Okay, I was prepared for the blue urine. I was not prepared for the green feces! Oh, my!
But, on a brighter note, my lymph nodes came back negative for metastasis! Yea!!!!! I can deal with the rest of this discomfort.
Friday, December 29, 2006
Medicine head
I stayed home from work in the internal medicine department yesterday. I was still suffering from medicine head from the SNB. I knew I would be busy, plus I was on for working 3 hours in the evening in convenient care, where I knew I would be busy. Did work convenient care, they were very grateful, as they were 1-2 hours behind all day.
I'm hurting more after this surgery than the first. I know it was a more invasive type of surgery; plus the previous surgery site was barely healed, and now it is hurting again. Actually, a portion of my breast is numb, and just feels dead. A very wierd feeling. My axilla is the only thing that hurts, and not really that intense.
I'm hurting more after this surgery than the first. I know it was a more invasive type of surgery; plus the previous surgery site was barely healed, and now it is hurting again. Actually, a portion of my breast is numb, and just feels dead. A very wierd feeling. My axilla is the only thing that hurts, and not really that intense.
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Sentinel Node Biopsy
Today I had my sentinel node biopsy (SNB). It was a little more painful than the breast biopsy, and I am hurting more this afternoon than I did after the breast biopsy. Even with the Vicodin and extra acetaminophen, it is tender. Sam didn't say if the nodes looked suspicious. Of course, I didn't ask. I would prefer to get the correct assessment from the pathologist. Sam did say that I would have blue urine after this, and he was correct. The toilet looked like it had had a visit from the Tidy Bowl man.
I'm starting to look like a pincushion. My left antecubital fossa is bruised again, this time from my lab draw yesterday. I'm a little puzzled at this, because I thought it was a good draw. Oh well. It will be gone in a week or so.
Gerald Ford died today. Everyone is talking about him. I'm thinking of his wife Betty, who went through breast cancer in front of the nation. She is still alive, thirty years later. I wonder if she had the same cancer that I have. Sounds like a google search waiting to happen.
I'm starting to look like a pincushion. My left antecubital fossa is bruised again, this time from my lab draw yesterday. I'm a little puzzled at this, because I thought it was a good draw. Oh well. It will be gone in a week or so.
Gerald Ford died today. Everyone is talking about him. I'm thinking of his wife Betty, who went through breast cancer in front of the nation. She is still alive, thirty years later. I wonder if she had the same cancer that I have. Sounds like a google search waiting to happen.
Monday, December 25, 2006
Merry Christmas!
I'll be working today in our convenient care. I volunteered, and it was my turn to work a holiday. It was not busy last year, and they are not anticipating it being busy today. Doesn't matter. We are there to help take care of people.
I don't feel like I have cancer. I feel like one of my dear patients. She had been diagnosed with breast cancer a long time ago, had a mastectomy. Lived to die of a stroke. She always told me she felt guilty telling people that she had breast cancer, because she never suffered. I'm hoping that I will live to say the same thing.
About working on Christmas. Being a nurse, you know you are going to have to work holidays. I always looked at it that somebody has to be there. And at least we are better off than the folks who have to seek our services. Most folks are very grateful that we have made the sacrifice to be in the hospital to help take care of them. Occassionally, you get a sourpuss. But you got to love them anyway.
So, Merry Christmas!
I don't feel like I have cancer. I feel like one of my dear patients. She had been diagnosed with breast cancer a long time ago, had a mastectomy. Lived to die of a stroke. She always told me she felt guilty telling people that she had breast cancer, because she never suffered. I'm hoping that I will live to say the same thing.
About working on Christmas. Being a nurse, you know you are going to have to work holidays. I always looked at it that somebody has to be there. And at least we are better off than the folks who have to seek our services. Most folks are very grateful that we have made the sacrifice to be in the hospital to help take care of them. Occassionally, you get a sourpuss. But you got to love them anyway.
So, Merry Christmas!
Sunday, December 24, 2006
How I got to this point
Let me write down the details of how I got to this point in my new life's adventure.
I have hated my breasts ever since they started growing in my pre-teen years, and felt like they never were going to stop. I never had a "training" bra. I think I went straight to a C or a D cup. I have wanted a breast reduction ever since I was 15 years old. It had just been a "pipe" dream, until this year. We were talking one day at work, and my friend Connie told us that she had had a breast reduction, and that she had never regretted it. I have several patients who have had reduction surgery, and they all say the same thing, do it. So I finally decided that now was the time. My neck and shoulders have bore the brunt of carrying these large things for way too long. I have permanent dents where my bra straps have rubbed.
So, I made an appointment to see a plastic surgeon in Springfield. He has a very good reputation, and he did the reduction on a daughter of a friend of mine. They were very pleased. The plastic surgeon agreed that it would be medically necessary. He guestimated that they would remove 1200mg from the left breast, and 1000mg from the right breast. We're talking over 5 pounds of breast tissue. Of course, before he did the surgery, I would need to have screening mammogram. It had been just a year since my last mammo, so I was the good patient and got it scheduled.
