Nurses with Breast Cancer

Native Mariner you hit the nail again for Karla. I wanted to ask Karla if the doc's rent was due.

With my only neulasta shot, they didn't offer anything to go with the shot. This was the sequence. 

Chemo wed. Neulasta thurs. Amitted following tues with wbc count of 1.5 and neut .5, temp 104.8 , pain off the charts, unable to eat. They then put me in acute renal failure by hanging the wrong IV fluids and hyponatremia of 127--Hung 1/2 Ns instead of NS. They used dilaudid IV, but the pain was only controled with me being knocked out. The nurses didn't do I &O. I told them second day I had all the symptoms of overflow urine. dribbling down side of bottom,small amounts, urgency, frequency ---third day they fnally cathed me for 900cc. Had cath for 5 days.

All tests done for identifing any infection were negative. IV antibiotics started at admission led me to the path of yeast and skin problems that took 2 months and 1 week to clear up. 1 week before next surgery

The acute renal failure/and hyponatremia  had been corrected by the nephrologist when he saw what fluids were being run.  

Found out on my own 9 months later, I had an  ADR with norvasc and cytoxan. But at the time no one could /would figuire out why I reacted so strongly to the first chemo.   I chose at the time to dc rather than risk all my body systems .

Thanks for your great response to Karla. I hope she takes it to heart and doesn't let that doc rush her into anything.  sas

Sas and Native,

Well Sas, I must say that is the most descriptive and accurate account of my pain that I could have hoped for...and the imagery of being wheeled away in front of your patients is just priceless.  It took 2 months for me to go from 4 to 16, and I have another month of 50,000 units Q Week under my belt.  My oncologist did not opt for the bone scan...I thought we would, and I did explain not having any estrogen on board for 8 years.  He chose the PET instead, but more to rule out... not that he believes we will find metastasis.  I still think I need one, and my go through my primary care instead...very confusing! 

Native...I do use Zofran, but every few days when I absolutely need it.  My chemo actually ended March 11th...this started more around early May. 

The bone/hip pain, well, Sas, you should get published for designing a high end way to interpret pain...instead of unhappy smiley faces, I would choose the wolves teaching pups how to get the rest of the meat off my long bones after first gnawing on them (bi-laterally bless them) for hours.

just peachy.

also, I remember once having to lay down on an empty bed next to my patient during night shift after my back went out...patient was very forgiving of having her nurse in the same room.  I had been draining her lumbar drain, and was kneeling with my flashlight.  When it was finished draining, I couldn't get back up to save myself.

Nurse Down!  so hilarious.....God love us!  (and I also have that wicked ER humor as well, most oft directed at myself.)

There is a great cartoon, where a distinguised MD is giving a lecture at the podium at an AMA conference.  The lecturer "falls out" and the man behind him steps up to the microphone, taps on it, and says "is there a Nurse in the house?"

hee.

PS, excuse my French, but damn my hips hurt!

Traci 

Karla--sounds like you've done your homework.  The 95% success rate makes a lot more sense to me referring to halting the damage.  Glad you'll be able to keep your mind occupied until surgery day, and that it isn't quite as frightening as the time before the mast.  I'll be praying for you for a wonderful improvement right from PACU on! 

Namaste!

Sas,

I learned the greeting Namste! when I went to Nepal and did a trek in the Himalya's.  I saw Mt Everest, but didn't climb it.  We treked from 4,000 ft to 14000 ft. It was epic and magical.  The Sherpa's always greeted each other and us with folding their hands in front of their chest (as in praying) and slightly bowing their head while saying Namaste!. It is a form of greeting and means "I salute the God in you".  It may possibly be a Buddhist term instead of a Sherpa word.  The Sherpa's primarily were quite solid in Buddhism.  It helps me to focus on the value of the other individual I am communicationg with and not taking them for granted, especially when one is not face to face.

Karla

Sas--someone started a pain scale thread with a link to an absolutely hilarious web page:

http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/83/topic/755865?page=1#idx_4
 

Namaste!

Sas, I am so glad you have found Namaste! meaningful just as I have.

Actually, tomorrow, Wed is my day of surgery.  Didn't sleep too well last night, but the waiting does not nearly embody the intensity of the "terror" I felt when waiting to cut the cancer out. I have my "bedside personal RN watch team" all set up, my preop and pacu RNs set up.  Playing phone tag with the anesthesiologist yet though.  I am having one final MLD for my lymphedema at 3 PM today (I was able to arrange getting off work early to do this).  Need to pick up some vaginal anti fungal cream just in case the antibiotics do a number on that aspect and have to drop some FML papers off to the surgeon's office for them to complete.  Mom's airplane tickets bought and she will fly here day after surgery.  I have some loose ends to tie up with my recent 11 orientee's.  Getting them to complete their paper work is like trying to catch cats.  Which brings me to mention one little being that will be extremely pleased by my surgery and staying home for a long time-the cat, her name is MELA

Well, I think I am getting all set.

