Officially clear!

I had an appt with my oncologist today as first follow-up after last chemo. Blood test is not great but okay. (white cell count is low, but he thinks it should go back to normal naturally.)

I will be taking a hormone medication (Tamoxifen) for next 5 years. My cancer cell was hormone receptor positive. It means hormone feeds cancer cells. In other words, cancer can't grow without receiving hormone. Tamoxifen doesn't stop my body to produce hormones, but it will prevent hormones from feeding cancer cells that might possibly remain in my body.

I will see him every 3 months for 3 years and once a year after that. Mammogram and blood test will be done annually. I asked him if PET scan or CT scan are needed as additional checkups. He said "No." He thinks my chemo treatment and hormone medication are aggressive enough and I should be okay. I was so relieved when he said that!

I drove the streets around the hospital so many times for last 8 months. Today was a different day. I had a clear flashback from the day I was first diagnosed, October 22, 2007 . I was driving the same street today remembering how my doctor told me that I have cancer 8 months ago. I was very calm but confused and scared. Today, I felt not only happy and strong but also proud of myself.