On Friday, January 27th I had surgery again to put in a new tissue expander. The last two attempts haven't been successful. Both times resulted in infection which meant the expander had to come out again. It was really disappointing last time. I really felt like I was moving ahead only to take a big step back. Well, I'm optimistic once again! My plastic surgeon has a game plan in place. Last time when I went in for my follow up visit, everything looked good so they injected saline into the expander to start expanding the tissue. That night the tissue looked quite swollen. I pressed on it and blood came out from the incision site. I called the doctor the next day. Since there was no other redness or pain and the bleeding stopped, he decided it would be alright. A few days later I developed the infection. He thinks now the infection was probably caused by the pooled blood.
So, this time, when I go back for a follow up, he's going to inject a very small amount of saline to slowly expand the tissue. I think this is a good plan. I'm not in a hurry to get the reconstruction done and would rather go slowly in getting it done rather than run into infection again.
So far so good. I'm doing well plan to go back to work tomorrow!
Monday, January 30, 2012
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Finishing Treatment!
I'm done with radiation - the last phase of treatment!
It's taken a few days but it's finally sunk in that I'm done with my cancer treatment. Tuesday, January 11th, 2012 was my last radiation treatment. I had to do 33 treatments which went pretty quickly. The side effects were minimal. I had a burn spot on my collarbone near my neck and a burned area under my arm. Both got pretty red and peeled. The area under my arm is mostly numb from surgery otherwise it would have been quite painful.
The last 5 treatments were directed at the scars. Dr. Coleman, the radiation oncologist, said cancer cells like to hide in the scar tissue nearest to the surface so they did extra treatment of that area.
Having been a few days without radiation I have to say that I miss going every day. My appointment was at 8:20. I would get up at my usual time and get ready for work only I would go to the hospital for radiation instead of going to work. When you go everyday you see the same people because you all have appointments at the same time each day. I came to look forward to seeing "my radiation friends". There were no formal introductions. I came to know them as: Marcy who has peacocks but doesn't like them; man with toe fungus (he wore sandals but should have worn socks to hide those toes!); big lady (no explanation needed); short guy; and more recently, Connie who is 61-years-old and has a 3-year-old foster daughter she is trying to adopt.
Connie with the foster daughter, also had breast cancer. Her cancer was detected very early so she had a lumpectomy and needed 25 radiation treatments then she's done. As I heard her tell me her story about cancer I thought "why couldn't I have her breast cancer?". She didn't have to have a mastectomy OR chemotherapy. Then she told me about her 3-year-old foster daughter and how she and her husband were trying to adopt her. It was then that I knew she had "the easy cancer" because there is a bigger mission waiting for her. I got my cancer because I can handle and did handle what was given to me.
On my last day of radiation when I came into the office, I opened my door and there was a big sign that read "You Radiate Pure Awesomeness"! On my desk was a big bouquet of gorgeous pink roses. My co-workers in the HR department, Sarah, Nat, and Sara K had gotten into my office to setup the surprise. As I walked over to Sarah's office (knowing she was behind this) my boss, Jay, was in his office and he was wearing a pink polo shirt. I made a comment that he must have worn pink for me. I looked around and saw that everyone on my side of the building (HR, Finance, Accounting, and IT) were all wearing some form of pink! OK, I was in tears at this point. Later in the afternoon, the same three people from HR came into my office carrying a "Nothing Bundt Cake" (This is a franchise business with locations throughout the city. They sell the best bundt cakes in various sizes and flavors. I think this past year we have kept them in business!). I ended up with a small party in my office of cakes-loving supporters. I've attached some pictures from that day. I also included a picture of me with two of the radiation technicians, Jennifer and George. I think George is easily 6'5". We're standing in front of the radiation machine.
The next step is to finish up the reconstruction. I see the plastic surgeon this week and will get a surgery date to put in the tissue expander again. I'm really looking forward to getting on with it. Hopefully, this time it will work and I won't get another infection.
Next week I have an appointment with my medical oncologist Dr. Eisenberg. He will get me started on the estrogen suppressing drug that I will take for the next five years. The cancer I had was a hormone sensitive type of cancer meaning that he feeds off of hormones. Taking this drug with suppress hormones whereby starving any remaining cancer cells.
I was pretty guarded about my hair and hair loss during the chemo process. I've since gotten over myself now that my hair is starting to come back. I've included a picture of me during the height of my hair loss as well as one with my wig on. I still wear the wigs but mostly to keep my head warm. Once I get a little more hair I'll stop wearing the wigs altogether. I have to get used to my gray look. People at work are surprised at how dark my hair is. I have to explain that it's my normal hair color. They haven't ever seen "the real me"!
It seems somewhat surreal that I'm finally at the end of treatment. I always knew this day would come but it seemed so far away. Suddenly it's here! It's been quite a journey. I've meet a lot of really nice people. The support I've received from family, friends, and neighbors has been unbelievable. I don't know how I would have made it through without everyone. I still believe that I blew through chemo because of the prayers I received during that time. There were some dark days during that process but about that time I would get a card, phone call, or email from someone expressing their support and prayers. Those sentiments often brought me to tears but encouraged me to push forward.
It's taken a few days but it's finally sunk in that I'm done with my cancer treatment. Tuesday, January 11th, 2012 was my last radiation treatment. I had to do 33 treatments which went pretty quickly. The side effects were minimal. I had a burn spot on my collarbone near my neck and a burned area under my arm. Both got pretty red and peeled. The area under my arm is mostly numb from surgery otherwise it would have been quite painful.
The last 5 treatments were directed at the scars. Dr. Coleman, the radiation oncologist, said cancer cells like to hide in the scar tissue nearest to the surface so they did extra treatment of that area.
Having been a few days without radiation I have to say that I miss going every day. My appointment was at 8:20. I would get up at my usual time and get ready for work only I would go to the hospital for radiation instead of going to work. When you go everyday you see the same people because you all have appointments at the same time each day. I came to look forward to seeing "my radiation friends". There were no formal introductions. I came to know them as: Marcy who has peacocks but doesn't like them; man with toe fungus (he wore sandals but should have worn socks to hide those toes!); big lady (no explanation needed); short guy; and more recently, Connie who is 61-years-old and has a 3-year-old foster daughter she is trying to adopt.
Connie with the foster daughter, also had breast cancer. Her cancer was detected very early so she had a lumpectomy and needed 25 radiation treatments then she's done. As I heard her tell me her story about cancer I thought "why couldn't I have her breast cancer?". She didn't have to have a mastectomy OR chemotherapy. Then she told me about her 3-year-old foster daughter and how she and her husband were trying to adopt her. It was then that I knew she had "the easy cancer" because there is a bigger mission waiting for her. I got my cancer because I can handle and did handle what was given to me.
On my last day of radiation when I came into the office, I opened my door and there was a big sign that read "You Radiate Pure Awesomeness"! On my desk was a big bouquet of gorgeous pink roses. My co-workers in the HR department, Sarah, Nat, and Sara K had gotten into my office to setup the surprise. As I walked over to Sarah's office (knowing she was behind this) my boss, Jay, was in his office and he was wearing a pink polo shirt. I made a comment that he must have worn pink for me. I looked around and saw that everyone on my side of the building (HR, Finance, Accounting, and IT) were all wearing some form of pink! OK, I was in tears at this point. Later in the afternoon, the same three people from HR came into my office carrying a "Nothing Bundt Cake" (This is a franchise business with locations throughout the city. They sell the best bundt cakes in various sizes and flavors. I think this past year we have kept them in business!). I ended up with a small party in my office of cakes-loving supporters. I've attached some pictures from that day. I also included a picture of me with two of the radiation technicians, Jennifer and George. I think George is easily 6'5". We're standing in front of the radiation machine.
