So, what’s the latest?

First, I want to say I feel amazing, and if I didn’t have these scars on my abdomen, I wouldn’t know anything unusual had happened earlier this summer.

Truly there’s not much to tell, and there probably won’t be for a while. As I have said over and over, this is a marathon, not a 100 yard dash.

Back in March when I started writing this blog, I was facing laparoscopic surgery, then chemo, so I was anticipating a rough summer.

Obviously those plans changed drastically in April when I switched practitioners and went with open abdominal surgery and no chemo.

In May I went into surgery with the knowledge I could come out with an ostomy. Thankfully that wasn’t the case. I was also told to expect weeks of recovery from surgery. That was also not really the case as I felt like I was “up and running” by the 2nd week.

In June I had my post-op appointment where Dr. Rossi and I talked about the benefits and the drawbacks of going on Letrozole.

And now in July I’ve been dealing with some of the new normal that’s come with that, though, once again, reality has been so much better than the projected scenario. None of the side effects I’m experiencing on a daily basis are of any great consequence at this point (mild, sporatic neuropathy, insomnia, fatigue, mild joint pain). If I weren’t on a medication and I was experiencing these symptoms I would just think, “Well, this is what getting older feels like!”

I am in the process of establishing secondary healthcare with a functional medicine practitioner, and my next appointment with Dr. Rossi will be September 25. Though that is a few weeks later than she had requested, trying to line her schedule up with my schedule wasn’t easy.

Getting established with a functional medicine practitioner looks like this - extensive lab work. I gave all of these samples this morning.

So September 25 it is. And I was able to get an appointment at Dr. Rossi’s Raleigh office versus at Duke, so that’s something to be thankful for, as well, as it will save quite a bit of time.

I have enjoyed my summer of This Time, Not Next Time immensely, and I am so glad I decided to take the time to do my daily morning walks at Wrightsville Beach when I am home and not traveling.

Thanks for following along here, for sending texts, for forwarding words of encouragement.

The summer is not over yet, and there are still some fun things to do in the weeks ahead. I am especially looking forward to this weekend. More on that later!