NED? You Weigh How Much?

This Just In...

As I announced on Facebook yesterday, I have once again been declared NED (No Evidence of Disease) and was told I could stop gaining weight by my oncologist.  What does that really mean?  First, let me tell you that I will not be divulging my current weight.  Second, let me update the timeline of this Cancer "Journey":

April 2007:  Dx with Breast Cancer.  I underwent chemo, a double mastectomy and reconstruction--very poorly done reconstruction.  

March 2009:  Dx with Stage 4 Breast Cancer.  What does THIS mean?  Well, this means that the Breast Cancer spread to distant parts of my body, initially for me it was the liver.  When a cancer metastasizes, you do not develop a new cancer--I now had breast cancer in my liver.  I did not have liver cancer. So, I started a new chemo and was declared NED after 8 months, in November 2010.   I stayed that way for a year.

November 2011: The Breast Cancer was back in my liver and now also in my bones.  I went back on chemo for another 8 months before I was, again, declared NED in August 2012.  However, this time, I was only NED for three months.

November 2012:  The cancer was back in my liver and bones and I started a new chemo regimen, Xeloda.  I also had radiation to my left hip/pelvic bone area.  Now, six months later, I'm NED.

Note:  I do find it very interesting that the chemo I use to treat advanced breast cancer doesn't cause hair loss.  It's weird walking around being and feeling sick, but looking healthy.  I've been asked more than once, how can I be on chemo and still have hair--and yes, they ask it like I'm a liar...

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

I still have cancer.  I always will.  The cancer cells are just dormant for now.  (That's the Good.)  With that in mind, I've decided to continue the Xeloda regardless of my current status.  I figure that since I'm tolerating the treatment as well as I am, it will help keep those pesky cancer cells dormant as opposed to stopping treatment and the cells waking up sooner.  Also, there is a spot on one of my ribs, but it may or may not be anything so we'll continue to monitor that.  Oh, and the chemo (or maybe the influx of fatty foods and cigarettes) is also starting to effect my heart, so I need to make some adjustments to help prevent possible heart disease.  (That's the Bad.)

Now, about my weight...

In the Spring of 2012, I became very, very depressed.  I stopped eating and I slept, a LOT!  Finally, on my own accord, I went to a therapist and then a psychiatrist who put me on a new anti-depressant.  Well, that doctor was cruel.  Just mean I tell you.  Why?  Because I made it clear that I had Stage 4 cancer and was happy to finally have hair again and not look sick.  So what did he do?  Aside from listening to me for all of 42 seconds, he put me on an anti-depressant that had a side effect of HAIR LOSS!  HAIR LOSS!!!  REALLY??  Really.  Four days after starting the new prescription, I started losing hair in the shower.  I Googled the new med, found out about the side effects and promptly threw that bottle of pills into the trash.  Bastard.  (He's the Ugly.)

I met with my oncologist, broke down in tears like he'd never seen from me before, and he put me on new anti-depressant as well as Marinol (to stimulate my appetite.  Heh, heh.)  I was down to 116 pounds.  He told to me to eat whatever I wanted: fried food; chocolate; anything with calories.   I promised to start eating and began my quest to eat a Whopper each day.  The first day it took me 4 hours to finish one burger.  After a few weeks I started feeling better.  As my weight came up,  my onc was pleased.  Me, not so much.

I've continued to gain weight over the year and yesterday, I was shocked at finding out I had put on yet another 5 pounds during the past 4 weeks.  I asked him if he was happy enough with my "progress" that I could stop gaining weight and he agreed.  He also told me not to lose any weight.  Fine. 

And that's the short version.  I'll continue to have good days and bad days.  I'm going to join a gym and start walking again to build up muscle mass I've lost over the past few years.  I'm going to eat better, but not deprive myself.   I'm going to keep on keepin' on.  That's just how I roll.

Buh Bye, Walgreens!!!

So, here's the scoop...

I have prescriptions that I have refilled at Walgreens (hereinafter referred to as "WG") every month: my generic synthroid, my heartburn medication and my anti-depressant.  Occasionally, I'll have to have an anti-biotic filled and even recently got an Rx for ClaritanD, which my onc sent to them right there while I was watching him in the exam room.  I leave the big time stuff: Xeloda, Neupogen and Marinol, up to the real pharmacy at UAMS.

