5 posts tagged “breast cancer”

well.  Radiation doesn't hurt.  That being said...you feel real good for about 3 weeks, then the fatigue sets in. 

There are moments in my days-daze that I can barely pick up my feet and drag my sorry ass to bed.  I can't even explain this exhaustion...it goes beyond words.  Ok maybe I can explain.  Have you ever dreamed you were walking or running but just couldn't move very fast at all?  When your legs are not cooperating with your mind?  You know how it feels like your limbs are made out of lead and you are wearing concrete shoes?  Well thats the feeling.  Its easily resolved with a nap.  But, it comes on many times a day. 

I asked about the fatigue yesterday, and the tech said it was just starting, and would get worse before it gets better.  She said "you know, we are killing cells with this radiation, healthy and unhealthy cells, and your body is fighting to regenerate.  that is why you are so tired".  Ok...I get it.

My skin is starting to get irritated.  The entire quadrant they tattooed is now pink.  The other day I had an itch...I scratched it and OUCH!  Did you ever get sunburned?  Then you know the "itch" and the ouch!  I tried the cornstarch for itch last night, and it works!  I wish I would have known about cornstarch for itch when I had the infection under my boobs!  The nurse also gave me some aloe vera cream and gel to use, it seems to help.   We'll see...I don't mean to sound negative about the treatment, but it sounds like this is only the beginning. 

At least I got Christmas under my belt.  And there is no better time to nap than on a gray and snowy day.  Mother nature is providing PLENTY of them for me.  (see next post)  AND...my hair is growing! 

18 down, 15 to go.  I am over the halfway mark  :))

Well, It seems I am a candidate for 5 day radiation, only problem is, its 1 hour twice a day six hours apart and has to be done within 8 weeks of surgery.  The procedure is called a brachy something, they insert a balloon inside my breast, fill it with saline and deliver the rads right to the tumor site.  He said this is a treatment that is only 5 years out but has great success. 

There is another 5 day procedure that is also 1 hour twice a day but its done differently.  Same thing though, rads delivered to just the spot where the cancer was.  They do this because if it is likely to recur, its going to happen where the original cancer was.  They have learned this from years and years of study.

Third option is 6 and 1/2 weeks.  Once a day, 5 days a week, traditional radiation that hits the whole breast.  This option makes me feel the most comfortable because it treats the whole breast.  I got a feeling once they see how dense I am (my breasts not me) I won't be a candidate for the shorter treatments anyway. 

I haven't quite decided which I am going to chose.  I want THEM to chose.  Tell me whats best for me!!  Don't make me make decisions like this sheesh!

Anyway I am STILL in limbo.  My HER2neu reports are not in from pathology.  Everything else is.  I am such a lucky girl.  The cancer was headed to my lymps...it was seen focally in the capillaries that run into the nodes. 

So here's the thing.  If my HER2 path is negative or positive depends on whether I have to have chemo.  I can't believe that its almost 2 weeks out and all the answers aren't in yet.  So the Rads doc says I have to see the chemo doc first anyway.  Chemo will be the first treatment.  Rads after.

Seems that as long as something is started within 8-12 weeks after the day of surgery I will be ok to go forward with my TKR.  I told him (btw we LOVE the rad doc) that I totally plan on beating the cancer and I want to have 2 good knees in the spring so I can golf in the spring.  AND good lord we have already MET all the deductibles in 2007. 

So its all good news.  Tumor was 1.1 cm which is about 1/2 inch long.  Clean margins (WOO HOO)  Everything is perfect so far as breast cancer is concerned.

I found a lump 2 weeks ago on my right breast.  I was overdue for a 6 month mammogram by 6 months at the time this thing just jumped out at me when I was taking off my bra.  First thing I did was ask my hubby to feel it and his response was immediate:  go get it checked. 

So I called the hospital where I went for my mammogram 6 months ago told them I found a lump and needed to come in for my long overdue pictures.  At first they wanted me to go see my family doctor first, but I told them I just wanted to skip that step, come in get the pictures and then go to see my doctor.  They asked for a prescription from him for more detailed pics and an ultrasound, which he wrote up.  The next day I go in for the procedure and after the second set of photos and waiting forever the doctor came in and said that it looks benign but they've been fooled before and I need to go to the hospital for a core biopsy.  yikes!  The nurse looked at me and said "Don't start planning your funeral yet"  I told her I would be much more comfortable if they hadn't told me I needed a biopsy! 

Last Thursday, August 16th at 11:00 am, I went in for the ultrasound core biopsy.  Ya know, the procedure itself didn't hurt a bit because he had numbed me up so well, all I felt was the anesthetic needle at first when he inserted it, but I didn't even really feel that after the initial prick.  He marked my right shoulder with his initials, drew and X on the lump on my boob and washed my girl down with some clear stuff that he said was better than betadine, made a tiny incision and inserted the tool.  Each time he took a sample he warned me before the POP noise the tool makes when it takes the sample out, so all in all the whole thing wasn't too terrible.  The terrible part is they told me 24 hours on Thursday till they got the results from pathology.   She said they  do their best to make news travel fast so whoever can call me first on Friday would, either the hospital or my family doctor.

Friday morning I woke up early (always do) fed the dogs, played a little online poker and waited patiently till 8 am when I promptly called Dr. Beaumont's office to see if they got the results.  Of course they hadn't.  I waited till 11 am.  No calls.  Called the family doc again.  No results.  Paced around the house.  Went out for breakfast with my dear husband.  (late breakfast lol)  waited waited paced paced.  Finally at 3:30 I called the Breast Center and told them I was looking for my results.  They put me through to a nurse who promptly called me back and said pathology wasn't done with my biopsy yet.  She said she'd call them to ask if they would be done by 4:30 which must be the magic cut off time on Friday afternoons (Do hospital pathology departments close the weekends?) and she'd call me back one way or the other.  Four o'clock she calls and says "sorry, but we won't have an answer for you till Monday".

So I have just lived the longest weekend of my life.  I tried to relax yesterday, but I couldn't.  Same today.  Oh well, its evening now, there's a new episode of Big Love on in 20 minutes...that'll distract me for an hour anyway.

What do you think my odds are?  Is it 50/50 like having a baby girl or baby boy?  50/50 its cancer or its not? 

Just a few more hours...at least 13 of 'em but most of them I will be sleeping.  Some of them. 

Wish me luck