I saw my plastic surgeon a week ago. This was the first time I met him and he was really nice. He looked at my skin that is being radiated and he said that it looks really good. I have an appointment with him on Sept 30 to see how I am healing. I will be on chemo at that point. He said that it is up to my oncologist if I can have reconstruction during chemo. Knowing that this chemo will wipe out my white blood cells I pretty much knew that she would say no. I was right!! So hopefully by Jan/Feb I will be able to have my reconstruction. That is a whole 6 months sooner than I thought!!!! I am so excited!!
I had my 2nd herceptin treatment on Thurs. I ended up sitting beside an older woman who also has HER2 positive breast cancer. It was nice talking to someone traveling the same road I am. The funny thing is that she has a vacation home in NH and actually knew where Colebrook was!!!
They did the treatment over an hour instead of 1 1/2hrs and I felt more nauseaous when I got home than I did the last time. I am going to ask if they can slow it down again the next time. I have also not been able to sleep. My radiation oncologist gave me a prescription for ambien but it isn't helping a whole lot. When I spoke to my dr. today she said that the chemo could have effected the sleep section of my brain. Chemo brain is the worst!!
Today was treatment #14 of 33 and we just keep marching on. God is carrying me through these hard days and giving me the strength to do what is needed and being able to enjoy my children!
Radiation and Reconstruction
I have made it through 8 treatments of radiation. I started turning pink on day 2 and I thought "Oh no, this isn't good!". I am staying lathered up and trying my best to not let it get too dried out. Only 25 more to go!!
I saw my plastic surgeon today. He is really nice. He said that my skin looks really really good so that made me feel better!! Avacado and Vit E cream is working well!! He also said that I may not have to wait a year for reconstruction!!! I was so surprised!!! And excited!!! I will see him at the end of Sept and he will evaluate me at that time. I will be in chemo again and we will see what my oncologist has to say about me having surgery during chemo. Not sure if that will fly as this chemo could knock down my white blood cells and I need as many of them as I can get to have surgery. We won't know until we are there, but I am excited that I may not have to wait until next Aug for reconstruction!!
I am so thankful for my good friend Rachel! She is walking the mall with me a couple times a week. I don't always want to do it but knowing that she will be there to walk with me makes me do it! I was told I can safely loose 1 lb a week so I am trying to eat better and walk. Hopefully eventually the walking will boost my energy but that is not the case thus far! Between my mom, OT, Cheryl O. and Rachel I will walk and get better and faster and will do great in Nov for the frostbite! I am so thankful for the support system that God has given me through this trial.
Ps. Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there including my most wonderful husband, the best father in law I could ever ask for and my father, who I have been blessed to be able to get to know since this whole thing happened.
I saw my plastic surgeon today. He is really nice. He said that my skin looks really really good so that made me feel better!! Avacado and Vit E cream is working well!! He also said that I may not have to wait a year for reconstruction!!! I was so surprised!!! And excited!!! I will see him at the end of Sept and he will evaluate me at that time. I will be in chemo again and we will see what my oncologist has to say about me having surgery during chemo. Not sure if that will fly as this chemo could knock down my white blood cells and I need as many of them as I can get to have surgery. We won't know until we are there, but I am excited that I may not have to wait until next Aug for reconstruction!!
I am so thankful for my good friend Rachel! She is walking the mall with me a couple times a week. I don't always want to do it but knowing that she will be there to walk with me makes me do it! I was told I can safely loose 1 lb a week so I am trying to eat better and walk. Hopefully eventually the walking will boost my energy but that is not the case thus far! Between my mom, OT, Cheryl O. and Rachel I will walk and get better and faster and will do great in Nov for the frostbite! I am so thankful for the support system that God has given me through this trial.
Ps. Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there including my most wonderful husband, the best father in law I could ever ask for and my father, who I have been blessed to be able to get to know since this whole thing happened.
One Year to go!
I had my radiation mapping on Wed. It was very odd when they made the mold. It was a warm pad that was put under me and as I laid there it got puffy and hotter!! It then cooled off and hardened! I then had a CT scan so the radiation oncologist can see everything front to back and keep track of where my scar is. I will have 23 treatments to the whole area and then 7 boost treatments to just the scar. I start up on Tues.
I also have begun my herceptin. My first treatment was yesterday. I don't feel any different so that is good. My port was acting up though so it took a while to actually get the meds! Plus the pharmacy was running behind. I was given tylenol and benadryl before the meds. By the time the meds came I was ready to sleep and I ended up sleeping through the whole treatment. This will be my routine every 3wks for the next year.
I am praying that in June 2012, I will be done all the treatments and all the scans will come back with "No Evidence of Disease"! NED is what my goal is.
Another positive is that I have started walking again and plan to stick to it. I have a few people that will be harassing me if I slack off too much!! Plus my occupational therapist said I have to do the 5k in November that I did last year! My goal is to beat my time of 59min and actually NOT come in last!!! I know I can do it. With God's help I will do it and I will overcome this trial!
I also have begun my herceptin. My first treatment was yesterday. I don't feel any different so that is good. My port was acting up though so it took a while to actually get the meds! Plus the pharmacy was running behind. I was given tylenol and benadryl before the meds. By the time the meds came I was ready to sleep and I ended up sleeping through the whole treatment. This will be my routine every 3wks for the next year.
I am praying that in June 2012, I will be done all the treatments and all the scans will come back with "No Evidence of Disease"! NED is what my goal is.
Another positive is that I have started walking again and plan to stick to it. I have a few people that will be harassing me if I slack off too much!! Plus my occupational therapist said I have to do the 5k in November that I did last year! My goal is to beat my time of 59min and actually NOT come in last!!! I know I can do it. With God's help I will do it and I will overcome this trial!
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