Karla

Hi there Karla.  I'm not a nurse, I'm a pharmacist, never had LE, no MX, but you may be interested in my story.

I started having carpal tunnel symptoms in 7-05, along with some numbness going up my arms. I had a spinal MRI which showed some disc bulging, bone spurs into my spine.  Was referred to a neurosurgeon who recommended C5-7 ACDF (anterior cervical discectomy with allograft and instrumentation) prophylactic.  He said he was concerned if I fell on my chin I'd have a spinal cord injury. (He worked at a trauma center, so I figured he knew.  He said his group had a 0% rate of osteomylelitis.) He did a 'roto-rooter' job on the nerves going out to my arms.  It was only *after* the surgery that I found he had drilled right next to my spinal cord.

I was totally freaked out by the surgery. I don't know how long I was in the recovery room (at least 1-2 hours - I didn't have any bladder control in the recovery room.)  But not more than 1.5 hours out of the recovery room, I was walking up and down a flight of stairs (leashed by a PT).  I was under a 1 quart liquid or 2 pound lifting weight limit x 6-8 weeks (can't remember). No driving. Try that when you live alone and get groceries home or take the garbage out!  (After 5 trips to the grocery store/day, I was hanging grocery bags on my waist. Or I used my carryon with wheels.  I got a rubber band thing from PT to open heavy doors.)  When the store was out of quarts of milk, I tipped half-gallons into my grocery cart, and poured them into smaller containers on the ground.  You get creative.

On one support group, I read a story about a guy who had an  ACDF and forgot his lifting limit and opened his car hood.  He had permanent damage.  So I was very careful not to exceed my lift restrictions.

I was back to work 6-8 weeks after surgery.  I had a nurse consult (I can't remember the right term) to try to get you back to work faster.  She said mine was listed at 3-6 months so was shocked my doc had recommended shorter. At first, at work it was hard to even carry 2-1 liter IV bags or to pull the plug on the IV bags.  But gradually things got better.  (I worked alone in the pharmacy at night.)  I probably have some arthritis in my neck and arms, but I figure that's better than a spinal cord injury. Overall, I'm glad I had it done.

Wishing you expert hands, and a very speedy recovery!

Good luck Karla.  I know that things will go well for you.

Namaste! Has anyone ever heard of a surgeon and a PS doing a mx for confirmed CA and telling the family that an ONC did not need to be involved. I'm answering questions for a gal from the Just dx'd --be prepared thread. This part she pm'd me. Asked her to try and cut and paste the whole thing to the board, but I don't know if that can be done.

Healthwellaware foundation gives grants for a lot of different drugs. DH got grants for copays neulasta. procrit. Could have had one for gemzar, but it should be covered copay to 100%. Zometa is covered for postmenopausal osteoporosis. AND if someone hits the donut hole,They will cover  @ 100% until out of donut hole. 1-800-675-8416.

first dose of gemazar and zometa have gone well for DH. Sleeping a lot but has been , then they said this was a s.e. of drug , so getting him up walking is going to be a challenge. Thank god he has to pee alot at least he's getting up and moving with that.

Found away to rapidly change sheets. If you use a larger than bed-- flat sheet. Like a queen or king on smaller bed it stays put and doesn't roll up underneath. Little time saver. Great for sweat. flashing etc. I have a basket of sheets/pillowcases in the bedroom so I don't have to run for supplies.

Humongous fight with HH to get them to supply needed dressing supplies very upsetting since I know the rules taht they are suppose by law.

MY twin and I both got to be 60 today!!!!!!!YEAH!!!!!!!!!

She is a  14 year survivor of BC. me 1 1/2y out from BC.

Namaste(((((((((((H))))))))))))sas

DIDI----welcome come join us, if you were here before we got here , nice to meet you.

twin had BC in 1996---er+  I said we both needed to get to work and had hyster bso. She is alive and well but has bad LE. I went for an elective in 2008--ended up finding BC, but you.ve probably read that. That year I was in HH worked 7 days a week 60+ hrs -supposed to be 40. ONE full 24 hr period off in 8 months. Yeah , How did I dodge the bullet and then it strikes. I do blame alot of it on stress besides genetics.

