Today's visit with my oncologist

Hi Everyone!
I did see my oncologist today, but before I tell you about the visit, I just have to mention how important I think it is to find doctors that "work" with your personality type. My doctors and the nurses are some of the most remarkable people I have ever known. They make you feel loved, cared for and as they say "a part of their family", every time you see them. I ran into the doctor that did my radiation therapy today, he always says "how's my favorite marathon runner doing"? I told him I would like to begin training again next month for the Dallas Half, he said he is getting ready to do the Race For The Cure and would be thinking of me when he runs. Then he said "maybe I should run the Dallas Half with you". Now, how many people have their "cancer" doc's run a half marathon with them?? They are special people and it is a huge help with my treatment and recovery to have a "team" that cares so much about me as a person. They work with me not at me, and let me know all the time that they are in this with me, Chris and the guys.
OK~ on to the visit. First thing, my heart has been damaged from the chemo & herceptin treatments and is permanent. Herceptin is no longer an option. How does this affect me? Basically they have "aged" my heart so I have to live a very healthy lifestyle. Fortunately, I am already doing that. Because the heart is a muscle, it is good for me to exercise to help keep it strong. I can continue to run and even train for a marathon. The high blood pressure is and should continue to go down with the BP meds and stopping the treatments.
My sister ( she is an ICU nurse) has given me the name of a cardiologist close by and I will be trying to get the stress test and CT scan done asap.
Where I go from here~ at this point, my doctor is going to do some research on another drug similar to the herceptin but is taken orally. It appears it can also damage the heart, so for now, I will continue with the Tamoxifen ( daily) and the lupron injections that have put me in a medical menopause. Next week on Wednesday I begin Zometa ( for the bones). I am having a lot of pain in my back so I have decided to try the Zometa which should help with not only the pain but strengthening the bones. It is administered every 4 weeks by IV. They will be monitoring me very closely for any changes with scans and blood work. I do not have the tumor marker results from today yet but the rest of my blood work today was fine.
Because of the cancer being in the rib and spine, I can no longer water ski or do anything behind the boat. Good thing my favorite part when we go out on the boat is to swim, so I can still enjoy watching everyone else do their stuff and I get to swim!
Thank you guys for all the prayer support, I am feeling better since stopping the treatments. My energy is getting much better and the anxiety is also better.
PRAYER REQUEST~ I'm in kind of a tough place now. Based on the results so far what we are doing is keeping the cancer "under control". How much of that is due to the herceptin is not known yet. Please pray that I will continue to make progress and there will be no further spread of the cancer. I have always prayed for "no more, no less". God knows exactly what I need, when, and in what amounts. I do feel at peace with this right now.
Also for next week (Wednesday) that getting the Zometa goes well with no side effects.
In ending, last night Chris and I went out to run and it started to rain, then pour. We just kept running, it felt great and was a lot of fun, so... go walk or run, especially in the rain :)

ELAYNE