The next step is to finish up the reconstruction. I see the plastic surgeon this week and will get a surgery date to put in the tissue expander again. I'm really looking forward to getting on with it. Hopefully, this time it will work and I won't get another infection.
Next week I have an appointment with my medical oncologist Dr. Eisenberg. He will get me started on the estrogen suppressing drug that I will take for the next five years. The cancer I had was a hormone sensitive type of cancer meaning that he feeds off of hormones. Taking this drug with suppress hormones whereby starving any remaining cancer cells.
I was pretty guarded about my hair and hair loss during the chemo process. I've since gotten over myself now that my hair is starting to come back. I've included a picture of me during the height of my hair loss as well as one with my wig on. I still wear the wigs but mostly to keep my head warm. Once I get a little more hair I'll stop wearing the wigs altogether. I have to get used to my gray look. People at work are surprised at how dark my hair is. I have to explain that it's my normal hair color. They haven't ever seen "the real me"!
It seems somewhat surreal that I'm finally at the end of treatment. I always knew this day would come but it seemed so far away. Suddenly it's here! It's been quite a journey. I've meet a lot of really nice people. The support I've received from family, friends, and neighbors has been unbelievable. I don't know how I would have made it through without everyone. I still believe that I blew through chemo because of the prayers I received during that time. There were some dark days during that process but about that time I would get a card, phone call, or email from someone expressing their support and prayers. Those sentiments often brought me to tears but encouraged me to push forward.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Moving on to the next phase of treatment.
If you remember back to the original surgery I had, I developed an infection on the left side. After a subsequent surgery and antibiotics the plastic surgeon decided to take the tissue expander out on the left side so I could get started on chemotherapy treatment.
With chemotherapy completed, I had surgery last Thursday to put the tissue expander back in to continue on with the reconstruction. The surgery was scheduled for 9:30 a.m. It went well and I was home around lunchtime. My friend Linda drove me to the out patient facility and back home again. She stayed with me and spoiled Shadow with treats. Linda is an animal lover too and carries dog treats in her pocket!
With the tissue expander back in place I can continue with the reconstruction process and be a little more "balanced". I've heard all of the jokes about being a unicorn, leaning to one side, and going in circles with only one breast being expanded. In a couple of months I will be expanded and ready for the next step.
In the meantime, I have an appointment Wednesday with the radiation oncologist. She will do measurements, etc. in preparation for my radiation treatments. I need to have 33 radiation treatments. The treatments will happen everyday Monday-Friday until I've had all of the treatments. My plan is to get all of the treatment out of the way in 2012. I want 2013 to be a fresh start!
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Today's my last chemo!!
I was up early today - 4 a.m. - as I often am the day of chemo but this day is special - it's my last chemo treatment!! You would think it was Christmas morning! I see today as being one step closer to having all of this behind me. I want to get back to what will be my new normal. I want my energy back.
They say cancer changes you life. I think that's true. For me it's changing my life for the better. I have better clarity into my future and what I want to do with my life. They always say "there's no time like the present". That saying becomes a lot more meaningful post-cancer. My family has always been important to me but they are even more important now. Their unwaivering support and always being just a phone call away can't be measured.
Today and tomorrow are supposed to be rainy in San Diego so it will be a good time for me to go through my normal chemo side-effects: sleep, watch Lifetime movies; sleep some more; get caught up on Grey's Anatomy; and of course, sleep some more. This time will be different though because it's the last time I'll have to go through it!
The next set - get the port removed from my chest. Get a new tissue expander put in to continue on the reconstruction path. Meet with the radiation oncologist to get set up to start radiation. Radiation should start in early November. I've heard it can make you tired but it's nothing like chemo. I'm really hoping to get all of the treatment out of the way by Christmas. It will make for a great New Year's Eve!
They say cancer changes you life. I think that's true. For me it's changing my life for the better. I have better clarity into my future and what I want to do with my life. They always say "there's no time like the present". That saying becomes a lot more meaningful post-cancer. My family has always been important to me but they are even more important now. Their unwaivering support and always being just a phone call away can't be measured.
Today and tomorrow are supposed to be rainy in San Diego so it will be a good time for me to go through my normal chemo side-effects: sleep, watch Lifetime movies; sleep some more; get caught up on Grey's Anatomy; and of course, sleep some more. This time will be different though because it's the last time I'll have to go through it!
The next set - get the port removed from my chest. Get a new tissue expander put in to continue on the reconstruction path. Meet with the radiation oncologist to get set up to start radiation. Radiation should start in early November. I've heard it can make you tired but it's nothing like chemo. I'm really hoping to get all of the treatment out of the way by Christmas. It will make for a great New Year's Eve!
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Chemo update.
I am far overdue in sending out an update on the latest so I'll give you a snapshot of the past couple of weeks.
Last weekend, Sept 24th and 25th I spent a wonderful weekend in Minneapolis where my really good-looking nephew Andrew and the lovely Emily got married. It was really nice fall-like weather with lots of warm sunshine on their outdoor wedding. It was great for me to get to see so many of my family members. I haven't seen most of them in a couple of years. With everything that's gone on this past year I really needed to see them. I realized when I was there how much they all needed to see me as well. You know that feeling of seeing someone who hasn't been well and how once you see them and "put your eyes on them" you know they are going to be OK. That's how it felt. Courtney also made the drive from Chicago to Minneapolis so I was able to see her as well. She hadn't had the opportunity to see her mom's bald head or fashionable wigs!
All of this wonderfulness did come at a price. I caught a cold when I got back to San Diego. Because I had a cold the chemo nurses wouldn't let me get my final chemo treatment last week! I tried to convince them that I would be fine. It turns out they weren't worried about me they were worried about me making the other chemo patients sick! Believe me, I called and begged for chemo. I'm sure they don't get that call everyday.
Anyway, chemo has been re-scheduled for this week Wednesday, October 5th. I CAN'T WAIT! I am so excited about getting this phase of treatment out of the way. As it turned out, I was home in bed part of last week trying to get over my cold. I was feeling pretty miserable and couldn't imagine dealing with the chemo issues as well. Darn those nurses - they are always right!
Right after my very last chemo this week is our Peregrine Breast Cancer Bake Sale. We started this event three years ago as a way of raising money for my friend Jessie who does the Breast Cancer 3-Day here in San Diego every year. Little did I every imagine three years ago that I too would be benefiting from this Bake Sale. This isn't just any bake sale. We usually raise about $1,200-$1,500. You see, there are a lot of men at my company and they all LOVE to eat. Our bake sale is not only bake goods but soups, sandwiches, lasagna, and other Asian dishes. The bake sale will be on Monday, October 10th. So many of the people I work with have commented to me how I put a face with the realities of breast cancer. I have to agree. I didn't in my wildest dreams ever think I would be dealing with breast cancer in my lifetime.
More updates to come AFTER MY LAST CHEMO! Next it's surgery to put me back together again then radiation treatments.
