Still Trekking Down The Path

The last few weeks have been a roller coaster! The highs of providing full time childcare to our first grandchild intermixed with starting the aromatase inhibitors (anti-estrogen cancer meds) and the dreadful side effects. If you have read much of my blog over the years, you probably know that I joke about always being the 1% of patients that experience rare side effects. I don't know why I seem prone to medication difficulties, but whenever I need to start a new medicine, I ask about the less common side effects and weigh the benefit / risk ratio.

Aromatase Inhibitors are a common treatment in hormone+ breast cancers and are highly effective at reducing the risk of recurrence by 40%. The drugs work well, but they also come with some unpleasant side effects. To be fair, up to half of the women who take the medicine actually tolerate it very well; I am not one of them. The most common issues are: 

• typical menopause symptoms (hot flashes, night sweats, and among others)
• bone density loss over time
• weight gain
• joint and muscle pain

I am experiencing some of those (not the longer-term effects), but I also have some less common side effects like dizziness/lightheadedness and nausea/stomach pain. I tried letrozole first and the side effects were unbearable, so after 2 weeks we switched to anastrozole, but only every other day instead of daily. I have been on the anastrozole almost 3 weeks. I am experiencing the same side effects, but they are somewhat more tolerable. It has been a rough 5 weeks on the drugs and cannot imagine doing this for the estimated 5-10 years. I am thankful I did not need to do chemo and try to find some comfort knowing that these meds are not as bad as chemo would have been.

I am reminded of the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-14), in which we ask God to provide our daily bread, and the refrain and last verse of the hymn Great is Thy Faithfulness-

Refrain:

Great is thy faithfulness,

Great is thy faithfulness,

Morning by morning new mercies I see.

All I have needed thy hand hast provided;

Great is thy faithfulness,

Lord unto me.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,

Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;

Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,

Blessings all mine and ten thousand beside. 

If you looked up the Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6, you could keep reading through that chapter and see that God cares for each of us individually. He clothes us and feeds us. He provides grace each day to face whatever we might be facing. In verse 34 we are reminded to not worry about tomorrow because each day has enough trouble of its own.

To all who are in Christ Jesus, who have come to Him weary and heavy-laden, and have trusted in Him for forgiveness, we can rest in Him, knowing that His burden is easy and light (Matthew 11:28-30). Ultimately, I give thanks to God for the strength and mercy He provides me each morning. I look expectantly towards that "bright hope for tomorrow" of my imperishable inheritance that is found only in Christ (1 Peter:3-9), my only hope and comfort during this difficult life.

Until Next Time~

Shari