I guess I should learn to trust my instincts.

My visit with Dr. Hammond today comes down to this:
*I am out of work for 2 weeks because of exhaustion.
*July 8th after 2 weeks of R&R and 2 weeks back to work, I meet with him again to schedule the removal of my ovaries.

There were a couple of medicinal options for my type of cancer with regard to follow up treatments but the most successful being a combination of hormone therapy and removal of the ovaries.

Because my type is 'estrogen receptive', he needs my body to stop producing estrogen and therefore the cancer cells can't produce.

I knew something was wrong. I mean, as far as the exhaustion thing. But I was trying to ignore my body. Recently I have felt like a robot, going through the motions of getting up, going to work, coming home, hanging out and going to bed. It was like a ritual. And if anything got in the way of that ritual I couldn't focus or 'handle' the changes.

So when I first went into the exam room and Tracy (Dr. Hammond's nurse) asked how I was and I reluctantly said "Uhm...ok" she immediately became concerned and from there, Dr. Hammond did as well. I told them I never feel rested, that I am having severe headaches that no medication is relieving and I am depressed.

So I'm on Vicodin for the headache pain. We'll see if it works. Dr. Hammond also told me that I need 5 good solid nights of 12 to 14 hours of sleep per night for my body to recuperate. He added that depression after chemo is very common because the patient feels they are no longer actively treating the cancer.

I'm sorry - I know this blog must be jumping all over the place. I'm tired. My head is throbbing and my eyes are swollen from crying. I dare say I'm more upset right now about being out of work then I am about the next stage of treatment.

Keep me in your thoughts and prayers.

Doris