June 2010 Mastectomy

Jeanne - thanks for the update - I am asking on Monday when I go in. I want answers! I mean that in a nice way. My doctors are great, but it is the medical asst's who get on my nerves sometimes. First line of defense to get to the doctor. I have read on a few more threads about the arm soreness and tendonitis seems to be the re-occuring theme. 

Before my dx, and any treatment started, I had mild case of carpal tunnel. My hands would go numb at night. Wake up to turn alarm off, and hand is numb. Doesn't work to well. I got it from one of my summer jobs way back when, and it flared up during my second full time job after College. I got the splints and everything. So, somehow, I think this is all tied together. 

Ducki - thanks for sharing. Pink garbage cans - great idea. And funny story too. Poor kid! 

So, last night I decided to celebrate my new boobs with a little wine with the kids gone.  I figured I was feeling pretty good so a couple glasses would take the edge off the discomfort, and it did until about 1 am- I woke up in so much discomfort!  I laid there and tried to just lay elevated and work through it.  Gave up at 2:30 and took a pain pill.....then I slept great   Just woke up to a quiet house at 9!  I haven't slept until 9 in years!!  I feel ok now.  Stupid huh?

I would like a pink trash can too!

Laurie08 I tried that one time too.. I was also up at 2:30 for a pain pill.   LOL  Glad you got to sleep. 

 I remember when my children were the ages of so many of yours here.  I salute each one of you as I can only imagine how hard recovering and raising kids has to be.  I can at least send my grand kids home.  Well I try too.. They all seem to think they are supposed to live here.

 Each of them have taken this in different ways.  My 5 year old has been constantly kissing my shoulder.  I finally asked her WHY my shoulder.  She said.. well Mom said you had a boo boo. She is not sure where my boo boo is, but the shoulder is a nice place to kiss.  lol  I didnt elaborate further naturally.  I have a  hard time even holding them on my lap and my 2 year old also seems in a snit that I don't pick her up and carry her like I used to.

 I will send a picture of my pink garbage can when I get mine.

I am almost 9 weeks after surgery and tonight was the first time my 8 year old daughter saw my foob with the TE. She said that it looked like the foob had a mouth (because of the scars.) I've been worried about her walking in on me getting dressed or out of the shower and I'm glad that she asked me to get in the shower with her tonight so we could talk about it. We have not said the word cancer to her since we don't want to scare her, so I've said all along that I had something inside my boob that was sick and it had to be taken out. She wanted to know if she had the same thing inside her and I told her that she didn't. I also told her that she could touch both the foob (hard) and the other boob to feel the difference. I told her that I'd be having another operation in December and that the foob would start looking like the other one. She looked at both of them for a minute or two and then started talking about something else.

I also ordered a mastectomy bra on E-Bay for $9. I've been wearing the sports bras this weekend and they aren't that bad. The worst for me this weekend have been the hot flashes - lots of them.

I've got 1 more week of disability and am feeling pretty good, so I'm going to tackle the junk drawers in the kitchen and see if I can't organize some things. I'm also going to go through my closet and get rid of the clothes that I have been hanging on to with the hopes that I will be that size sometime soon. It probably won't happen, and they are just taking up room!

reneemac  I just loved  your tender account of your interaction with your daughter--what a wonderful mom you are to her!  It must have been a bit scary for you prior to --but a wonderful feeling afterward?  She will remember this forever and as she gets older the pieces will fall into place and she will look back on it all with love and pride and admiration for you.  I think your account is a great example for women who have children your daughter's age--as to how to talk about it.  

stlcardsfan  Good luck on your first day back.  I was so worried about going back, too.  After the first day I was so relieved to be back to work--it provided structure, stimulation and something other than all this stuff to think about.  I hope you have a wonderful day back.

Thanks for the encouragement on communicating this - you just never know if you are doing it correctly or in a way that your child will understand. I know that she knows the word cancer and has said that people who get cancer die from it, and when she is a little older, I can prove to her that this statement is wrong!

