Home Health Care

My doctor has ordered a Home Health Care Nurse to come to my house and check on me. The first nurse came on Friday. He checked and changed my bandages, temperature, etc. This was the first time I saw my chest since the surgery. It wasn't pretty. I wasn't sure that I wanted to look but I wanted to see what it looked like now so I could watch the progress. I was surprised that I didn't feel more traumatized! I keep thinking that at least the cancer is out. Maybe it will hit me later but for now, it's not a big deal.

While the nurse was here he gave me a lot of tips on what to eat while recuperating. It was interesting because he was pushing a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables and vitamin supplements for things you can't get fast enough like iron. I generally eat a lot of fruits and veggies so this was music to my ears!

This week I have an appointment with the Plastic Surgeon on Wednesday. He will look at the drainage tubes I have in (4 of them) and probably take them out. I'm really not looking forward to that. I think I've done my time with pain that subjecting me to more pain just seems wrong. He also put in tissue expanders under the chest muscles. The expanders will be inflated over the next 6-8 weeks then eventually replaced with implants.

Just to let all of you know, no I'm not getting "them" made bigger! I've had bigger ones and there are many drawbacks so I'm actually going smaller - yes - smaller! I would like my blouses to not be gaping open because they are tight.

Friday I have an appointment on Friday with the general surgeon. He should be able to give me more information regarding the extent of the cancer. The lymph nodes needed to have further testing to decide how much chemo I will need. The following week I will meet with the Oncologist about further treatment.