My visit with Dr. Northfelt🚩

This past week my husband turned 55 years old--we decided to go to Paris for the week.  We always have an enjoyable time together, but I don't think we will go back in May again, it was rainy and cold. We went to my "happy place" to ride bikes and it was pouring down, no bikes and very cold.  We walked around, drank some hot chocolate and talked about having my ashes spread there in that beautiful place--they painted the house/chateau a red and white color, I think I liked it better when it was just white--Eric spoke to the guard at the gate and he said for a fee we can rent out an area, or room for family--could it be that he is finally warming up to the idea of my cremation?

Porte Jaune my "happy place"

the walkways and bike trails in Porte Jaune

This is the cute little hot cocoa/sandwich shop we love

the river, usually with huge white swans

the private chateaux

Paris, is and always be "our place" I love spending time with Eric there, it never gets old to me, we have our favorite places we like to go, but mostly just spending the days alone together holding hands walking through the beautiful parks and streets is the best.

Frenchie

Notre Dame picture for Dr. Northfelt

These are what I save up all my sugar for--days to look
forward to--pastries are my favorite sweets and I will
wait a year if I have to knowing I can have them

I have to admit I'm not always forthcoming when it comes to my visits at Mayo Clinic, especially with my family.  I really just don't want them to worry--if there is concern I will tell them but to go for regular appointments with my doctors and for tests and more tests, I usually just go and don't give any reports.  I saw Dr. Northfelt just before we left for Paris, (he is my medical oncologist) we visited for awhile, lots of questions, not many answers...NO I'M NOT CANCER FREE is all I pretty much heard. He asked if I wanted to change my cancer medicine I take everyday and see if I would get less side effects from it.  My question was "what does it do?" his answer "blocks estrogen" then I replied "what does the medicine I'm taking now do" his answer "blocks estrogen" we both looked at each other and laughed, he shrugged his shoulders and all he could say was "1/2 of my patients do really well, the other half don't, but they all have side effects" I then smiled and said "well, OK then, lets try it" until I went to get the prescription filled and found out it costs $299.00 pp, and that was with my insurance, I decided to stick with the original medicine and live with the side effects, if I was 100% sure there would be a change for the good I would pay it, but I'm not willing to take the chance of even more side effects and a huge possibility of no changes.  I emailed Dr. Northfelt from Paris and told him, he replied back that my decision was reasonable, and to please send him a picture.

I am coming up on my 4th anniversary of being diagnosed with breast cancer, I'm grateful to still be alive and know I still have a long road ahead of me, but don't we all?  Life is Good for me right now.