Last weekend, Sept 24th and 25th I spent a wonderful weekend in Minneapolis where my really good-looking nephew Andrew and the lovely Emily got married. It was really nice fall-like weather with lots of warm sunshine on their outdoor wedding. It was great for me to get to see so many of my family members. I haven't seen most of them in a couple of years. With everything that's gone on this past year I really needed to see them. I realized when I was there how much they all needed to see me as well. You know that feeling of seeing someone who hasn't been well and how once you see them and "put your eyes on them" you know they are going to be OK. That's how it felt. Courtney also made the drive from Chicago to Minneapolis so I was able to see her as well. She hadn't had the opportunity to see her mom's bald head or fashionable wigs!
All of this wonderfulness did come at a price. I caught a cold when I got back to San Diego. Because I had a cold the chemo nurses wouldn't let me get my final chemo treatment last week! I tried to convince them that I would be fine. It turns out they weren't worried about me they were worried about me making the other chemo patients sick! Believe me, I called and begged for chemo. I'm sure they don't get that call everyday.
Anyway, chemo has been re-scheduled for this week Wednesday, October 5th. I CAN'T WAIT! I am so excited about getting this phase of treatment out of the way. As it turned out, I was home in bed part of last week trying to get over my cold. I was feeling pretty miserable and couldn't imagine dealing with the chemo issues as well. Darn those nurses - they are always right!
Right after my very last chemo this week is our Peregrine Breast Cancer Bake Sale. We started this event three years ago as a way of raising money for my friend Jessie who does the Breast Cancer 3-Day here in San Diego every year. Little did I every imagine three years ago that I too would be benefiting from this Bake Sale. This isn't just any bake sale. We usually raise about $1,200-$1,500. You see, there are a lot of men at my company and they all LOVE to eat. Our bake sale is not only bake goods but soups, sandwiches, lasagna, and other Asian dishes. The bake sale will be on Monday, October 10th. So many of the people I work with have commented to me how I put a face with the realities of breast cancer. I have to agree. I didn't in my wildest dreams ever think I would be dealing with breast cancer in my lifetime.
More updates to come AFTER MY LAST CHEMO! Next it's surgery to put me back together again then radiation treatments.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Counting Down the Chemotherapy
Chemo # 4 is now completed with only two treatments left to go!! August 11th was my fourth treatment which I am sooo happy to get behind me. Being able to say I was halfway through was one thing but now I can actually count DOWN!
In an odd way, this treatment seemed to go better than most. I think it was more "mind over matter" that made me feel that way but I felt like I bounce back faster this time. The queasiness seems to be the hardest thing to get over. It's difficult sometime to know if I'm queasy from the chemo or if I'm hungry. If I think I might be hungry then I have to think about what sounds good and what won't make the heartburn start. As I've said before, it's a lot like having the flu.
This time during chemo I fell asleep in the big, leather, comfy recliner. They give me something to take the edge off before they start chemo. For some reason, this time it made me really tired. With about 30-45 minutes left in the treatment, I put my head back and I was out. When the nurse (Barb) woke me, she assured me there was no snoring!
As we left the chemo room, Jessie and I did a "high five" in the hallway! Four down and two to go!
In an odd way, this treatment seemed to go better than most. I think it was more "mind over matter" that made me feel that way but I felt like I bounce back faster this time. The queasiness seems to be the hardest thing to get over. It's difficult sometime to know if I'm queasy from the chemo or if I'm hungry. If I think I might be hungry then I have to think about what sounds good and what won't make the heartburn start. As I've said before, it's a lot like having the flu.
This time during chemo I fell asleep in the big, leather, comfy recliner. They give me something to take the edge off before they start chemo. For some reason, this time it made me really tired. With about 30-45 minutes left in the treatment, I put my head back and I was out. When the nurse (Barb) woke me, she assured me there was no snoring!
As we left the chemo room, Jessie and I did a "high five" in the hallway! Four down and two to go!
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Halfway Through Chemo!!!
I have another round of chemo done and I'm halfway through! I have 6 rounds to do and 3 behind me. I can't really say they have been easier or harder they've just been more chemo. :(
I learned something interesting this time. I usually get bad bone pain in the form of a nasty headache two days after chemo. The nurse told me to take Claritin for the bone pain. She couldn't explain why it worked only that she had heard it worked. She was right! I took Claritin Friday night and Saturday morning I work up with no headache. I still had the queasiness that goes along with chemo but the actual pain was greatly reduced.
I did have a moment of "can I go through this for three more treatments?" The nausea and generally feeling poorly had all caught up with me but then I don't like having a cold for more than 3 days! I decided I needed a nap and (as Jessie says) "a do over". That nap made all the difference. Never underestimate the power of a nap.
In summary, chemo on Thursday, queasy and achy Friday, Saturday, and Sunday then back to work on Monday. It doesn't get easier but it doesn't seem to get any worse either. It's just chemo!
Next chem (#4) will be August 11th.
I learned something interesting this time. I usually get bad bone pain in the form of a nasty headache two days after chemo. The nurse told me to take Claritin for the bone pain. She couldn't explain why it worked only that she had heard it worked. She was right! I took Claritin Friday night and Saturday morning I work up with no headache. I still had the queasiness that goes along with chemo but the actual pain was greatly reduced.
I did have a moment of "can I go through this for three more treatments?" The nausea and generally feeling poorly had all caught up with me but then I don't like having a cold for more than 3 days! I decided I needed a nap and (as Jessie says) "a do over". That nap made all the difference. Never underestimate the power of a nap.
In summary, chemo on Thursday, queasy and achy Friday, Saturday, and Sunday then back to work on Monday. It doesn't get easier but it doesn't seem to get any worse either. It's just chemo!
Next chem (#4) will be August 11th.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Latest Update
I haven't done any updating recently because I've been back at work! After my first chemo I was out for the next 7 days. Following the last chemo treatment I was able to go back after 6 days. I've found that going back to work gets helps me to recover faster. I think it's having a routine and physically moving more helps me get my strength back sooner.
My next chemo will be on Thursday, July 21st and I'm ready. This one will get me to the halfway point - three down and three to go! I know now when I will have good and bad days and I can plan accordingly. Oddly enough, the day after chemo I usually feel pretty good, tired but good. It's two days after treatment that the side effects start in. Three and four days after chemo are usually the hardest. I would describe it as having a bad case of the flu for two days. Someone asked me the other day if I was just not telling her how bad I really feel! It's true, I really only have a couple of days of feel poorly and two to three days of being tired and worn out. I think chemotherapy treatment has come a long way!
I was in Las Vegas from June 24-29 for the National HR Convention. I had been planning to go to that conference for months and NOTHING was going to stop me! It was a great convention and my energy level was very good. We had some late nights so there were a few mornings where I wasn't up too early but don't think I had any chemo effects the entire time I was there.
I have lost all of my hair now. Once it started coming out it all came out. I have a few areas of hair stubble but it's pretty limited! I picked up my second wig last weekend. I like it more than the first, shorter wig! The new one looks very much like my old hair. Many people have been fooled by the wig and think it's my own hair - that's how good it is! Again, I'm very grateful to my co-workers at Peregrine who provided the funds for me to buy these two wonderful wigs. Being able to wear a wig helps me to feel a little more "normal".
I'll provide another update after my next chemo!
