Surgery is coming up. 手術決定。
I decided to have a fibroid removal surgery. It is coming up next week, Wednesday, 8/23, 2017.
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Possible Surgery for Fibroid Removal 子宮筋腫を取り除く手術かも
This summer in June, I had my regular oncologist visit at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in NYC. There is no sign of cancer so far and that was good. But my fibroid is getting so big that the oncologist requested me to test and check with specialists. Over this summer, I have seen some specialists and it looks like I will have a surgery to remove it. My GYN said my fibroid is as big as a grapefruit, or my utrus with the tumor is about 4 month pregnant size. (The top picture, the hat I made, Hats by Yoko Katz, became a matching set to the hospital gown. LOL.)
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Tamoxifen, Leg Cramps→Magnesium タモキシフェン、こむら返り→マグネシウム
I have been on Tamoxifen medication for breast cancer, since November 2014, that is for 2 years and 2 months. I am supposed to take this for at least 5 years and possibly 10 years. I had been suffering from severe leg cramps, but having magnesium supplements gave me peaceful sleep!!! If you suffer from cramps like me, try magnesium supplement!!!!! (Ask your doctor, if you can take it.)
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Fainted at Oncologist Office 腫瘍内科で気を失う
The first thing first: I am FINE! I just fainted at a blood test. It was rather embarrassing!
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My Weight Again after Chemo 抗がん剤後の体重増加の私
I somehow gained weight about 15 lb more than the most stable weight for many years before cancer. Recently, I had an opportunity to talk to other survivors of my age. All three of us discovered that each individual gained about 15 lb. We are all about 2 years after our last chemo.
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Normal Nails Again (21 Months after Breast Cancer Chemo) 爪がやっと元に戻ってくる（抗がん剤終了から21か月）
After 1 year and 9 months from my last breast cancer chemotherapy treatments (ended in November 2014), I finally feel that my nails gained again the strength I used to had. Up to this summer, my nails had been chipping, cracking, and coming into multiple separated layers all the time. I could not grow them at all. But now I can!
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My Short Bucket List 私の短い「死ぬまでにしておく事柄リスト」
I have a very short bucket list. One of them marked off: "A Trip to Italy!" [caption id="attachment_2182" align="alignnone" width="2048"] Tuscany's Sunflower Field. トスカーナ地方のひまわり畑[/caption]
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After Chemo, Tamoxifen and Periods 抗がん剤治療後の タモキシフェン口径薬と生理
My periods have changed to horribly heavy periods after chemotherapy and being on Tamoxifen medication for breast cancer.
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Breast Cancer Oncologist Appointment: Nothing! 乳がん腫瘍内科定期健診：何もなし
No news is the best news when meeting with my oncologist for semi-annual check-up of my breast cancer. This was my 2nd check-up after completing IV (Herceptin) injection treatment in July 2015. I was thinking "please don't tell me anything" and crossing my fingers when my doctor hand-examined my breasts. I hope to keep "nothing" news in my future. This time, it was nothing, yay!
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PhD Graduation (with My Handmade Gown)! 博士課程 卒業式
I had a PhD graduation ceremony! I am even more officially, well... I had been since February... but, Dr. Yoko! I started the PhD program in 2001, that is 15 years of my work. I am so proud to be able to come this far. Thank you so much for supporting me, my family, friends, colleagues, my blog readers, and my professors. Along the way, I started to teach Economics at US colleges since 2004, got married, had a baby, had been raising my son in bilingual, got breast cancer, completed chemotherapy, finished reconstruction, completed my dissertation and the graduation ceremony was the closing of the PhD program!
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2nd Year Anniversary of Breast Cancer Diagnosis 乳がん告知から2年目
I marked the 2nd year anniversary of the cancer diagnosis on May 19. Today, 2 years ago, it changed me so much.
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No more fussy hair after chemo, finally やっと抗がん剤後のボワボワ髪が無くなる
Since my last chemotherapy about 18 months ago, I kept cutting my hair because it came out so unevenly strong wavy. I used to have straight hair in natural, but it came out very very wavy. Finally, it looks like much more of the hair I used to have today! (This picture is just before cutting for the final time to say good-bye to my wavy hair.)
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Feel Like "Normal" Breast ごくごく普通だと感じる再建後の胸
I was digging snow this past weekend and suddenly, I felt like "wow, it is really normal" about my breast, which had been mastectomy and reconstructed. I had no pain, and no pulling while shoveling the snow. I talked about the look of my breast in my last post. This time, I would like to talk about feel of the breast.
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Completed Breast Reconstruction 再建が終わった乳
It was a long way to come, but I just made the last trip to my plastic surgeon's office. I have known him for 1 year and 9 months. I did 2-step reconstruction with silicone implant. Here is the time line;
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Spring 2016 Semester Started 新学期の始まり
A new semester has started this week. I have full of energy to kick off this semester. (Wednesday was my first day of classes.)
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Dissertation Defense: Pass! 博士論文口頭試験 合格！
I passed my dissertation defense in PhD Economics last week! My husband and son celebrated my achievement with a cake and Champagne on the same day. It was a long, and sometimes rough, journey to come to this day. I still have to make some minor revisions, but the major parts are all done! A big relief! (Yes, this is THE big project I have been referring as a big project in this blog.) In the picture above, I took off my hat while defending it. I tried to look moderately stylish, but hopefully looked smart to defend a serious paper. How do you rate?
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