Monday, January 15, 2007

I'm Just Too Much Woman, Hairy Legs Notwithstanding

Because I was 39 when I started chemotherapy, the "chemopause" (chemically induced menopause) was assumed to be permanent. Both my oncologist and my gynecologist told me the chances of me having another period were very slim.

Last March while the kids and I were visiting Todd over spring break, I started menstruating. The presence of a period meant my ovaries had started producing estrogen again. This is totally unacceptable because my cancer was highly estrogen positive - meaning the tumor was fed by estrogen. So I underwent six monthly injections of a hormone suppressor (Zoladex). The purpose of this injection was to make my ovaries "shrivel and die".

Hot flashes, night sweats and the lack of Aunt Flow indicated the mission had been accomplished. Until yesterday. Apparently I'm just so much woman that the only way to stop the madness is to yank those puppies out.

Todd had observed just the other day that I hadn't had a hot flash in a few weeks, but I just attributed it to surgery and blessed narcotics. I'm not much of a crier, however, I've been incredibly weepy of late. I even got all choked up during a "Dream Girls" commercial. Why? There was nothing terribly moving about the commercial. Maybe I was crying because I want to look like Beyonce. I don't know.

What I do know is this means a hysterectomy at some point in the very near future. Yup. Another surgery. How lucky can a girl get??

READING

I started reading The Book of Seven Delights by Betina Krahn yesterday. I'm intrigued by the fact that it takes place in Morocco at the turn of the 20th century - not an oft written about time period or place. I also love her style. Her Test series is among my favorites and the one other BK book I've read, The Perfect Mistress, was just so funny. I have the next book in this series, The Book of True Desires, and I understand from Tara that it's an unusual setting and great read as well.
Mused by Jenster :: 12:05 PM :: 10 People musing:

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