Getting back to normal

My recovery from surgery is going very well.  I've been off of the prescription pain meds since the 4th day after surgery, and at this point, I just need ibuprofen a few times a day.  The biggest thing I have to watch for is not doing too much.  Since I feel pretty good, I sometimes forget that my insides are still needing to heal and push things a bit too much.   I'm still having to follow the restrictions of no lifting anything heavier than a gallon of milk, walking for exercise only, and try to avoid bending down as much as possible.

My doctor did clear me to go back and teach one of my FC classes on-campus this week. It went well, and it was nice to get back to normal a bit.  I was a bit apprehensive before the class since my identity for the last 7-8 months has been more cancer patient than teacher, even though I was still teaching online, but once I was there I wondered why I'd been a bit nervous.

I started my aromatase inhibitor(AI)  last week, and so far, I haven't had any side effects or anything from it. They will check my tumor markers in mid-March and  then again in May along with a scan.  I will stay on this medicine as long as it works.   I've been asked what that means a few times so I figure that I should explain.  Being my stage, I will be on some type of medicine the rest of my life.  As long as this medicine keeps me stable where I am or gives me a regression (what we hope it will do), I will stay on it.  If at some point, I have a progression again of cancer anywhere then they will know that it has stopped working effectively for me, and we will try another AI, chemo, etc. to try for regression or stabilization again.   Our goal and hope is to get many years out of this medicine, but if not,  my MO has said that there are a number of other AI's  along with other medicines that we can try.

I have been so thankful for all of  your prayers.  If you would still pray that my recovery continues to go well and that this medicine works to give me many years stable or preferably with a regression to no evidence of disease, I would really appreciate it!  Have a good week!