Well, here's the one time in my life that I'm actually happy about gaining 10 pounds. Thankfully, the extra breast tissue that the surgeon thought he was feeling, was indeed fatty tissue and not breast tissue. My mammogram showed nothing but dark black which is great! I'm a whole lot less nervous about it now. The radiologist did an ultrasound of both sides to be absolutely sure that there's nothing to worry about. She said there were no signs of tumors, nodules or inflamed lymph nodes, again great news.
I will be starting radiation next Wednesday. It's every day for 6 weeks with weekends off. It poses to be a great time!
I'll update after I start.
Love,
E
Breast Cancer Survivor
"We cannot direct the wind but we can adjust the sails"
Family photo November 2008
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Radiation
I went for my radiation simulation on Friday. I laid in a CT machine for a while in the same awkward position, arm over my head cupping the opposite ear. They wrote on me with permanent RED marker marking the lines where the radiation will be. I have an inch long red mark down my breast bone so everywhere I go people say "what's that?". My new answer is "I'm number 1" and they laugh. Then I have to really explain what it is.
I will have a baseline mammogram on Wednesday to make sure there's nothing left in there and then I start the radiation on April 1st. The first day of radiation is about 30 minutes. They will be tattooing little black dots where the permanent marker is now. Yes, tattoing, so they are forever. They said they look like little black freckles. Oh well, whatever works. I guess it will be better than walking around with red lines on my chest for 6 weeks. After the first treatment, it will only take about 10 minutes. They give me small doses over a longer period of time to minimize the burning of the skin. It appraently works the same as if they gave me bigger doses for a shorter period of time.
I'll update again after I start this next fantastic portion of my journey. All I can say is this better be it! I'm tired of it and ready to move on with my life.
Love,
E
I will have a baseline mammogram on Wednesday to make sure there's nothing left in there and then I start the radiation on April 1st. The first day of radiation is about 30 minutes. They will be tattooing little black dots where the permanent marker is now. Yes, tattoing, so they are forever. They said they look like little black freckles. Oh well, whatever works. I guess it will be better than walking around with red lines on my chest for 6 weeks. After the first treatment, it will only take about 10 minutes. They give me small doses over a longer period of time to minimize the burning of the skin. It appraently works the same as if they gave me bigger doses for a shorter period of time.
I'll update again after I start this next fantastic portion of my journey. All I can say is this better be it! I'm tired of it and ready to move on with my life.
Love,
E
Friday, March 13, 2009
Last Surgical Consult 3/12/09
I met with my 3rd surgeon, that my oncologist recommended, yesterday. He was very nice and very thorough. I realy like him unlike the last one that wanted to cut my entire chest out.
He re-ran my pathology slides on the spot, I was amazed. They said that they agreed, the margins were clear but that they thought it was a new tumor not a re-currence. This is good and bad. Good because it didn't have the "fingers" that the original one had so it hadn't branched out yet but bad because it survived through the 1st chemo.
He said he wouldn't recommend any more surgery for me right now even though he feels more breast tissue than he would like under the skin. He also said that unless he opened me up he couldn't tell exactly how much tissue was there. The tissue matters because it's where a new tumor could potentially grow in the future if it's still resistant to the new chemo I just finished. The tissue he's feeling might also be fat since I am about 10 lbs heavier than I was when they did the mastectomies thanks to steroids. I didn't think of that until we left his office. I'll check with my plastic surgeon to see what he thinks. I typicaly did gain or lose in my chest when I fluctuated in weight but I'm not sure if that can still happen after a mastectomy?
His main soncern was that it was resistant the first time therefore microscopic cancer cells could be floating around somewhere else in my body waiting to form a new tumor or metastasise. There's no way to detect this other than the scans that I already do. He just suggested that since I do have some breast tissue left in there that I also do mammograms bi-annually. I think this is a good idea since a mammogram could detect something well before I can feel it. By the time I feel it, it could be too late.
I am waiting to hear from the radiation doctor to see when I will start that. I think it will be in a few more weeks.
Overall, pretty much more of the same. No more sugery for now, and radiation. That is a huge load off my mind. I really wasn't looking forward to it. Hopefully this will all be behind me in late May.
TTFN,
Erica
He re-ran my pathology slides on the spot, I was amazed. They said that they agreed, the margins were clear but that they thought it was a new tumor not a re-currence. This is good and bad. Good because it didn't have the "fingers" that the original one had so it hadn't branched out yet but bad because it survived through the 1st chemo.
He said he wouldn't recommend any more surgery for me right now even though he feels more breast tissue than he would like under the skin. He also said that unless he opened me up he couldn't tell exactly how much tissue was there. The tissue matters because it's where a new tumor could potentially grow in the future if it's still resistant to the new chemo I just finished. The tissue he's feeling might also be fat since I am about 10 lbs heavier than I was when they did the mastectomies thanks to steroids. I didn't think of that until we left his office. I'll check with my plastic surgeon to see what he thinks. I typicaly did gain or lose in my chest when I fluctuated in weight but I'm not sure if that can still happen after a mastectomy?
His main soncern was that it was resistant the first time therefore microscopic cancer cells could be floating around somewhere else in my body waiting to form a new tumor or metastasise. There's no way to detect this other than the scans that I already do. He just suggested that since I do have some breast tissue left in there that I also do mammograms bi-annually. I think this is a good idea since a mammogram could detect something well before I can feel it. By the time I feel it, it could be too late.
