January 18, 2023 marked 4 years cancer free. I am blessed and so thankful every day. I have lost friends this past year to this disease and it's heartbreaking. I know I'm not in the clear though I'm in remission. What does that mean? It means I'm still afraid.

I know a few woman who were in remission and this past year was diagnosed again with breast cancer, either the same one or a different type...some even leading to stage 4. How did they know you may ask? Some had that feeling while others had no clue and it was a routine exam when it was found....again.

So what's the point of this blog then Marci? Many of us go on and forget about having cancer and I give them kuddos. They don't want to re-live what they went through and want to move on and forget about it. I get it, I do. I wish I was there and maybe someday I will be.

I started working out again hard - 3 days a week and with heavy weights and I was/am feeling good but then the aches in my lower back. I freak out...is it back but this time in my bones? I haven't really had scans except for ultrasounds in almost 4 years. I put the request in and my doctor without hesitation gets me in for a bone density scan, a ct scan and nuclear bone medicine. The results: osteoporosis and osteopenia mainly in my hips/lower back BUT NO CANCER! Okay I can live with that but thanks cancer for giving me more gifts as I get older or is it just because I'm getting older? Who knows..lol....

Oh wait and did I mention in year 3 how dry my eyes have gotten? Now they were dry before, I got lasik years ago and they were still dry but from the chemo it got worse. My vision is still good but yes I'm getting up there in age so I've been having to use reading glasses for the past few years but I am noticing more when I try to put on a necklace or do something up close it's blurry. I ended up going to a dry eye specialist. We have been working on things and I've been using Siccaforte Eye Gel which has worked so much better than your every day eye drops. Eye exercises, resting my eyes for 10 min and I've been taking Omega 3's and it has really made a difference. There is surgery that can be done but honestly I'm not ready to go there yet.

I'm looking forward to what the future may hold and know I can handle it. What about you? Where are you on your journey?