I
My next chemo will be on Thursday, July 21st and I'm ready. This one will get me to the halfway point - three down and three to go! I know now when I will have good and bad days and I can plan accordingly. Oddly enough, the day after chemo I usually feel pretty good, tired but good. It's two days after treatment that the side effects start in. Three and four days after chemo are usually the hardest. I would describe it as having a bad case of the flu for two days. Someone asked me the other day if I was just not telling her how bad I really feel! It's true, I really only have a couple of days of feel poorly and two to three days of being tired and worn out. I think chemotherapy treatment has come a long way!
I was in Las Vegas from June 24-29 for the National HR Convention. I had been planning to go to that conference for months and NOTHING was going to stop me! It was a great convention and my energy level was very good. We had some late nights so there were a few mornings where I wasn't up too early but don't think I had any chemo effects the entire time I was there.
I have lost all of my hair now. Once it started coming out it all came out. I have a few areas of hair stubble but it's pretty limited! I picked up my second wig last weekend. I like it more than the first, shorter wig! The new one looks very much like my old hair. Many people have been fooled by the wig and think it's my own hair - that's how good it is! Again, I'm very grateful to my co-workers at Peregrine who provided the funds for me to buy these two wonderful wigs. Being able to wear a wig helps me to feel a little more "normal".
I'll provide another update after my next chemo!
I
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Chemo - 2 Down / 4 To Go!
I've gotten a little behind on my blog but I do appreciate all of you who called to get updates on how I am doing!
I had my first chemo on June 6th. Because I have drug allergies I was instructed to take steroids the day before chemo to prevent any negative reaction. The morning of chemo I woke up at 3 a.m. and was ready to take on the world! I had an overwhelming urge to clean the kitchen floor, the mirrors in the bathrooms, and vacuum. Wow! Steroids are amazing! Once I got to chemo my energy turned to nervous anxiety.
I had a nice comfortable recliner to relax in while getting the chemo cocktail. My friend Jessie came along for entertainment AND she gives a great foot massage. The chemo treatment took about 4 hours.
After the first treatment I got terrible heartburn. Every attempt to sleep was met with more heartburn. I've since learned that Zantac and Maalox will calm the heartburn. Following treatment number 2 I was ready for the heartburn and took care of it very quickly. The biggest problem last time was not drinking enough water. About 2-3 days after treatment everything tastes bad including water. I've tried a little lemon or lime juice but I have to be careful with that or the heartburn comes back.
The next chemotherapy is July 21st. I'll work on perfecting my treatment of the side effects.
I had my first chemo on June 6th. Because I have drug allergies I was instructed to take steroids the day before chemo to prevent any negative reaction. The morning of chemo I woke up at 3 a.m. and was ready to take on the world! I had an overwhelming urge to clean the kitchen floor, the mirrors in the bathrooms, and vacuum. Wow! Steroids are amazing! Once I got to chemo my energy turned to nervous anxiety.
I had a nice comfortable recliner to relax in while getting the chemo cocktail. My friend Jessie came along for entertainment AND she gives a great foot massage. The chemo treatment took about 4 hours.
After the first treatment I got terrible heartburn. Every attempt to sleep was met with more heartburn. I've since learned that Zantac and Maalox will calm the heartburn. Following treatment number 2 I was ready for the heartburn and took care of it very quickly. The biggest problem last time was not drinking enough water. About 2-3 days after treatment everything tastes bad including water. I've tried a little lemon or lime juice but I have to be careful with that or the heartburn comes back.
The next chemotherapy is July 21st. I'll work on perfecting my treatment of the side effects.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Wig Shopping Day Was AWESOME!!
Once I moved on from acceptance to action I made plans for a wig shopping day with my friend Sarah. Sarah is a pretty up-beat person and she had been pushing me for this wig shopping day. Finally in my best defeatist tone of voice I agreed to go.
The plan was to meet at her house then we would go to a place called "The Brighter Side". She had made me an appointment to meet with someone for a private fitting. The Brighter Side is in Solana Beach and specializes is all types of breast cancer survivor apparel, wigs, makeup, you name it! It was the perfect place for me.
To back up a minute, when I went to Sarah's house she presented me with this huge gift basket. She had emailed people at work asking for donations to put together a gift basket for me before I started chemo. Did I mention how awesome Sarah is? Well, the donations started coming in and coming in as you would expect from the wonderful people I work with at Peregrine. The gift basket included all of my favorite bath products, special lotions and cleanser that are helpful when your skin dries from chemo and radiation. The softest blanket I've ever felt, magazines, soft booties, and a little pink beanie that I will need to keep my head warm at night after I lose my hair. There were also some gift cards. I've been told that some of the possible burning sensations during chemo can be averted with ice of better yet Jamba Juice. There were two Jamba Juice gifts cards included. The most unbelievable part of this were the three $500 American Express gift cards! My co-workers wanted to pay for my hair!! These are the best people ever. They knew how I was dreading the hair loss that comes with chemo. So, when we went off to do our wig shopping the only problem I had was holding back the tears from the generosity of the wonderful people I work with!
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P.S. I ended up buying two wigs and some head scarves. No, I didn't buy a blonde, red, long, or pink wig as were suggested to me. I stayed with a more conservative look!
The plan was to meet at her house then we would go to a place called "The Brighter Side". She had made me an appointment to meet with someone for a private fitting. The Brighter Side is in Solana Beach and specializes is all types of breast cancer survivor apparel, wigs, makeup, you name it! It was the perfect place for me.
To back up a minute, when I went to Sarah's house she presented me with this huge gift basket. She had emailed people at work asking for donations to put together a gift basket for me before I started chemo. Did I mention how awesome Sarah is? Well, the donations started coming in and coming in as you would expect from the wonderful people I work with at Peregrine. The gift basket included all of my favorite bath products, special lotions and cleanser that are helpful when your skin dries from chemo and radiation. The softest blanket I've ever felt, magazines, soft booties, and a little pink beanie that I will need to keep my head warm at night after I lose my hair. There were also some gift cards. I've been told that some of the possible burning sensations during chemo can be averted with ice of better yet Jamba Juice. There were two Jamba Juice gifts cards included. The most unbelievable part of this were the three $500 American Express gift cards! My co-workers wanted to pay for my hair!! These are the best people ever. They knew how I was dreading the hair loss that comes with chemo. So, when we went off to do our wig shopping the only problem I had was holding back the tears from the generosity of the wonderful people I work with!
Chemo Class - Can you believe they have such a thing?
Wednesday was my "chemo class" day at the oncologist's office. They do these classes weekly to get everyone informed at the same time about the do's and don'ts of chemo (and there are a lot of them!). There were four of us crowded into a small room with our "care giver" as they were called (spouse, friend, child). The nurse teaching the class as been in oncology for many years so she had an excellent background and was a wealth of information. We each received a packet of information about the chemo "cocktail" we were going to receive along with a lot of information on "when to call the doctor" and other informational pieces.