I never received a notification from WG regarding the ClaritanD being ready.  A couple of weeks go by and I never go pick up that Rx.  Allergies are the least of my health issues...persistent heartburn is a MUCH issue to me.  The time rolls around and, as I do each month, I use my smartphone to scan in and send my Rx refills and it gets received by WG.  Then:  Nothing.  Finally 3 days later, I get a call that my Rx is ready for pick up.  YAY for me!!!  I had just taken my last heartburn pill, and here's where it gets REALLY frustrating...

I drop off Christian at school yesterday and go by WG at 8:23am.  The pharmacy is closed.  At least the drive thru is.  Well, (and here's a secret about me) I don't brush my teeth before taking him to school.  I mean, what's the point?  I'm just going to come home, drink coffee, then shower and brush my teeth.  I don't have to actually TALK to anyone (although as I write this, I realize why I probably no longer get kisses from Christian in the morning.  Not really, I still get kisses: if I request them.)  And as for that cop that pulled me over the other day---well, he got what he deserved.  So, I ain't driving around, parking, and actually going into WG to get my meds, I figure I'll just come back later...though I was irritated that they weren't open.

So, last night, it's back to WG at about 7:40-7:45.  I sit in the drive thru line for 15 minutes while TWO people get served before me...TWO!!!  Unreal.  The lady in line in front of me was able to smoke an entire cigarette while she waited.  I even turned off my car so WG wouldn't force me to unnecessarily increase my carbon footprint.

Then, it's finally my turn.  Yay for me again (and Christian, who was way more patient than I at this point)!!!  I promptly send her my debit card to speed up the process.  She speaks.  I give her my name and she tells me to hang on (like I wasn't already doing that).  She comes back to tell me she, um,  has ONE prescription ready, ONE!!!  It's the generic synthroid.  I tell her I'm supposed to have at least two ready.  She 'ummmms' again and I wait.  She comes back to inform me that they are working on my heart burn med.  At this point she asks me to pull around.  And here's how this goes down:

WG Employee (hereinafter referred to as "WGE"):  We are working on the Omeprazole, if you could just pull ar--

Me:  No.  That's not happening.  Just give me what you have ready and I'll be back tomorrow to pick up the other.

WGE:  Um...ok...hold on...

ME:  What time does your pharmacy drive thru open anyway?

WGE...**asks another employee their hours of operation**  We open at 8am.

ME:  Well, I was here at 8:23 this morning and you weren't open. So maybe you need call who ever opens tomorrow morning and remind them of that.  I'll be back at 8:10am.

WGE:  Ummmm.....ok.....what's your address?

Me:  I'm not giving you my address where other people can hear where I live.  (Plus, they never have it correct anyway---I've been told numerous time they had updated it, but apparently whoever makes their system software is an idiot or, quite possibly, high, or quite possibly, and overpaid prankster.)

WGE:  What is your birthday?

I give her that info, I get my med and I shake heads with the guy in the lane across from me (again)...and I leave.

Sometimes, I go inside Walgreens to pick up my Rxs and what WG must not understand is that the pharmacy is the core of their business and when they lose that customer they also lose the sale of the ever important 'impulse buy'...the sodas, the new eye shadow, or candy bar.  Over time that stuff adds up.  Also, if I'm not going there to get my prescription refills, I'm also not stopping in for that single item I need either--the toilet paper, the birthday card, ext...instead, I'll be doing that at my new pharmacy.

But what do they care?  They don't.  That's how the customer service got so bad to begin with.  I use the WG located on Hwy. 5 in Bryant.  This didn't all start last night...it ended.  Another problem I have with that WG is one guy who works behind the counter and who, EVERY time, looks frazzled and overworked....even if the pharmacy is desolate.  He comes across as put out, by this (former) customer at least, by wiping non-existent sweat from his brow and sighing and sighing and sighing.  Several times they have either not notified my meds were ready only to have put them back on the shelf when I finally go in of my own accord or they do send me a notification and my meds aren't actually ready.  I call bullshit on that.

There you have it.  Good riddance, Walgreens.