Tonight, my foob was feeling a little tight so I asked my son, who is 24, to get me a tylenol. He brought me a pill and it was in my mouth when he said "the Vicodin, right Mom?" Of course, at that point the pill was down my throat. I said "NO SON, I wanted the tylenol." I have a big bottle of tylenol that look almost like the Vicodin but they are a little smaller. DH reminded me, as per my PS that there is tylenol in the Vicodin. I was planning on making myself a strawberry margarita tonight, so no alcohol for me after that one! I will have to make sure that I get my own meds from now on....

Well, made it thru my first day back at work. I had a fill first - another 60 cc's in both sides, so that puts me at 170 cc's. I notice it now.

When I got to work today, there was a big welcome back sign, and food set up. It was really neat. And yes, there was some CHOCOLATE! Boss stopped by and said I look good, (he is male by the way) most of the others who sit by me stopped by. Lots of girl talk. I had my hat on, although most said I didn't need to wear it. I am not ready to got topless, maybe in one more month. I so long to have bangs again. Didn't get much work done, but there is always tomorrow.

Just got home and found out dog threw up, guess she wasn't happy being left alone after me being around for 6 weeks. Or, it could have been the mole guy who freaked her out. Who knows.

Well, got to go clean that up, make supper, yadda, yadda, yadda...back to the old grind! 

Laurie - you will be fine! 

My daughter is going to have her surgery Aug 18th removing both breast. The doctor told her he could save the nipples, but there is a chance that the cancer can come back threw the nipples, so opted not to save the nipples. I know by now you have had your surgery, but I had to answer. I had my surgery April 5th. I only had the lump removed in the right side. I did have radiation, which wasn't so bad. I go for my first check up Aug 12th. I don't know if I will get an answer back, but did you have much pain after surgery? My daughter is a little scared going into this surgery. She is only 39 years old. This just came out of the blue to her and it has hit her hard. They are not going to do her reconstruction until she heals from this and the skins is stretched, then they will do her implants. I wondered if there is a lot of pain after surgery? She will not receive chemo or radiation. Thanks!

Way to go Jeanne!

My fill from yesterday is causing me some discomfort today on one side. It appears that I finally got to the point were the skin is starting to be stretched. Looks like muscle relaxer for tonight.

Another HOT one in St. Louis. DH had tickets for Cards game tomorrow - told him no way am I sitting out there. It is 110 to 115 heat index - yikes!

So far so good at work, although I did get tired around mid-day and needed a nap. No place for that at work.

Hope everyone is doing well.

I was wondering the same thing Jeanne- it's kind of eerie?  Stcardsfan glad work is going well.  Just like you and Jeanne, I am exhausted.  Being full time Mom again has me pooped.  Tonight I went out with friends for a drinks and dinner and got home around 9.  My ribs are  aching, more than they have in weeks.  I am hoping it will feel better in the morning.  I think lugging around my little one at 22 pounds is wearing on me, but it's great at the same time.  Tomorrow is my first time heading to the grocery store with both kids.  Believe it or not, I am looking forward to it.  It's actually fun.  Putting the food away when I get home...not so much fun

Jeanne- what are you going to school for?

I'm here, too! I guess quiet is good. It means we're all getting busy with regular life. Baseball games and work and carrying babies and grocery shopping ... all such ordinary yet wonderful things!

I had an ultrasound of my uterus on Monday to get a baseline for comparison once I start on the dreaded Tamoxifen. I'm really nervous waiting for my GYN's phone call to hear that everything is okay. I think it's a sort of post-traumatic stress thing since I got that call after my screening mammogram before my BC diagnosis earlier this year. I can't even imagine what I'll be like when I have my next mammogram on August 16.

Tomorrow I go to the PS and I'll hopefully get my surgery date for my exchange. It's also my wedding anniversary. And,  Sunday we sail on our cruise!!  

Liz ... where are you?!?

Getty 

ginger - I had AC as well.  I really know what you mean by it being your 'good week'.  I was always feeling pretty good but then the next chemo would roll around just when you start to get on your feet again.  Are you having 4 rounds?  if so, your halfway there!!!!