My chemtherapy will take 4 hours. Most treatments are about that long with some being longer. One gentleman in the group who appeared to be in his mid-forties, reminded me of my "little" brother Allen. This guy appeared to be a corporate guy who had a lot of things going on. (He showed up 10 minutes late.) His treatment will take 6 hours. You could see the frustration on his face when they told him this. His first question "can I bring my laptop?". He was pleased when he was told that he could. I stared at him for a minute in disbelief. I wanted to say "where are your priorities" and "how do you think you got here in the first place"? If his treatment takes 6 hours he has either a nastier type of cancer or it is in more advanced stages. It's funny how you look at things when you are on "this side". I'd like to think that Allen is a little more in touch with his priorities! He has 3 great kids and great kids don't happen accidentally.
If you enjoy reading things on Dr. Internet (WebMD) these are the three types of chemo I will be receiving: Cytoxan, Taxotere, and Adriamycin (aka the red devil - it seems to me that they should all have some catchy name like that since they are all very devilish on your system but Adriamycin is actually red in color).
Of the four people in the room I was the only one with breast cancer. I was actually a little surprised since it seems to effect so many people. My packet was also the thickest. I am certainly seeing the benefit of those Susan G. Koman fundraisers. I received so much information and helpful information about breast cancer. I like to know what I'm dealing with and how something like this can spread and all of the treatment options. It was great information. There are also so many resources available now online. Many very useful links were included in my packet of information.
The most difficult part of the class for me was when the instructor went around the room and pointed at each of us (except for one older gentleman who didn't have much hair anyway!) and said "you will lose your hair" and "you will lose your hair", and so on.
I guess I knew all along that there was a pretty good chance that if I had chemo I would lose my hair. I kept thinking of those well-meaning friends who would say to me that not everyone loses their hair. Well, that bubble was burst last week. I don't know why I can make a decision to have a double mastectomy so easily (which, by the way, won't grow back) and be so devastated about losing my hair (which will grow back)!
There is so much about being diagnosed and treated for cancer that is emotional. I can manage the pain of the surgeries and work through the physical therapy to stretch my arms but dealing with the disfigurement of my body and hair loss isn't something that a pill can fix.
I took a day after my class and did something I'm not good at doing. I let myself grieve for what I've lost and for what I'm about to go through. Actually, it was really more of a self-pity day but it felt good. There hasn't been time or I haven't allowed myself time to go to the dark side and really feel what it is I'm going through. I knew I wouldn't like the dark side so I kept telling myself not to go there. I spent about a day reading, researching, and crying. I then had to tell myself that I'm into something that I can't control so I need to do what I have to and get through this. I've now been to the dark side and I came out on the other side! I'm ready to get started on chemo and get this next step behind me!
My chemtherapy will take 4 hours. Most treatments are about that long with some being longer. One gentleman in the group who appeared to be in his mid-forties, reminded me of my "little" brother Allen. This guy appeared to be a corporate guy who had a lot of things going on. (He showed up 10 minutes late.) His treatment will take 6 hours. You could see the frustration on his face when they told him this. His first question "can I bring my laptop?". He was pleased when he was told that he could. I stared at him for a minute in disbelief. I wanted to say "where are your priorities" and "how do you think you got here in the first place"? If his treatment takes 6 hours he has either a nastier type of cancer or it is in more advanced stages. It's funny how you look at things when you are on "this side". I'd like to think that Allen is a little more in touch with his priorities! He has 3 great kids and great kids don't happen accidentally.
If you enjoy reading things on Dr. Internet (WebMD) these are the three types of chemo I will be receiving: Cytoxan, Taxotere, and Adriamycin (aka the red devil - it seems to me that they should all have some catchy name like that since they are all very devilish on your system but Adriamycin is actually red in color).
Of the four people in the room I was the only one with breast cancer. I was actually a little surprised since it seems to effect so many people. My packet was also the thickest. I am certainly seeing the benefit of those Susan G. Koman fundraisers. I received so much information and helpful information about breast cancer. I like to know what I'm dealing with and how something like this can spread and all of the treatment options. It was great information. There are also so many resources available now online. Many very useful links were included in my packet of information.
The most difficult part of the class for me was when the instructor went around the room and pointed at each of us (except for one older gentleman who didn't have much hair anyway!) and said "you will lose your hair" and "you will lose your hair", and so on.
I guess I knew all along that there was a pretty good chance that if I had chemo I would lose my hair. I kept thinking of those well-meaning friends who would say to me that not everyone loses their hair. Well, that bubble was burst last week. I don't know why I can make a decision to have a double mastectomy so easily (which, by the way, won't grow back) and be so devastated about losing my hair (which will grow back)!
There is so much about being diagnosed and treated for cancer that is emotional. I can manage the pain of the surgeries and work through the physical therapy to stretch my arms but dealing with the disfigurement of my body and hair loss isn't something that a pill can fix.
I took a day after my class and did something I'm not good at doing. I let myself grieve for what I've lost and for what I'm about to go through. Actually, it was really more of a self-pity day but it felt good. There hasn't been time or I haven't allowed myself time to go to the dark side and really feel what it is I'm going through. I knew I wouldn't like the dark side so I kept telling myself not to go there. I spent about a day reading, researching, and crying. I then had to tell myself that I'm into something that I can't control so I need to do what I have to and get through this. I've now been to the dark side and I came out on the other side! I'm ready to get started on chemo and get this next step behind me!
Saturday, May 28, 2011
One little step backwards.
I had a small step backwards this week. I saw the plastic surgeon on Wednesday for my weekly followup. He didn't like the looks of the skin on the left breast (that's the "good" side). It was very red and warm to the touch indicating it was possibly infection. He also looked at the drainage hole and saw the tissue that now looked like a deflated blister. He very proudly says "we can take care of that". He then gets out a container of what looks like match sticks. They were actually silver nitrate. He rubbed a few of those around that area and it literally burned off the tissue - gross! That small area burned like fire for the next 5-6 hours until it turned black and fell off - double gross!
The doctor wanted to see what was going on in the reddish area so he stuck a very small needle (it really didn't stick when he said I would feel a stick) into the red area and drew out some clear fluid. He thought it was only fluid and decided to wait a couple more days to see if it cleared up.
When I went back on Friday that small area where he put in the needle was now a white, puffy area that looked like a large pimple. I went back to the doctor where he stuck in another needle only this time the fluid was white and cloudy indicating it was infection. Back to the hospital I went.
Friday night at 8:30 p.m. I went back into the same operating room with one of the nurses who was there last time and remembered me. That's really sad when the pre- and post-op nurses remember you. The plastic surgeon went in and removed the tissue expander altogether and decided to leave it out until I'm done with chemo and radiation.
My good friends Sarah AND Jessie went with me to the doctor. Jessie then took me to the hospital, waited until the surgery was over then came back home with me and spent the night. Sarah came over this morning to take over the second shift and keep me company. I really do have the best friends in the world!
Today I feel very well. I think my pain level is lower than when I went in for surgery. I'm back on antibiotics and will see the plastic surgeon again next week.
All things considered, it probably was best to put off any more of the reconstruction process until I'm finished with treatment. I need to get started on chemo since it's been more than a month since the first surgery. Next week I have "chemo class" on Wednesday. This is a training session the oncologist's office does for all new chemo patients. It's a chance for them to ask questions and see what happens during the chemo process. It will be good. As much as I'm not looking forward to the possible side effects, I am anxious to get started and get this behind me.
Next weekend I'm going shopping for a wig! I'm really dreading the possibility of losing my hair but yet when I talk about it, it seems really petty that I would be stressing over something like hair. If chemo will prevent future cancers then I'm ready to do this!
