In a previous post I mentioned that my Oncologist suggested I take a break from the Exemestane I’ve been taking since my diagnosis.  I had been complaining about my increasing weight and my inability to lose any. That was in June.

Fast forward to today and I’m now down 17lbs and I’m walking a half mile to a mile almost every day. In fact, this week I can happily say I walked about 7.5 miles in total.  That may not seem excessive to some but the bone and joint pain I was experiencing on the Exemestane was crippling. It not only affected me physically but it affected my personal life because it made me cranky. When you don’t feel good you can’t be the way other people expect you to. I’m not a person that can stomp down the pain, frustration and exhaustion and put on a happy face. This isn’t Hollywood and I’m not an actress.

Physically, I feel really good. I do have some pain in my hips but the Gabapinten I’m taking helps dull the ache. I’m starting to feel lighter…finally. I still have quite a ways to go but I’m making progress and that only makes me want to continue to lose the weight and keep walking.

I’ve met some really nice people on my walks too!  Mostly, folks with dogs that want to male friends with Bella and others that just feel like talking beyond a passing ‘Hello’.

The other morning, while Bella was being curious and sniffing what I assume to be another dog that had been by, an energetic older women approaching me yelled out, “We are wearing the same colors.”  And we were. Right down to our white sneakers. She stopped and commented on Bella and then we walked together for the next .69 miles. She told me about her children and even her estranged relationship with her mother.

I told her about my diagnosis and the story of how I found out. I explained why I was walking and my desire to get my ‘pre-cancer’ body back. She was sweet and thankfully avoided all battle language but she did say she would put me on her church’s prayer list and that for the next 2 weeks I’d be prayed for round the clock.

My goal is to be at my desired weight by October. Before it gets too cold to go walking and the snow flies.

When I see my Oncologist again in September, I plan on telling her that I will not be going back on Exemestane or any other Aromatase Inhibitor. It may seem like a foolish decision but my quality of life is more important to me than living with the daily pain and fatigue.

I am putting my cancer away. I’m done with it. Everyone says I’m doing great and should enjoy life and that’s exactly what I plan on doing. Although I don’t exactly know what that will look like for me, I am eager to see how it all unfolds.