Hi everybody, It's time for my monthly update, yesterday I had my Zometa infusion and everything went well, I keep reading about how some of my fellow breast cancer travelers keep getting awful side effects from the Zometa and I once again become humble and grateful that for me it hasn't been that bad.

Beginning with the initial Stage 2 diagnoses I had little problems, went through chemo and was able to continue working. The hardest was my three month hospital stay last year which wasn't even due to the cancer and this year when I ran out insurance and could not get my medicines almost drove me crazy, but now everything is back to the new normal me.

I saw my orthopedist and got a new referral for physical therapy, at a new location, hopefully this time I can get my leg operating better, I walk with a cane but I still limp. I am taking 800 mg of ibuprofen and is helping with the hip pain, the PT said that the pain is probably coming from limping (and I know Anastrozole can give joint pain), hopefully the therapy will help.

This coming Monday my family and I are going to the local YMCA to enroll in a 12 week program free of charge which is sponsored by Livestrong.org for cancer patients. I will get 12 weeks of classes geared toward the cancer patient and my family will be able to use the Y's facilities free of charge! Go to Livestrong website for more information.

Another resource I found is "Cleaning For a Purpose" which offers a once a month general cleaning to your house for four months free of charge if you are a cancer patient. All you have to do is fill in the application and have your oncologist write a note saying you are under treatment for cancer. This will be a godsend for my daughter who has a full plate between going to Law School and looking after her 2 year old son and me. You can google their name to get more information.

At the end of this month I will be having a new PET scan which I insisted of getting. The last one was in February and it showed no progression and no activity, but I want to make sure the Anastrozole is still working, and if it is, I am not switching no matter what side effects I get.

I spend my days at the computer reading other bloggers and forums and support groups on breast cancer, it gives me so much information that I wish I had when I first became diagnosed in 2009. But it's never too late now I can be my own advocate if I need to, even though until now my oncologist and my medical team has been supportive and proficient.

I will let you know how the PET scan goes. Any readers I wish you peace and health.

Aurora