The doctor wanted to see what was going on in the reddish area so he stuck a very small needle (it really didn't stick when he said I would feel a stick) into the red area and drew out some clear fluid. He thought it was only fluid and decided to wait a couple more days to see if it cleared up.
When I went back on Friday that small area where he put in the needle was now a white, puffy area that looked like a large pimple. I went back to the doctor where he stuck in another needle only this time the fluid was white and cloudy indicating it was infection. Back to the hospital I went.
Friday night at 8:30 p.m. I went back into the same operating room with one of the nurses who was there last time and remembered me. That's really sad when the pre- and post-op nurses remember you. The plastic surgeon went in and removed the tissue expander altogether and decided to leave it out until I'm done with chemo and radiation.
My good friends Sarah AND Jessie went with me to the doctor. Jessie then took me to the hospital, waited until the surgery was over then came back home with me and spent the night. Sarah came over this morning to take over the second shift and keep me company. I really do have the best friends in the world!
Today I feel very well. I think my pain level is lower than when I went in for surgery. I'm back on antibiotics and will see the plastic surgeon again next week.
All things considered, it probably was best to put off any more of the reconstruction process until I'm finished with treatment. I need to get started on chemo since it's been more than a month since the first surgery. Next week I have "chemo class" on Wednesday. This is a training session the oncologist's office does for all new chemo patients. It's a chance for them to ask questions and see what happens during the chemo process. It will be good. As much as I'm not looking forward to the possible side effects, I am anxious to get started and get this behind me.
Next weekend I'm going shopping for a wig! I'm really dreading the possibility of losing my hair but yet when I talk about it, it seems really petty that I would be stressing over something like hair. If chemo will prevent future cancers then I'm ready to do this!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Another step closer to chemo.
I had the port put in yesterday for chemo. The surgeon freaked me out a little before surgery. Since the drainage hole on the left side is still draining and the breast is somewhat red, he is concerned about infection. If there is infection it could go directly to the port in which case it needs to come out immediately.
I took this information and immediately started worrying about it when I got home. I was checking it in the mirror every couple of hours. I woke up twice during the night to take pain pills and had to turn on a light so I could see if it was red! Maybe I'm a little overly cautious but hey, I have never been through this before.
Today it looks fine, just a little bruised and sore.
Once again it's been great having awesome friends! After temporarily stopping the meal service my co-workers had established (at my request) they started again on Friday. I have more food in my refrigerator that I won't need to cook anything the rest of the week! Not only that but for yesterday's surgery I had to be at the hospital at 5:45 a.m. for a 7:30 a.m. surgery. My dear friend Sarah who I can always count on, arrived at my house about 5:20 and drove me to the hospital. She had to be at work that morning by 8:30 so another long-time friend, Linda, did the hand off at the hospital and stayed until I was ready to come home.
Linda and I also work together and I know that much of her work can be done from home. She spent the rest of the day AND NIGHT with me to make sure all was well. The hospital required that someone be with me for the first 24 hours. Linda was working away in my little home office while I napped, etc. Shadow also knows and likes Linda because she gives her treats and takes her for walks so we were all happy that Linda was here! Gosh I have a LOT of good friends!
I took this information and immediately started worrying about it when I got home. I was checking it in the mirror every couple of hours. I woke up twice during the night to take pain pills and had to turn on a light so I could see if it was red! Maybe I'm a little overly cautious but hey, I have never been through this before.
Today it looks fine, just a little bruised and sore.
Once again it's been great having awesome friends! After temporarily stopping the meal service my co-workers had established (at my request) they started again on Friday. I have more food in my refrigerator that I won't need to cook anything the rest of the week! Not only that but for yesterday's surgery I had to be at the hospital at 5:45 a.m. for a 7:30 a.m. surgery. My dear friend Sarah who I can always count on, arrived at my house about 5:20 and drove me to the hospital. She had to be at work that morning by 8:30 so another long-time friend, Linda, did the hand off at the hospital and stayed until I was ready to come home.
Linda and I also work together and I know that much of her work can be done from home. She spent the rest of the day AND NIGHT with me to make sure all was well. The hospital required that someone be with me for the first 24 hours. Linda was working away in my little home office while I napped, etc. Shadow also knows and likes Linda because she gives her treats and takes her for walks so we were all happy that Linda was here! Gosh I have a LOT of good friends!
I'm riding a roller coaster!
That past couple of weeks have been a roller coast ride. I saw the plastic surgeon last week who took out the remaining two drains. I now get very nervous when they take out drains because of the fluid that backs up if there is too much drainage. He also put more fluid into my tissue expanders which is never pleasant. The last time I had that done I got very achy all over and ran a low-grade fever. I spent the entire day stressing about how I was going to feel that evening! When I told the doctor about it he had no explanation for why I was having that reaction. He did say I could take Advil for the fever. I went home prepared to fight off the achiness AND any fever. I took some preemptive Advil and went to bed. As the evening went on I continued to feel alright with no fever and only minimal achiness. I learned two things in this experiment: 1) Advil CAN be your best medicine; 2) many times the body will do what the mind tells it to do!
My home health nurse came a couple of days later because I developed what looked like a blister at the site where the drain had been removed on the left side. It was VERY tender and I was still having a lot of drainage. The nurse looked at it and said "they did it again" meaning in his opinion they took the drains out too soon. In the process of removing the drain and the pressure from the fluid in the breast, there was subcutaneous tissue forced out of the drainage hole. Essentially it was a cluster of nerve endings. Eventually the drainage will stop and the tissue will dry leaving a scar. The drainage has slowed and the "blister" has already started to decrease in size. In the meantime it only adds to the pain level and discomfort. I wouldn't be able to use words to describe my home health nurse except to say that he is not without words. He also refers to the insurance company as "those bastards"! He is also very knowledgeable and explains things on a non-doctor level which I really appreciate. He explained to me that my body is going through a similar experience as that of an amputee. (I guess technically that's what a mastectomy is.) The body goes through trauma and shock trying to re-adjust to the missing parts. He feels that everytime I get these saline injections into the tissue expanders, it causes my body to have a reaction to the trauma all over again. When I put this procedure into that perspective, it all makes sense. What a learning experience this has been!
Since the drains were removed I was cleared to have the port-a-catheter put in so I can start chemotherapy.
Through everything there have only been three times that I really felt like falling apart over this entire process. The first time came as you might expect, the day I got the news that it was breast cancer. I think everyone asks themself "why me", "how did this happen", and "what should I expect". I asked these questions and occasionally still ask them. The second breakdown I had was the first time I looked at myself in the mirror after surgery and saw what had actually been done. I had seen pictures of both single and double mastectomies so I had some expectations of what it would look like. Seeing it on myself was completely different. It wasn't so much attractive vs unattractive as it was the reaction you have to any extensive surgery that looks bloody and bruised with the occasional staple.
My most recent breakdown was the day the home nurse told me what was going on with the "blister" at the drainage site. After he left I was in a lot of pain and concerned that I would have to have surgery again because of the drainage. I would imagine there will be a lot more days like this one with the upcoming chemo treatments but knowning that I haven't even gotten to chemo yet is concerning. Once I pulled myself together and took a nap, I woke up feeling better and told myself that tomorrow will be a new day that will be much better.....and it was!
