I expected to have blood drawn today to check the estradiol number, but there wasn't an order for it when I checked in. As it turned out, my oncologist decided during my appointment that we should check the estradiol again, so I got my blood drawn after seeing the doctor, before getting my Lupron shot. The results should show up on the online patient portal later.
During my appointment, I told my oncologist about one new concern. About a month ago, I noticed that a spot on the right side of my torso felt bruised, but when I looked, there was no bruise. Poking around, I could feel a round bump that felt tender when touched. Was it a bone? An organ? Was it something to worry about? I laid down on the examing table, and the doctor spent a good amount of time feeling around. She said she definitely could feel the bump, but she wasn't sure what it is!
On one hand, it's disconcerting when the doctor doesn't know something. On the other hand, I do appreciate her honesty. She said it might be a "floating rib" - one of the lower couple ribs that don't connect to anything in front - and then she Googled it right there in the office. She suggested we keep an eye on it, and if it gets worse or continues to be worrisome, maybe she'd order a CAT scan. But in the meantime, I should try not to poke around at it, which might be aggravating it unnecessarily.
I told her that I am aware that maybe my worrying has a psychological component. I've been hypervigilant about my body for a couple years now, first in finding the breast cancer myself, then in trying to keep tabs on the many side effects of treatment. After all this time, it's like I'm looking for things to feel wrong. Plus, the typical aging process and Lupron-induced menopause are confounding factors, reminding me that I shouldn't even expect my body now to feel like it did pre-cancer. Anyway, my oncologist said all that sounded perfectly normal, and I appreciated that she didn't make me feel like a hypochondriac.
Anyway, I also reported that I've been getting hot flashes again. I hadn't been getting them for a while, but they're back, and I wonder if the hot weather is a trigger. Interestingly, I think eating sugar is a trigger; at least, I seem to get hot flashes any time I eat the fudge I got for Mother's Day.
For the record, the first three fingers on both hands still feel very, very mildly numb and tingly. I never notice it anymore unless I tap my thumb and fingers together, so it's just something I've accepted as permanent. My joints still feel stiff sometimes, especially in the mornings, but it doesn't interfere with my daily activities, so it's also not something I worry about anymore.
She said since there aren't any treatment-related issues, we can stretch my next appointment out to 6 months instead of 3. I remember when 3 months between appointments made me feel a little nervous, but now I think I'm okay with it. I'm ready to put more distance between me and cancer treatment.
Finally, I got my Lupron shot. The nurse was one I've had before, but the shot felt like it was in the wrong place! The location was much higher than where it's usually given, closer to my hip than actually in my butt. I didn't say anything, but as soon as I got home, I Googled, "What if a shot is given in the wrong place?" I found this Quora entry, with one answer that includes a helpful image showing the safest place in the butt for a shot. Apparently, the place I got the shot today looks to be more squarely in the safe area, all the other shots were probably on the low side!