I am waiting to hear from the radiation doctor to see when I will start that. I think it will be in a few more weeks.
Overall, pretty much more of the same. No more sugery for now, and radiation. That is a huge load off my mind. I really wasn't looking forward to it. Hopefully this will all be behind me in late May.
TTFN,
Erica
Friday, March 6, 2009
Final Chemo 3/5/09
Well, I had my final chemo yesterday. My mom and Angela were there with me. Jason had to work; someone has to in order to keep the insurance! They skipped the chemo graduation ceremony this time since I'd seen it before. They just hugged me and gave me a pretty Faith T-shirt. They're from a company called "Prayer-Wear". I'll find the web site and post it. They make pretty trendy T-shirts like the swirly, burnt outs, but they have Faith or Prayer or other scripture lines on them. They're kind of hidden in the design though. I love them.
It went fine, same as usual. I'm not too nauseated this morning yet but I've only been standing up for about 30 minutes. It's a cross between motion and morning sickness. It'll get worse the more I move around over the next 3-4 days. I have fluids and nausea meds in about an hour which will help. I also have the nurse coming Sat & Sun for more.
It's a nice 80 degree day here again...sorry Mainers! Provided it stays that way I may spend some time outside in the fresh air.
Per my last post, my 3 scans were all negative which is a huge weight off my shoulders. I was really worried about the brain scan. I've always said "I have a brain tumor" because of my migraine headaches. Well, I don't! Thank God.
I have a surgery consult next Thursday just to put my mind at ease that I don't need more surgery, I hope. I'm just starting to freak out like I did last time. Once the chemo ended, the tumor started growing again. It's scary to think about. I want chemo to stop because it sucks but at the same time, there's no cancer there if I'm getting chemo. Psychological, I know. I will get over it in time.
Thanks Everyone!
Love, Erica
It went fine, same as usual. I'm not too nauseated this morning yet but I've only been standing up for about 30 minutes. It's a cross between motion and morning sickness. It'll get worse the more I move around over the next 3-4 days. I have fluids and nausea meds in about an hour which will help. I also have the nurse coming Sat & Sun for more.
It's a nice 80 degree day here again...sorry Mainers! Provided it stays that way I may spend some time outside in the fresh air.
Per my last post, my 3 scans were all negative which is a huge weight off my shoulders. I was really worried about the brain scan. I've always said "I have a brain tumor" because of my migraine headaches. Well, I don't! Thank God.
I have a surgery consult next Thursday just to put my mind at ease that I don't need more surgery, I hope. I'm just starting to freak out like I did last time. Once the chemo ended, the tumor started growing again. It's scary to think about. I want chemo to stop because it sucks but at the same time, there's no cancer there if I'm getting chemo. Psychological, I know. I will get over it in time.
Thanks Everyone!
Love, Erica
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Last Chemo is Tomorrow (Hopefully)
Well, I made it. 6 more rounds of Chemo. These have been tougher than the first 6 but it will all be over next week when I feel better.
Yesterday I had a brain MRI and a bone scan with chest x-rays. The brain scan was a "just in case" since I hadn't ever scanned it. The radiologist suggested that I do it to be certain that a stray cancer cell hadn't settled in up there. The Bone scan and chest x-ray were because I started to have pain in my right rib cage last week for no reason, I don't remember hurting myself. He said it's probably nothing, my favorite line by the way, but let's check it for peace of mind. We're looking for bone cancer. I'll get the results of those 3 things tomorrow some time. Probably while I'm high on chemo drugs.
Anyway, radiation will follow chemo assuming I don't have any more elective surgery. I'm seeing a surgeon next Thursday to see what he thinks. Should I take out more chest muscle and maybe skin to be safe or have I had enough done already. This recurrence has scared the crap out of me and I don't want it to happen again, at least not for 20 years. I made a deal with God, I asked for at least 20 years, I'm believing that he heard me.
I'll post again tomorrow night. I'm loopy on chemo night so I mis-spell a lot of things but you get the gist of it. I feel like crap for the next 5 days so, not to make you wait, I do it right away.
Love,
Erica
Yesterday I had a brain MRI and a bone scan with chest x-rays. The brain scan was a "just in case" since I hadn't ever scanned it. The radiologist suggested that I do it to be certain that a stray cancer cell hadn't settled in up there. The Bone scan and chest x-ray were because I started to have pain in my right rib cage last week for no reason, I don't remember hurting myself. He said it's probably nothing, my favorite line by the way, but let's check it for peace of mind. We're looking for bone cancer. I'll get the results of those 3 things tomorrow some time. Probably while I'm high on chemo drugs.
Anyway, radiation will follow chemo assuming I don't have any more elective surgery. I'm seeing a surgeon next Thursday to see what he thinks. Should I take out more chest muscle and maybe skin to be safe or have I had enough done already. This recurrence has scared the crap out of me and I don't want it to happen again, at least not for 20 years. I made a deal with God, I asked for at least 20 years, I'm believing that he heard me.
I'll post again tomorrow night. I'm loopy on chemo night so I mis-spell a lot of things but you get the gist of it. I feel like crap for the next 5 days so, not to make you wait, I do it right away.
Love,
Erica
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