A Five Year Graduation From Cancer Treatment Came With A Scare

by

Diana Teetzel

As we discussed I had just ended my five-year arimidex stint and was “called back” rather than “graduated” because of very high blood cancer markers. The normal range is 0 to 30 and mine was 131. Yikes, I said,  and so began “the waiting game.”

 Blood test again in 3 weeks with a “yikes again.” So I asked my doc, should I panic. No, he says, but I don’t like those high numbers. I am thinking–not as reassuring as I would like. So another 2 weeks of waiting for a “pet-scan”. This lovely scan is totally painless, but they do shoot you up with a radioactive glucose (apparently cancer loves suger–don’t we all?). This should show any “hot spots” wherein you then wait longer and look deeper.

The whole 6 weeks of waiting were something I would prefer never to go thru again. It is agonizing. I was hopeful when I left the examing room and the technician was not wearing sun-glasses for the glowing hot spots. And there, in fact were none.

But if you ever have high numbers, talk with other gals–almost everyone has had high cancer marker numbers at one time or another. Can be caused by a bunch of reasons such as “taking Motrin,” a virus, a cyst, and can even  too much alcohol.

 Moral of the story:  make sure you are not drinking, have cold and are taking Motrin within weeks of your next blood test.

So today, the sun if brighter and life is sweeter than ever and I am here are well.