Really???

Well, it's been almost a year since my last post.  I had hoped by this point I'd have that whole "cancer" thing done and over with and packed away.  This blog would fade in memory and life goes on.

But life isn't always what we think it should be.

In the past year, I have been taking a drug called arimidex.  It's a harsh drug.  It keeps my body starved of estrogen.  The side effects have been pretty difficult, including nasty hot flashes and moderately severe joint and muscle pain.  After trying various drugs to take care of the side effects to limited success, I am now switching to a drug called Aromasin.  Hopefully I will do better on it.

Now the hard part.  Back in September, in a normal screening, one of my liver function blood tests came back odd.  My Alkaline Phosphatase was elevated.  There didn't seem to be any reason for it, so we (me and my onc) just decided to watch and see what happened.  Last week, the level took another big jump, from elevated to high.  More blood tests were ordered.  That unfortunately revealed 2 other levels (my AST and my ALT for you medical types) had skyrocketed.

We are not going to sit and wait and see what happens now.  I will be scheduled for a PET scan next week to see if I have cancer in my liver.

It may not be cancer at all.  My liver could be freaking out for all sorts of other reasons.... hepatitis, fatty liver disease, cirrhosis.... all yuck things.  But all of them probably better then liver mets. 

I will go in Monday for more bloodwork.  I am awaiting the call with my PET scan date.  At that point I will update everyone.

We are hoping for a clean PET scan, in which case I will be referred to a specialist for the liver.  It seems my lot in life to see every single type of doctor that Kaiser employs.

So much for closing this book.  Seems like I keep having to write new chapters.

P.S.  In other news, Princess M caught her first fish this weekend, the Fresh Prince finished class at the community college and is now working at Home Depot, and Prince Charming is as absolutely charming as usual.  And I beat my dad at Scrabble.

ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE	224	(normal range 45 - 129)	IU/L	H
ALT	252	(normal range 5 - 50)	IU/L	H
AST	187	(normal range 5 - 40)	IU/L	H