19 March 2025
My last “official” cancer update was in May of 2024. I guess it’s time for another since I visited my oncologist today.
It was all good news. The staff got me in early and Dr. Velez was only 15 minutes late getting to me. He gave me the most thorough examination to date and in particular, examined my breasts, searching for lumps and other signs my cancer had returned.
He palpated my abdomen, my chest, my lungs, listened to my lungs and heart, checked my ankles for swelling, and checked my lymph nodes near my neck. He also listened to my carotids.
He pronounced himself satisfied and said he saw no reason I had not been cured of my breast cancer. I will only see him every 6 months for 5 years and then once a year.
I told him about the new cardiologist and he was satisfied that he could read the reports from Dr. Siev from yesterday.
I don’t ever get out of there without a blood draw. He’ll send off a Signatera test to check for circulating cancer cells and then for the usual blood tests: Comprehensive Metabolic Panel, Iron Binding Capacity, Transferrin, B12, Ferritin, and CBC with Auto Differential.
In the Comprehensive Metabolic Panel, my eGFR was 60 when normal is >=60. I find that a little low and would like to be more in the midrange of normal. eGFR is a measure of function of the kidneys.
My transferrin was barely low at 199. Strangely, my B12 was almost too high. The CBC test showed monocytes higher than they should be which could be a sign of infection, inflammation, stress, blood disorders, and even due to medications. I certainly take enough of those.
I got out of there by 2 pm and headed to Walgreens to pick up a prescription. After that, since I didn’t eat lunch, I stopped at Mickey D’s and got a quarter pounder with fries and a Coke. The fries were right out of the frier and were great except for the heavy hand with the salt. When I went after the burger, I realized it too was too salty. That’s the best way to sell more Cokes, I guess. My blood pressure probably spiked after that meal.
All in all, it was a good news day. Hopefully, for the rest of the week, it’ll still be good news days.
Stay tuned!
