A journey
My second BioNTech-Pfizer shot was scheduled for Saturday 13 February, but snowmageddon nixed that! Seattle Cancer Care Alliance called on Monday and rescheduled me for Thursday.
There were far fewer people in the queue this time. I arrived 30 minutes early, which was the magic maximum I could enter early. Again, paperwork prepared at home. In about five minutes, I was in the shot line.
The view is very different on the second floor, which I think of as testing central.
Dexa scan today, to check for bone density. Bone loss occurs when taking an estrogen blocker daily (treatment for estrogen+ cancer; that is, cancer that grows more rapidly in the presence of estrogen).
Given that I had a Zometa treatment in November (the last one, to stimulate bone growth), I hope it’s still looking good.
Continue reading “2021 cancer visits begin with bone density check”
Got the call from Seattle Cancer Care Alliance on Wednesday. BioNTech-Pfizer shot set for Friday morning! This is the first time that cancer has had benefits.
But vaccination ahead of my 86 year old, veteran father-in-law is wrong.
Fred Hutchinson and SCCA have put together an amazing mass vaccination process. (And yes, jabs in arms, as quickly as possible.)
We left home a little after 7am for an 8 am blood draw. Given COVID-19 traffic, this was overkill!
It’s the first visit with my new oncologist. (Dr. Salazar moved to be near her grandchildren.) She seemed warm. She’s ordered another Dexa scan for me to take when I can get it scheduled.
COVID-19 may be everywhere, but my breast cancer treatments do not stop.
This week is number five of my six scheduled Zometa treatments (over three years).
Zoledronic acid, member of a class of medications called bisphosphonates, is used to prevent or treat osteoporosis. Breast cancer patients who are taking aromatase inhibitors (which decrease estrogen levels) are at increased risk of bone loss.
But first I have to test negative for SARS-CoV-2.