Oncologist appointment

I saw my oncologist today. She was happy with my bone scan because it showed no significant change from last time (she said that there was no progression on the left, that it said later that there was no change since January). She also said that she didn't think that a change of 2 in my tumour markers was significant and hence it was nothing to worry about.

I guess there are people whose bone mets don't get smaller with hormonal treatment. I know there are people whose tumour markers mean nothing. The thing is, I just don't get why the pain would increase so much if the cancer was stable. That doesn't make sense to me. Ian has a theory that the cancer and the bisphosphonates are butting heads and that the cancer might start to actually decrease if the cancer is losing this battle.

I've insisted on a liver ultrasound just to be sure that my liver is fine. I'm sure it is and that there's nothing to worry about, but I want a scan to tell me I'm sure. I'll have the ultrasound between now and July 10th or so. I see my oncologist on July 13 and we'll figure out what we'll do then. I think the plan will be to have radiation to the sternum to kill the pain there and to keep me on the Femara.

Oh yeah, she said that the radiation oncologist didn't need to worry about getting rid of the pain because she had other diagnostic factors like scans and tumour markers. I guess pain isn't one of her diagnostic factors.

The whole appointment felt very surreal. I came out of it very confused and very upset. How can I have so much pain and everything be all right? I don't understand this at all.

I think I may be partly upset because my dad was having some tests done for some weird things that had been happening. His test results have come back normal, thank goodness, so I don't have to worry anymore. Now I have to stop worrying about me :)