Cancer Lesson #??: Cancer makes you paranoid.
More than two years have passed since my last chemo, and I’ve been praying for arthritis. Between prayers, I’ve practiced what to say to my family and tried to figure out how to get through another course of treatment.
You see, my elbow has been hurting for over a month now, and I was convinced my cancer had metasize metastaz metatastiz spread. (Another, less pressing worry, was learning how to spell metastasized.)
The pain isn’t incapacitating, excruciating, or even constant, but it’s consistent.
Did I mention bone pain is the main sign that cancer has metastasized?
At first, I thought, “No problem. I have an appointment coming up. I’ll just ask Dr. H about it then.” Except I wasn’t seeing him until October, and the hurt wasn’t getting any better.
Yesterday, I called and changed the appointment.
Today, one chat with the doc, five X-rays, one phone call, and the mystery is solved. The problem is not cancer in my bones – thank God! – but Anastrozole’s effect on my ligaments.
Cancer makes you paranoid. Having survived it once, my continued survival depends on continuous vigilance. Unsurprisingly, this vigilance sometimes crosses the line into my personal version of a cancer conspiracy theory. In short, I think cancer is out to get me.
The idea is not as far-fetched as it sounds. According to Metavivor Reasearch and Support, Inc. (http://www.metavivor.org), 30% of patients with early stage breast cancer develop metastatic breast cancer.
You know that expression, “Even paranoids have real enemies”?
Metastatic breast cancer is mine.
Paranoid? Maybe.
But alive.
Related articles
- Sea-to-Sea: METAvivor and Metastatic Breast Cancer Awarenss (kdhhealthcomm.wordpress.com)
- Advocates for Women with Breast Cancer (23andme.com)
- Participating in Genetic Research (23andme.com)
- booby-trapped this October? (timetoconsiderthelilies.com)
- Living Well With Metastatic Breast Cancer (webmd.com)
Keeping A-Breast: Cancer Lessons 
Reblogged this on Reading, Writing, Ranting and Raving and commented:
Though this post is from my “Keeping A-Breast: Cancer Lessons” blog, I’m re-posting it on RWRR because it also serves as a rave — as in, “Hooray! My sore elbow is just an inflamed ligament!”
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Well Kim, Good news? or bad news? Great that it’s not the cancer coming back, but how bad is the other? Can they cure it? Will it be painful for long? My prayers for you. Enough is enough.
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Thanks for the prayers, Barb. Definitely good news. I can go off the Anastrozole for a few weeks if need be to verify that’s what causing the inflammation. If I do so, and that’s what it is, there’s another drug that does the same thing but is chemically different, which we can try. At this point, though, it’s more of an annoyance than anything. If it gets to where I don’t want to deal with the pain, I’ll try the above option.
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It is sometimes overwhelming! My cancer has metastasized and I still think it’s spreading with every new pain! It’s not, I’m doing really good right now! It’s just what cancer does to you! Glad your good! Still, your right about that 30%. It’s good for you to stay vigilant!
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Tammy,
Thanks for reading, and for leaving your comment. I guess the paranoia never ends, does it? And yet, we can’t let down our guard. Rock/hard place, I guess. Sending you good karma in the hope that you’ll continue to do well.
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My heart sank when I read the start of tour post…so glad it is only ligament pain, I don’t think the paranoia will ever end we will just learn to live with it. All good wishes to you X
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You’re right. We just have to live with the paranoia and remain vigilant. Thank you so much for the good wishes. I return the same to you.
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Hey I have a quick question about your blog, could you email me when you have a chance? Thanks! -Cam
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Could you perhaps leave your question as a comment? I’m a little paranoid about giving out my email to people I don’t know.
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