My new oncologist is AMAZING & I started Tamoxifen

March 15, 2019

I met my new oncologist, Barbara Civiello on Monday! She is located in Dover at Wentworth-Douglas hospital. She spent 1hr and 30mins with me and I was beyond impressed. She first went over my entire history and made me feel like she really cares to know every detail!!! She then went into detail about what we need to do from here. She highly suggested a daily medication called Tamoxifen. This can decrease your chances of breast cancer reoccurrence by 50%!!! (Ummm… Yes please!!) lol. She said there are also additional meds and injections you can do to decrease reoccurrence. This would include monthly shots and more pills. She went into detail about the options but wants me to see another oncologist at Dana Farber who specializes in this to get a better understanding and therefore be able to make a confident decision. She made it sound like this would be “over kill” and she doesn’t necessarily think I need it. We will see?!? The nurse navigator Heather was SO nice and helped me with my radiation burns and gave me a huge box of dressings. I left with a big smile on my face. VERY pleased!!! And a big thank you to Dr. Brower for referring me. So blessed to have the team I have… it finally feels complete 😊

Happy Friday!!! Hope everyone has a great weekend! 

KPOW❤️

Started Tamoxifen right away!!

March 21, 2019

I started the Tamoxifen! Literally started a day after seeing my new oncologist. When she said it would decrease my reoccurrence rate by 50% I was so anxious to get started!!! Dr. Civilleo said there is a 60% non-compliance rate (meaning 60% of patients forget to take it every day). At first I was like… how??? I mean this pill could potentially save your life and someone forgets to take it?!?! Either way I didn’t want to become that 60% so I put a container right next to my bathroom sink with a small calendar, my medicine and water in it. I mark every day I take it!! So far I haven’t missed a day 🙂 

In the process of setting up an appointment at Dana Farber in Boston. I am SO happy I advocated for myself and found a new oncologist. I feel like my old oncologist literally would have been like.. “yup start tamoxifen every day.. see you in 3 months, bye”. Lol instead Dr. Civilleo had a 90 minute detailed conversation with me in regards to post-treatment AND sending me to Dana Farber to see the best of the best!! I seriously can’t stress the importance of advocating for yourself!! So important. 

Life is good right now. My radiation burns are almost completely healed!!! It was crazy how bad they got so quickly but healed just as fast!! The fatigue is much better and every little bit of “normalcy” that enters my life makes me smile. Spending every day with Andi and Zacky without the interruption of “cancer stuff” makes me so happy!! I remember wanting my old life back SO bad when I was in the heat of treatment and almost a year later here we are! There are a lot of battle scars I’m sure I will have to deal with but for right now I’m totally on cloud 9 feeling “normal” again 🙂 

I go back to work on April 1st! Yay!! Ill continue working per-diem and do week nights 6p-11p and weekends)! It truly is the best schedule in order to stay home with the kids! Jamie and I typically see way less of each other especially if I pick up a lot of shifts but it works!! 

I guess I should go to bed now lol! 

Good night!! 🌙😴 
Kpowzzzzzz