My home health nurse came a couple of days later because I developed what looked like a blister at the site where the drain had been removed on the left side. It was VERY tender and I was still having a lot of drainage. The nurse looked at it and said "they did it again" meaning in his opinion they took the drains out too soon. In the process of removing the drain and the pressure from the fluid in the breast, there was subcutaneous tissue forced out of the drainage hole. Essentially it was a cluster of nerve endings. Eventually the drainage will stop and the tissue will dry leaving a scar. The drainage has slowed and the "blister" has already started to decrease in size. In the meantime it only adds to the pain level and discomfort. I wouldn't be able to use words to describe my home health nurse except to say that he is not without words. He also refers to the insurance company as "those bastards"! He is also very knowledgeable and explains things on a non-doctor level which I really appreciate. He explained to me that my body is going through a similar experience as that of an amputee. (I guess technically that's what a mastectomy is.) The body goes through trauma and shock trying to re-adjust to the missing parts. He feels that everytime I get these saline injections into the tissue expanders, it causes my body to have a reaction to the trauma all over again. When I put this procedure into that perspective, it all makes sense. What a learning experience this has been!
Since the drains were removed I was cleared to have the port-a-catheter put in so I can start chemotherapy.
Through everything there have only been three times that I really felt like falling apart over this entire process. The first time came as you might expect, the day I got the news that it was breast cancer. I think everyone asks themself "why me", "how did this happen", and "what should I expect". I asked these questions and occasionally still ask them. The second breakdown I had was the first time I looked at myself in the mirror after surgery and saw what had actually been done. I had seen pictures of both single and double mastectomies so I had some expectations of what it would look like. Seeing it on myself was completely different. It wasn't so much attractive vs unattractive as it was the reaction you have to any extensive surgery that looks bloody and bruised with the occasional staple.
My most recent breakdown was the day the home nurse told me what was going on with the "blister" at the drainage site. After he left I was in a lot of pain and concerned that I would have to have surgery again because of the drainage. I would imagine there will be a lot more days like this one with the upcoming chemo treatments but knowning that I haven't even gotten to chemo yet is concerning. Once I pulled myself together and took a nap, I woke up feeling better and told myself that tomorrow will be a new day that will be much better.....and it was!
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Back on track again.
The surgery went well on Thursday. Marsha is here with me and will be staying for an additional week. Marsha's husband (my brother) Lyle came on Thursday as well so they were both with me at the hospital and drove me home afterwards. They were troopers. I had to be at the hospital at 1:30 p.m. with the surgery scheduled for 3:30. The surgery got started about 5:00 p.m. and took an hour. They kept me for another couple of hours after surgery before letting me go home. We finally got home around 8:30 p.m. It was a long day or all of us.
If you've had surgery before you know that you can't eat or drink anything after midnight the night before. They let me have a piece of toast at 5:30 a.m. but nothing more the rest of the day. By the time we got to the hospital I was starving and a little cranky. The first thing I see at the hospital is a big poster with a nice cup of coffee and some pretty muffins! I was ready to lick that poster!
Lyle left yesterday to go back to Virginia. He had business in Southern California so it worked out well that he could be here.
If you've had surgery before you know that you can't eat or drink anything after midnight the night before. They let me have a piece of toast at 5:30 a.m. but nothing more the rest of the day. By the time we got to the hospital I was starving and a little cranky. The first thing I see at the hospital is a big poster with a nice cup of coffee and some pretty muffins! I was ready to lick that poster!
Lyle left yesterday to go back to Virginia. He had business in Southern California so it worked out well that he could be here.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Back to surgery.
My home care nurse came for a visit on Saturday of last week and noticed some swelling on the lower left-side of the left breast. In case you are keeping track, this was the non-malignant side. I saw the doctor on Monday and he put me back on antibiotics. I had a regular appointment scheduled for Wednesday. When I saw him on Wednesday the swelling and redness had not gone down and the upper side looked bruised as if there was some internal bleeding. So, today I'm going back in for surgery to relieve the swelling and clean up any internal bleeding.
The right breast (malignant side) looked very purple and dark along the incision line. I was told this was because there was very little tissue left under the skin because they take as much as they can to make sure they got all of the cancer and good clean margins. Some of that area isn't adhering so they are going to clean up some of that dead skin during surgery to relieve the swelling on the left side.
It should be a relatively short surgery but it's still a surgery with general anesthesia. I'm a little disappointed but I think once this is done I will heal up much faster.
I'm going in this afternoon for surgery at 3:30 p.m. I'm really grateful that my sister-in-law Marsha is here yet this week to run me to all of these doctor appointments and now the hospital.
I'll provide more updates after surgery.
The right breast (malignant side) looked very purple and dark along the incision line. I was told this was because there was very little tissue left under the skin because they take as much as they can to make sure they got all of the cancer and good clean margins. Some of that area isn't adhering so they are going to clean up some of that dead skin during surgery to relieve the swelling on the left side.
It should be a relatively short surgery but it's still a surgery with general anesthesia. I'm a little disappointed but I think once this is done I will heal up much faster.
I'm going in this afternoon for surgery at 3:30 p.m. I'm really grateful that my sister-in-law Marsha is here yet this week to run me to all of these doctor appointments and now the hospital.
I'll provide more updates after surgery.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Follow-up Treatment
This past week I met with both Drs. Eisenberg (oncologist) and Batra (plastic surgeon). I met with Dr. Eisenberg prior to surgery to get a general idea of what would be necessary in the way of follow up treatment following surgery. This was all preliminary pending surgery results. The results weren't quite as good as expected. The cancer spread into the lymph nodes and 3 of 12 were positive for carcinoma. I will need to have some follow up chemotherapy but it's undecided about radiation.
Chemotherapy has certainly come a long way over the years. My chemo treatments will be once every three weeks for four months. Each treatment takes about 2 hours. The day after chemo I go in for a shot that helps boost the white blood cells. None of this will happen until I am at least a month out from surgery.
The oncologist isn't sure about whether radiation is necessary. Normally, if there are 4 or more lymph nodes that show carcinoma the next step is radiation. Since I only had 3 test positive he wants me to talk to the radiation doctor about whether treatment is necessary. I'm really hoping to bypass radiation treatment if possible but I'll do whatever is necessary.
I also saw the plastic surgeon this week. He took the last two drains out which was a victory in and of itself. I'm getting more active everyday and was always getting the drains caught on things which would cause them to tug on my skin. I still have the stitches and staples which are pretty uncomfortable. They will stay in until the tissue expanders come out so probably another 4-6 weeks. The tissue expanders were put in under the chest muscle to expand the skin. The skin needs to be expanded to make room for the implants (aka new boobs!). The expanders are like an uninflated balloon with a magnetic tag that extends away from the balloon. The surgeon uses a small magnet to locate the magnetic tag on the expander. Once it's located he inserts a needle and injects saline solution into the expander. He will continue to do this every week or two before putting in the implants. It wasn't particularly painful when he did the injections one side got very uncomfortable afterwards. Later that day and the day following I felt achy all over, much like body aches from the flu. It's better today but I hope this isn't something that happens each time they are expanded.
Chemotherapy has certainly come a long way over the years. My chemo treatments will be once every three weeks for four months. Each treatment takes about 2 hours. The day after chemo I go in for a shot that helps boost the white blood cells. None of this will happen until I am at least a month out from surgery.
