The update you've all been waiting for...

Yes, it's been awhile since I've posted. I've been busy and I sort of ran out of things to talk about, I guess. This is the point during a traumatic event where a person wants to stop obsessing so much. And you know what's cool? I hardly think about my boobs at all these days! Well, I have to at least once a day, because I started the drug tamoxifen on Monday. Tamoxifen blocks the effects of estrogen in the breast, but increases its effects in the uterus. Because most breast cancers are responsive to estrogen, it makes sense to block it in that organ. To be honest, I am pretty ambivalent about taking the medication. I don't really want to. I waited a whole two weeks to fill the prescription. But, I suppose I would feel better knowing that I am doing everything I can to prevent me from getting breast cancer. FYI, the treatment is five years. That's a long time! But any major side effects, and I'm going off of it. So there.

Six days post-op and my elbow feels ok. I was a good little patient and kept the pressure bandage on for 3 days like I was told (I wasn't supposed to shower but I did anyway - with a garbage bag over my arm). But I found out at my recheck today that I shouldn't have actually thrown the pressure wrap away like I did. The doctor was kind enough to get me a new one, which he wants me to have on for another couple of weeks. He also wasn't super excited about the fact that I've been rollerblading (but it's the only form of exercise I can do without hurting my arm!). I got the ok to try to run now, so tomorrow I'll do a "short" run of about 4 miles. In the past running has aggravated the elbow, so we'll see how it goes. My elbow is still pretty sore (but a good "surgical" sore, not a bad "tendinitis" sore) and quite bruised. Oh, and I start hand therapy in a couple of weeks. I am back at work, and will start doing surgeries again in another week. Life is slowly coming back to normal.

OK, boobs and elbow. I think that pretty much covers it. My two year long medical saga (that started with me tearing my elbow tendon in the summer of 2009) is almost over. Now what will I write about? I must really be getting old if I have only my health to talk about! Oh, I'm sure I'll think of something; I always have something on my mind. But for now, we'll leave it at this: I am doing pretty ok. And that makes me happy.