Didi go back one or two pages and read Karlas reponse re: Namaste  Hope it grabs you. At very least you will understand sign off. Stick with us here, we need nurses And all other diciplines are welcome also

Namaste---sas

I am not a nurse but just discovered this topic and in desperation am reaching out to any of you who are experienced with wound management. 

>> Can anyone please give me advice on how I might receive wound management?

While I am not on Public Aid I have a low paying job, thankfully, with HMO benefits and sick time which I have saved up over the years.  My medical center is associated with a well known university.

During May-June 2003 I had radiation of my left breast after another lumpectomy.  No chemo, or hormones, etc. etc.  Though I am allergic to a lot of stuff, I astoundingly had minimal redness.

Jump to April 2009.  Blister appears on my LB. This was not too long after my annual mammogram. More blistering. August 2009 MRI no cancer; dermatitis cited.  I decided to begin taking digital pictures (and continue to do so and provide digital history to my doctors).  September 2009, biopsy benign.  More blistering.

Sent to wound specialist.  LATE radiation effects mentioned.  SSD cream prescribed.  Hyperbaric oxygen treatment mentioned.  Soon thereafter all of above "dropped".  Steroid cream prescribed but seemed ineffective and was eventually dropped by staff.  Last directive:  apply petroleum dressings (but no help in how keep them on or control liquid).

Too make a long story short, I have not received wound management suggestions for almost a year. Internet research has introduced me to exudant and maceration  and my cessation of my applying Kendahl Xeroform as having become counter productive (maceration). Spring appointment - which I insisted on - with my surgeon led him to prescribe an oral antibiotic (my first and which I am still taking) due to more blistering and swelling.   Recent MRI which I insisted on rather than simply agreeing to a mastectomy showed no cancer.

Beginning of July I began continuous sick leave so that I could bare my breast as much as possible - particularly, as blistering had also moved to left side.  I insisted on seeing my dermatologist but I still had to wait more than a month to see her.  I was informed by my primary care physician that the appointment could not be moved up and she was the most qualified dermatologist for my condition.  Currently, about 3/4 of my LB is covered in blisters and my left side now has a good sized batch.

Upon seeing me my dermatologist, whom  I had not seen and was not scheduled to see for months and months, would have done an immediate biopsy of the area that had spread to my left side but due to HMO did so one week later.  Yesterday, I  received word that I have BULLOUS PEMPHIGOID.  I was also informed that my dermatologist does not think hyperbaric oxygen treatment will be of help.  (Hypebaric oxygen treatment was recently again brought to the foreground.)

Where I am going with this and I have skipped a lot of my trying to get attention and help, is that I do not know how to go about getting wound management.  The dermatology people say that is not their area and the wound people have not been forthcoming.

Example:  I recently again reminded my wound doctor that the CVS Pharmacy Hydrocolloid 2" x 2" Dressing (which I, the patient, decided to try on my own initiative after Internet reading) was the only dressing to whose adhesive I showed no allergic reaction even though the dressing, as directed, stayed on for several days .  I pointed out that the size was no longer large enough for blistering now on my left side.  He gave no suggestions.  Simply did not reply - again.

>>>>>>> I feel so victimized and hope someone can e-mail me with some suggestions for wound care.

When I have to go to the store, or do laundry, etc., I wear a loose T-shirt + 100% silk camisole + a blistered breast with SSD 1% cream.  Otherwise, I am home, bare breasted.  Any irritation seems to promote blistering.  I do not have itching.

 I have no significant other, friends who can help or relatives and am age 68.  I read up on bulloid pemphigoid and am also terrified of the steroid treatments I will probably be advised to take.  But to keep to the subject:  wound dressing management = help needed.

 Thank you in advance.

I deeply appreciate your sharing and frankness, NativeMainer.  You had abscesses upon abscesses.  Yipes!  Hope you are 100% + 100% OK now.  Believe me, mastectomy is on my mind.  I have also stumbled upon the following cite which has photos of amazing recuperative case studies of extensive wounds  (scroll to bottom) http://www.dermaclose.com/?gclid=CJ_foeWJuKICFdb75wodqzxO4g  I will follow up on a CM as you suggested but I admit to being scared to contact my insurance company just because of all the negative things on the news involving health insurance tactics.  Nurses are the "power behind the throne" as far as I'm concerned.  LOL to each and all of you. 

I promise to update.

Thank you so much and congratulations, NativeMariner.

Karla--congrats on having and sticking to a walking program!  I got to a half mile and since I've found too many reasons not to take that morning walk.  You are a good example for me--thanks for sharing!