The oncologist isn't sure about whether radiation is necessary. Normally, if there are 4 or more lymph nodes that show carcinoma the next step is radiation. Since I only had 3 test positive he wants me to talk to the radiation doctor about whether treatment is necessary. I'm really hoping to bypass radiation treatment if possible but I'll do whatever is necessary.
I also saw the plastic surgeon this week. He took the last two drains out which was a victory in and of itself. I'm getting more active everyday and was always getting the drains caught on things which would cause them to tug on my skin. I still have the stitches and staples which are pretty uncomfortable. They will stay in until the tissue expanders come out so probably another 4-6 weeks. The tissue expanders were put in under the chest muscle to expand the skin. The skin needs to be expanded to make room for the implants (aka new boobs!). The expanders are like an uninflated balloon with a magnetic tag that extends away from the balloon. The surgeon uses a small magnet to locate the magnetic tag on the expander. Once it's located he inserts a needle and injects saline solution into the expander. He will continue to do this every week or two before putting in the implants. It wasn't particularly painful when he did the injections one side got very uncomfortable afterwards. Later that day and the day following I felt achy all over, much like body aches from the flu. It's better today but I hope this isn't something that happens each time they are expanded.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
People are wonderful!
I don't know where to begin thanking everyone who has been so helpful. Just saying "thank you" doesn't seem like enough.
Courtney was with me through the surgery and getting me home and settled. When she came to the hospital to pick me up to go home, she had the back seat full of pillows. Some of my friends told me to put pillows around me on the ride home because of the bumps in the road. I felt like the Michelin Man with pillows behind and around me! We left the hospital around 5:30 p.m. and drove in the slow lane all the way home. Cars were flying around us because we were going so slow!
Courtney had to go back to Chicago the week after surgery so my sister-in-law Sharon came from Denver for a week. Sharon and I have been friends for 20+ years and have the same sense of humor so she kept my spirits up when I was feeling down. She was also my chauffeur to the doctor and kept track of my medication regimen.
Sharon left on Easter Sunday but another sister-in-law, Marsha, came from Virginia for a couple of weeks. She and Sharon had an overlap in their schedules so Marsha could get up to speed on the care and feeding of Brenda! Marsha's been great at helping me to get around and chauffeuring me. Shadow appreciates that she only has to look at Marsha with her cute brown eyes and she gets a treat. Shadow has only been willing to take short walks with Sharon and Marsha. She doesn't want to be away from me for too long!
My friend Jessie from work was in charge of the "sista' swap". She went to the airport Saturday evening to pick up Marsha then picked up Sharon Sunday afternoon and took her to the airport. Jessie also brought me an Easter lily. I love the way they smell so it helped to make me feel like it was Easter. What a big help Jessie has been.
It seems that my friend Sarah has organized the people I work and set up a schedule so they can bring me dinner every night. What an awesome and helpful thing that has been! It's a surprise because we never know what we're having for dinner and it's always delicious! Once again I have to say that I work with some wonderful people at a great company!
Courtney was with me through the surgery and getting me home and settled. When she came to the hospital to pick me up to go home, she had the back seat full of pillows. Some of my friends told me to put pillows around me on the ride home because of the bumps in the road. I felt like the Michelin Man with pillows behind and around me! We left the hospital around 5:30 p.m. and drove in the slow lane all the way home. Cars were flying around us because we were going so slow!
Courtney had to go back to Chicago the week after surgery so my sister-in-law Sharon came from Denver for a week. Sharon and I have been friends for 20+ years and have the same sense of humor so she kept my spirits up when I was feeling down. She was also my chauffeur to the doctor and kept track of my medication regimen.
Sharon left on Easter Sunday but another sister-in-law, Marsha, came from Virginia for a couple of weeks. She and Sharon had an overlap in their schedules so Marsha could get up to speed on the care and feeding of Brenda! Marsha's been great at helping me to get around and chauffeuring me. Shadow appreciates that she only has to look at Marsha with her cute brown eyes and she gets a treat. Shadow has only been willing to take short walks with Sharon and Marsha. She doesn't want to be away from me for too long!
My friend Jessie from work was in charge of the "sista' swap". She went to the airport Saturday evening to pick up Marsha then picked up Sharon Sunday afternoon and took her to the airport. Jessie also brought me an Easter lily. I love the way they smell so it helped to make me feel like it was Easter. What a big help Jessie has been.
It seems that my friend Sarah has organized the people I work and set up a schedule so they can bring me dinner every night. What an awesome and helpful thing that has been! It's a surprise because we never know what we're having for dinner and it's always delicious! Once again I have to say that I work with some wonderful people at a great company!
What's the latest?
I've been slow to update my blog this past week so I apologize.
I saw the general surgeon on Friday, Dr. Sorkhi. He feels confident that he got all of the cancer (YEAH!) but it had spread to the lymph nodes so they had to be removed as well. The lymph nodes on the left side were biopsied but they didn't show any signs of cancer. The breast tissue that was biopsied on the left side also came back benign but I had already decided to do a bi-lateral mastectomy. I feel more confidant than before that it was the right decision. I didn't want to go through all of this only to have more abnormal tissue show up on the left side six months from now.
I have some lymphodemia in my right arm causing it to swell somewhat. The surgeon sent me to physical therapy yesterday to start working on what needs to be done to keep the swelling down. The lymph nodes are designed to forces waste from your body tissue out of the body. When the lymph nodes are missing the fluid stays in that area and causes swelling. Therefore, I am learning new exercises to help get the fluid out of my arm to prevent swelling.
Tomorrow I see the oncologist. I'm anxious to find out what the regimen will be for chemotherapy. When I talked to him before surgery he thought it would probably be 4-6 weeks of chemo but only one day per week. I hope that is still the case.
I also see the plastic surgeon tomorrow. With any luck I'll be able to get the last two drainage tubes taken out. They pull a lot and make it uncomfortable to sleep.
Thursday I have more physical therapy. I'm looking forward to it because the therapist massages my arm and make it feel good!
I saw the general surgeon on Friday, Dr. Sorkhi. He feels confident that he got all of the cancer (YEAH!) but it had spread to the lymph nodes so they had to be removed as well. The lymph nodes on the left side were biopsied but they didn't show any signs of cancer. The breast tissue that was biopsied on the left side also came back benign but I had already decided to do a bi-lateral mastectomy. I feel more confidant than before that it was the right decision. I didn't want to go through all of this only to have more abnormal tissue show up on the left side six months from now.
I have some lymphodemia in my right arm causing it to swell somewhat. The surgeon sent me to physical therapy yesterday to start working on what needs to be done to keep the swelling down. The lymph nodes are designed to forces waste from your body tissue out of the body. When the lymph nodes are missing the fluid stays in that area and causes swelling. Therefore, I am learning new exercises to help get the fluid out of my arm to prevent swelling.
Tomorrow I see the oncologist. I'm anxious to find out what the regimen will be for chemotherapy. When I talked to him before surgery he thought it would probably be 4-6 weeks of chemo but only one day per week. I hope that is still the case.
I also see the plastic surgeon tomorrow. With any luck I'll be able to get the last two drainage tubes taken out. They pull a lot and make it uncomfortable to sleep.
Thursday I have more physical therapy. I'm looking forward to it because the therapist massages my arm and make it feel good!
Sunday, April 17, 2011
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.
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.
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