed.  There’s a strong chance someone you know has been afflicted with this disease.  [Sorry for that long-winded tangent.] ¶ Bonnie is, and always has been the subject of this blog, so let’s return.  She explained her back pain issues to her doctor recently, who suggested she undergo a bone scan.  A “bone scan” is to help find the cause of a person’s back pain.  It can be done to find damage to the bones, find cancer that may have spread to the bones, and watch problems such as infection and trauma to the bones.  A bone scan can often find a problem days to months earlier than a regular X-ray. ¶ Am sure, at this point, you can understand Bonnie’s “worry factor” and how my words of “close your eyes and relax” are just not enough when her mind is spinning. ¶ We will certainly learn more on Thursday, though while reading the literature on all these new terms and definitions I am always on the lookout for a silver lining (should there be one).  With any luck at all, this bone scan will identify the reasons for Bonnie’s recent back problems; perhaps the way she sleeps, perhaps the stress she’s carrying (literally) from her work-life, her home-life; perhaps we need to get out and walk along the river and take in this beautiful northern California weather that is right outside the door.  And then there’s all the etcetera’s you can surmise. ¶ A few weeks ago we had shaken the snot out of the magic 8-ball before the results of her recent gene mutation test.  It always returned with “Outlook good.”   We’ll be shaking that spherical clairvoyant device in the days to come with hopes for the same results as the calendar flips towards Thursday – and beyond.

Peace,

Papa

(Visited 10 times, 1 visits today)