I still have to get through my mammogram in a few weeks, but today I saw my oncologist at Penn Medicine, Dr. Hartner. It’s our 13th year anniversary together as patient and oncologist. Tomorrow, June 1 is my official cancerversary.

13 years ago tomorrow Dr. Dahlia Sataloff took my tumor out at Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia. She sent me to Dr. Marisa Weiss at Lankenau for radiation and to Dr. Lee Hartner as my oncologist.

I found out today that my updated genetic testing came back 100% negative for cancer genes as it had before when I first started this journey.

So yes, that means I am still BRCA negative, BART arm negative and negative for the other laundry list of things they look at.

I am simply just one of those people who got breast cancer for reasons other than genetic. My second cancer is still skin cancer, and I have another Mohs procedure coming up.

However, I did find out yesterday after a six month check up with my eye doctor, that yes, my cataracts are growing and will be coming out sooner rather than later. I have been growing them since a few months after I was put on Tamoxifen basically.

I will also admit to being annoyed at the response of some people when I posted in a breast cancer group that I belong to as not something to freak people out, but a reminder that once you are in breast cancer treatment or have been treated for breast cancer you have to do things like more regular skin and eye checks.

People actually told me that there was no way that my cataracts were caused by Tamoxifen. 🤔 Ummm hello? KNOWN SIDE EFFECT. And it’s very specific, because if you develop cataracts as a result of being on a cancer, drug or steroids, the cataracts grow in a very specific positioning…just like with me. And the people who told me that I was wrong are not medical professionals.

I have to be honest this annoys me as much as people who told me how they just randomly took themselves off of breast cancer meds as I was going through side effects with Tamoxifen . No one needs to hear that and it’s stupid to do if a doctor takes you off that’s one thing but you just taking yourself off is crazy.

This is why I don’t go into breast cancer groups very often. Because I don’t wanna be short with these people, but I find it frustrating that everyone on a social media support group seem to know better than someone’s doctors. this is why 13 years ago I didn’t join in person support groups. Because when I had looked into them initially, I found a lot of the people super depressing with 1 foot in the grave, even if they were standing tall and breathing fine, or they knew better than everyone else’s doctors.

People we can only share our experiences with this disease we don’t know better than anyone’s doctors.

13 years have flown. Sometimes parts of them were a little bumpy, but I’m here and I am grateful to be alive and I am grateful to the medical team and care I have had since day one.

Well, that is all I have for everyone. And if the mammogram shows anything abnormal, I will let everyone know, but as of this moment, we aren’t expecting any surprises.

Thanks for visiting.