3.05.2009

Disappointed

I had some very sharp pain last week right where my right leg meets my butt. I'm the sort of fool who doesn't recognize pain and has her first child at home but last week I could barely walk. I decided to have the local orthopedic surgeon take a look at it and get an x-ray last Friday. I gave him my history of cancer and, after he saw the x-rays, he asked a few questions about how recently I'd had a bone scan etc. It looks like I ever so slightly chipped my pelvis when my bike slipped a few weeks ago and the area was a little stressed. Then when I crouched to flip hot rice in the rice cake making event at jr. high school last week, the area was stressed again and BAM! Pain! He didn't like how the x-ray looked and didn't want to say anything specific until my oncologist saw the films. Fortunately, the pain has eased and I can walk again.

The weather forecast was for some snow on Tuesday so the Cancer Center wasn't so busy; nobody wants to risk falling down on slippery streets. My neighbor from downstairs had an appointment so we went together. Three out of four children stayed home from school with a stomach bug so I planned to rush home. I showed my films to Dr. F. and he asked to be excused while he ran over to show them to the osteo guy who was even less busy than our breast and lung specialist. The consensus was that my bones are in no imminent danger of crumbling, but now would be a good time to add bone strengthening Zometa once a month to my IVs and think about two weeks of radiation to the pesky bone mets so they won't be such a pain in the butt, literally. He sent me upstairs to have some more x-rays taken and then on to treatment.

I'll make up my mind on the radiation this week after I decide if the pain is really my bones or if it's from pulling something while doing the rice cake crouch. No rush, as I'm already in treatment for cancer. I'll have a CT scan on the 13th and a bone scan on the 25th at any rate. I think I should go ahead and get the radiation before it gets hot and humid (from mid April to October) making possible side effects (itchy itchy and a little sore) even worse.

So, I had Zometa on Tuesday and the side effects, for the first dose at any rate, were listed as slight fever, flue like aches and nausea. Not unlike the stomach bug already raging at home. Whatever it was, these symptoms hit with a vengeance on Tuesday night and I had to cancel lessons on Wednesday evening as I had no energy. Poor S wasn't feeling too well either but he managed to teach his classes. L and N stayed home today but it looks like the worst of it is over. I had to cancel our ski trip though. Sad.

5 comments:

Cecilia said...

Big hugs from here Kathy.

Lots of love,

Cecilia

Anonymous said...

Note of Zometa caution: Please do not have any dental work done while on Zometa. There have been documented horrific side effects, mainly that the drug kiils the jaw bone after any invasive dental work. You can google this and/or ask your oncologist. I pass this on as a cancer survivor who had a terrible time with chemo but is doing great now and someone who discovered the severe Zometa side effects through my work. Wishing you all the best in your challenges.

B

Anonymous said...

A big ouch !! I am cheering for your recovery from your accident.

Anonymous said...

A big ouch !! I am cheering for your recovery from your accident.

Arizona mom to eight said...

(((((((((((((Kathy))))))))))))) I am so sorry you have another thing to add to the list. Doggone it anyway, I will be praying for good news from the scans, and am hoping and praying you feel better soon.