So...it's been two weeks ago tomorrow since the big surgery.
Things I've learned:
Percocet is a miracle drug.
My husband is amazing. (but I already knew that)
Having someone bring you dinner every night is a blessing I cannot measure.
I use my arms for everything and it's very difficult when you can't use them.
There's only so much tv a girl can watch.
I'm the most blessed person on the earth.
Besides that, I'm really doing well. Much better than I ever expected to be doing.
Last Thursday, Dr. Shadid took the drains out and said I could just take Tylenol. I did fine with that once I could add in Ibuprofen. I've only been taking Ibuprofen the last few days and today I'm trying to not take anything at all.
It's difficult not to "over do it" just like I'm sure it's difficult for all women/moms who have any kind of surgery. I'm not used to sitting around for 5 minutes let alone 2 weeks but I'm determined to be a good patient. :)
My pathology report came back good: no cancer in my lymph nodes. There was a clean 1 cm border between the tumor and my chest wall so no radiation. Yay!
But the most interesting fact from path...there was already early cancer forming in my right toe!! It was in 3 out of 4 quadrants that they tested!! I really believe that was the Lord's way of confirming that I made the right decision to go with a bilat mastectomy! In a year to two years, I would have been right back in this position if we hadn't done that procedure. Wow!!
I don't have the results of the genetic test yet but meet with the oncologist next Tuesday where I should get them. According to her initial timeline, I will be starting chemo in about 3 weeks...not so excited about that but ready to get on with it.
One thing that I haven't expected is how much discomfort I'm having with the tissue expanders. I can't describe it as pain so much as a constant, nagging discomfort of having something foreign and too big rammed up under your skin. I can't get comfortable in bed so sleep hasn't been the best but I'm determined to not sleep on the recliner anymore. I'm not looking forward to having them for the next few months but am grateful if that's the least of my complaints.
Oh...Dr. Boggs was able to place the port during surgery. That means that because of Dr. Theobald's involvement, I got three procedures in one that day. Again, I'm so grateful for her!
My needs right now:
Continued healing of my incisions.
Relief from the tissue expanders. Dr. Shadid is going to put more saline in next week at my appointment. ugh.
Patience until I can get back to everyday life.
Thank you to all my friends and family for your constant prayer over me and my family. I'm forever grateful!
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Monday, July 8, 2013
Really...There's More.
Really...I just need to finish this story already!! I went to Falls Creek last week so there was no time for posting!
So, I saw Dr. Cooke while the little kids were at camp. He suggested a bilateral mastectomy because of my history of LCIS. That was all well and good and whatever.
Once the kids were home from camp, Roman had to finish the second weekend of performances for her musical so we decided to wait a little longer and told them all: Brandon, Patrick and Krystal included on Father's Day evening. It was as awful as you can imagine but we ended our evening playing in the pool, laughing and loving on one another.
Believe it or not, when I got the diagnosis one of my first thoughts was "We will have to say the word "breast" all the time and I hate that word. Always have. Always will. And now my children have to say it. And they will have to say it in reference to their mother's breast!!" Ewwwwwww!! We decided to give it another name. It was a toss up between ear wax cancer and toe cancer and we went with toe. Finally...that mystery is solved for you!
Then, the next week, we met Dr. Theobald, the oncologist, and she changed the course of everything. She wanted me to have all the information possible so I would never regret any decisions I made. She looked at me and said, "You have time." Of course, I thought she was bat crazy because it really didn't/doesn't feel like I have time. I want it OUT!! She wanted me to see another surgeon...one that only does mastectomies and the very one that she sent her own mother, who is currently going through toe cancer, to. Again...I'll take that recommendation! There's so much I could say about this fabulous lady...I get a little misty just thinking about how she has taken care of so many details for us and guided us through the beginning of this whole process.
Saw Dr. Boggs the next week right after an appointment with the plastic surgeon, Dr. Shadid. (That's a story for another day, also. Aye yi yi.) With Dr. Theobald's help, those doctors have coordinated their schedule so both can be in the OR to do my surgery on the 12th which saves me an extra procedure. Dr. Shadid will place tissue expanders that day to start the reconstruction process.
The current plan is for me to heal for about 5 weeks then I will start chemo. During the course of chemo, they will gradually fill the tissue expanders to make room for the implants that will make me the hit of the nursing home in 40 years. (Hey, there has to be some reward for all this, Jack!)
I'm still feeling great so it's been easy to pretend that everything is normal because it has been!
My needs right now:
1...that the Lord is in every detail during my surgery...down to every suture and every person that cares for me that day.
2...that Dr. Boggs will be able to place my port for chemo during this surgery.
3...that there is not a single bit of cancer that has spread to my lymph nodes.
I think that's it for now!
Psalm 91:2
I will say of the Lord "He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him will I trust."
So, I saw Dr. Cooke while the little kids were at camp. He suggested a bilateral mastectomy because of my history of LCIS. That was all well and good and whatever.
Once the kids were home from camp, Roman had to finish the second weekend of performances for her musical so we decided to wait a little longer and told them all: Brandon, Patrick and Krystal included on Father's Day evening. It was as awful as you can imagine but we ended our evening playing in the pool, laughing and loving on one another.
Believe it or not, when I got the diagnosis one of my first thoughts was "We will have to say the word "breast" all the time and I hate that word. Always have. Always will. And now my children have to say it. And they will have to say it in reference to their mother's breast!!" Ewwwwwww!! We decided to give it another name. It was a toss up between ear wax cancer and toe cancer and we went with toe. Finally...that mystery is solved for you!
Then, the next week, we met Dr. Theobald, the oncologist, and she changed the course of everything. She wanted me to have all the information possible so I would never regret any decisions I made. She looked at me and said, "You have time." Of course, I thought she was bat crazy because it really didn't/doesn't feel like I have time. I want it OUT!! She wanted me to see another surgeon...one that only does mastectomies and the very one that she sent her own mother, who is currently going through toe cancer, to. Again...I'll take that recommendation! There's so much I could say about this fabulous lady...I get a little misty just thinking about how she has taken care of so many details for us and guided us through the beginning of this whole process.
Saw Dr. Boggs the next week right after an appointment with the plastic surgeon, Dr. Shadid. (That's a story for another day, also. Aye yi yi.) With Dr. Theobald's help, those doctors have coordinated their schedule so both can be in the OR to do my surgery on the 12th which saves me an extra procedure. Dr. Shadid will place tissue expanders that day to start the reconstruction process.
The current plan is for me to heal for about 5 weeks then I will start chemo. During the course of chemo, they will gradually fill the tissue expanders to make room for the implants that will make me the hit of the nursing home in 40 years. (Hey, there has to be some reward for all this, Jack!)
I'm still feeling great so it's been easy to pretend that everything is normal because it has been!
My needs right now:
1...that the Lord is in every detail during my surgery...down to every suture and every person that cares for me that day.
2...that Dr. Boggs will be able to place my port for chemo during this surgery.
3...that there is not a single bit of cancer that has spread to my lymph nodes.
I think that's it for now!
Psalm 91:2
I will say of the Lord "He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him will I trust."
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