November 13 I had the mammogram. The next day, radiology was calling to schedule additional views and an ultrasound. No big deal, I see this all the time. So I schedule the additional view. Dr. Fernandez was there, and we went over the films. In the one o'clock region of the left breast there was an irregular region that looked suspicious. Of course, we couldn't palpate anything. The recommendation was to go for a breast MRI. I am claustrophobic, and thought I would try to circumvent the MRI and just see a surgeon. Dr. Feinberg, the surgeon, thought that we should do the MRI as we can't palpate anything. If it doesn't show up on the MRI, then it was just stacked fibrocystic tissue, and I could go on with the breast reduction. So I steeled my courage, took my alprazolam, and had the MRI. It was okay, because I was face down, and they send you into the tube feet first. Unfortunately, this small region again showed up on the MRI, and was very suspcious for malignancy. So the next step was to go for the needle-localized biopsy. Now this entails having yet another mammogram. But instead of releasing after the film is shot, your breast remains "trapped". The radiologist then inserts a needle into your breast to guide the surgeon as to where to cut. If you are lucky, they get it with the first shot. Took two needles and several films, but they finally got the wire where they wanted it. Then I went back to surgery, where the lesion was removed under conscious sedation (Versed, fentanyl, propofol................out like a light!) The offending lump was 7mm in size. The pathology report was available the next day. Well differentiated infiltrating ductal carcinoma. Stage 1. Estrogen receptor and Progesterone receptor positive.
I have breast cancer.
I have hated my breasts ever since they started growing in my pre-teen years, and felt like they never were going to stop. I never had a "training" bra. I think I went straight to a C or a D cup. I have wanted a breast reduction ever since I was 15 years old. It had just been a "pipe" dream, until this year. We were talking one day at work, and my friend Connie told us that she had had a breast reduction, and that she had never regretted it. I have several patients who have had reduction surgery, and they all say the same thing, do it. So I finally decided that now was the time. My neck and shoulders have bore the brunt of carrying these large things for way too long. I have permanent dents where my bra straps have rubbed.
So, I made an appointment to see a plastic surgeon in Springfield. He has a very good reputation, and he did the reduction on a daughter of a friend of mine. They were very pleased. The plastic surgeon agreed that it would be medically necessary. He guestimated that they would remove 1200mg from the left breast, and 1000mg from the right breast. We're talking over 5 pounds of breast tissue. Of course, before he did the surgery, I would need to have screening mammogram. It had been just a year since my last mammo, so I was the good patient and got it scheduled.
November 13 I had the mammogram. The next day, radiology was calling to schedule additional views and an ultrasound. No big deal, I see this all the time. So I schedule the additional view. Dr. Fernandez was there, and we went over the films. In the one o'clock region of the left breast there was an irregular region that looked suspicious. Of course, we couldn't palpate anything. The recommendation was to go for a breast MRI. I am claustrophobic, and thought I would try to circumvent the MRI and just see a surgeon. Dr. Feinberg, the surgeon, thought that we should do the MRI as we can't palpate anything. If it doesn't show up on the MRI, then it was just stacked fibrocystic tissue, and I could go on with the breast reduction. So I steeled my courage, took my alprazolam, and had the MRI. It was okay, because I was face down, and they send you into the tube feet first. Unfortunately, this small region again showed up on the MRI, and was very suspcious for malignancy. So the next step was to go for the needle-localized biopsy. Now this entails having yet another mammogram. But instead of releasing after the film is shot, your breast remains "trapped". The radiologist then inserts a needle into your breast to guide the surgeon as to where to cut. If you are lucky, they get it with the first shot. Took two needles and several films, but they finally got the wire where they wanted it. Then I went back to surgery, where the lesion was removed under conscious sedation (Versed, fentanyl, propofol................out like a light!) The offending lump was 7mm in size. The pathology report was available the next day. Well differentiated infiltrating ductal carcinoma. Stage 1. Estrogen receptor and Progesterone receptor positive.
I have breast cancer.
Friday, December 22, 2006
Good News!
I saw my surgeon yesterday afternoon for my one week post-op biopsy check. The incision is healing nicely. I'm a little sore, and itchy. All good things. No sign of infection, but then I am on an antibiotic for a sinus infection. The surgeon reviewed my pathology report. The pathology is infiltrating ductal carcinoma, well differentiated. Stage 1. Estrogen receptor +, progesterone receptor +. Tumor 7mm. All good things. He said I have a greater than 95% chance of surviving breast cancer, and go on to die of something else.
His office will be arranging a sentinel node biopsy, to make sure that there is no lymph node involvement. That would make things a different story. But because this is so small, and we have caught it so early, there is not much of a chance that it has spread.
My internist is arranging to get me into SIU Springfield Breast Cancer Center. There I will see a team of surgeons, including plastic surgeons, to help me get on the road to recovery.
Thank you, my guardian angel!
His office will be arranging a sentinel node biopsy, to make sure that there is no lymph node involvement. That would make things a different story. But because this is so small, and we have caught it so early, there is not much of a chance that it has spread.
My internist is arranging to get me into SIU Springfield Breast Cancer Center. There I will see a team of surgeons, including plastic surgeons, to help me get on the road to recovery.
Thank you, my guardian angel!
Thursday, December 21, 2006
A New Adventure
Well, we just never know what lies ahead of us on this journey through life. I have suffered the absolutely worst news anyone could every hear. No, not cancer. The first worst news was that my 6 day old first born son had died. The second, and even more devastating, was that my 17 year old, second born son was killed in an accident. This having cancer has got to be easier than that.
I have decided that I need to keep a journal to help document my feelings about this process. I am still in the phase where I have to keep reminding myself that I have breast cancer. The discomfort at the biopsy site helps me to remember. And I am still saying "I have been diagnosed with breast cancer," not "I have breast cancer". Semantics, for sure. I have joined a Yahoo support group for breast cancer. I know I am not alone.
I have decided that I need to keep a journal to help document my feelings about this process. I am still in the phase where I have to keep reminding myself that I have breast cancer. The discomfort at the biopsy site helps me to remember. And I am still saying "I have been diagnosed with breast cancer," not "I have breast cancer". Semantics, for sure. I have joined a Yahoo support group for breast cancer. I know I am not alone.
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