Nurses with Breast Cancer

SAS,

Always happy to see you post, and take your time.  You are in our prayers, and I am so happy that you are finding peace with Greg at your side.  ((((((((((HUGS)))))))))

Namaste,

Traci

Great News Path report back-- surgeon just called-- 17 nodes all negative. clear margins .. Woo Hoo!!

Cathy,

What wonderful news!!! I am so happy for you

traci

Let all of us which wig you chose, I need the 10 years or maybe 20 years younger wig too!!!! And maybe different colors!  LOL

Peace and laughter,

Cheryl

Namaste!

I am back in circulation.  It has been a long time since I have been able to get on here and much continues to happen.  To start with, it was just too uncomfortable to be on the computer.  My trifocals combined with the 7/'28  C5-6, C6-7 decompression and fusion with plating made it just too uncomfortable to be online.  When I was ready to get back on my modem would not connect.  When I got a new modem hooked up, we left town for over a week.  Now I am back and on line.

My healing from the cervical spine surgery is good.  The plates and screws remain in correct position and I have no "surgical related" pain.  However, the pain/numbness I sought help for is not improved (she never promised the pain would be gone but did say there was a good chance for improvement).  The surgeon put me on lyrica three weeks ago.  No improvement but it is harder to wake up in the morning and my concentration and short term memory is definitely impaired.  I am consistently walking 2.5 miles per day, rain or shine.  Sometimes if I walk in the early part of the day my pain in my left shoulder, arm, elbow starts after walking for 3 minutes and by 6 minutes gets up to 8-10.  I have to stop when it gets to a 10.  It receeds after not walking for a minute.  If I walk later in the day the pain still starts at 3 minutes but may not get worse than a 5.  This is the exact pattern of why I went for help.  The pain also happens if I sit in a certain positons or lay on my right side.  I am glad I am not going to be paralyzed from the cord compression but I am sorely disappointed about the continuing pain.  I dread walking. 

On a curious note, while we were out of town I trail walked with young family members (6 and 8) for 5 miles at 7,000 elevation with NO pain, however my left arm was weak during that time.  I did fall once and felt stupid for being on a trail then, but there was no soreness in my neck afterward so I was lucky.

Reconstruction:  When I had my BMX the sureon had done a skin sparing procedure.  When the PS started his work the CA side had poor skin perfusion so he trimed it up a bit and worked on the left side lifting the pectoral muscle to make the pocket for the TE.  He then noted that there was still poor skin perfusion on the Rt side so he excised more tissue and barely had enough to close the wound.  On the left side he ended up removing all the "spared" skin and closed that side.  When I woke up they told me I had to wait 6 months to discuss reconstruction.  Well, my 6 months is up 7 days after my Family Medical Leave runs out.  I will not get any more FML until late May.  I saw the PS on Wed and he said that my skin now was as good as it will be in May and I could have the reconstruction as soon as it could get scheduled  as long as I had 3 weeks before going back to work.  I told him I would have to be able to go back to full duty by 10/22 or lose my job so if they can't schedule me by 10/1 it will not happen till summer.  I hate the way I look.  It is such a cavern on my chest.  The scars are ugly and the right one is at a different level than the left.  When I measure my "cavern" it is equivalent to a minus B.  Although I couldn't see my belly over my boobs before, my belly preceeds the rest of me to a great degree.  I truly have begun to hate my appearance and am embarrassed about it. The prosthesis have not been great.  When I first dress with them I do like how I look, however they are hot, hot, hot.  Since there is the cavern the bra/prosthesis move about when I do and rub against skin and make me sore.  I want to have TE and implant.  PS wants to do a Latissimus Dorsi flap with TE.  I do not want a flap.  I want to return to my canoing and backpacking and I use those muscles for both.  My arms tire when paddling so my technique uses the strong muscles of my torso and I can go all day.  He can not assure me that I won't have weaker muscles but he feels that I won't be able to have as good as an outcome for my boobs with out the flap. He said there was a "reasonable chance" that just the TE -implant would work but there was also a reasonable possibility it would fail. He recommends the flap but my neurosurgeon will not permit an anesthetic unless I remain flat on my back during surgery. She will not clear me for a flap until Febuary. I would also be OK with the Brava System with micro fat transfer but he is only considering doing this in his practice and not yet ready to start.  He will see Dr. K in toronto sometime in October.  If he could say we will do that in the summer I would wait, but he is not that close to committing to it.  I want some boobs!  I am waiting for the call to see if they can get me in by 10/1.

On another note, I have had my first consult for a workup for possible bladder tumor.  The urologist is absolutely wonderful to talk with.  There was a student PA with him that was obviously a very new student and it was also nice to see how he worked in instructing the PA without compromising his relating to me the patient.  I am really not too worried about this but am still anxious to get the word that I am clear.  The reason for the concern is microscopic blood in my urine.  I have had this symptom for 4 decades and have had various workups, IVP, Cysto in years past, the most recent cysto being 2002.  However, the urologist explained that this is still something that is a concern and needs to be re-evaluated every five years as long as it continues. I will be having a CT urogram and a Cystoscopy.  I am waiting for their office to call with the date. I hope they don't choose the same date as the TE because they are in different places.

One more note.  Our sweet cat Mela, 9 years old,  has gotten very sick since the middle of August.  She lost over 1 pound since last year.  She has polycystic kidney disease and her Cr. is 5.74 and Bun 99.  Her K is low but she refuses all efforts at getting her to ingest the powder. When they gave her fluid therapy she got a lot better, more alert, engaging in play, jumping up to look out the window.  We are now going to start daily fluid therapy on her at home.  I will give her 100 ml of solution sub cutaneously.  At the vets she is scared and still.  At home when we have restrained her in past for pills or to get her in the carrier she has two dozen arms and legs that are everywhere, so we will see how it goes today.

Hante Yo,

When I read how far you are walking daily, my jaw dropped.  Then I saw your picture of you out in the Nature, hiking, so I get it. I really feel for what you are going through with waiting for reconstruction.These are very important considerations, as canoeing and hiking are so important.  My torso is horribly weak, and I need to work on my core.  I have had the typical L4 L5 injuries, and 6 abdominal surgeries...and now carrying extra weight in the belly after chemo etc...I look down and get really angry at my belly. So here we are being upset with parts of our body, and my story is not on the same level as yours. Your decisions have to take into account your cervical fusion and positioning on the table, plus your mastectomies.

Little Mela..I hope she can get used to the SQ fluids.  I had a friend request that I do that for her cat while she went on vacation.  I am allergic to cats.  It sucked, and so did our friendship.  Anyhoo...is there a way to wrap her up to keep the extra arms and legs from appearing?

You have been through so much lately....I am wondering is the potential reconstruction date going to enable you to start work on 10/22? I have TE's, but am holding on to them until the Spring sometime, because I had to do rads.  I really hope everything works out for you. You will definitely be in my thoughts, and I pray for healing and protection from further injury or illness so you may return to work in October.

Namaste!

traci

oh Cathy!!!

what a trial to say the very least! So the culture was today? dang it! I had a nasty cellulitis myself that required two separate hospitalizations, but all is well now.  I know your hx of diabetes makes this so much harder.  You will be in my thoughts, please let us know how it goes tomorrow.

Best to you,

traci

Port incision site finnaly healed,after a round of antibiotics and delay chemo 1 week. Tomorrow getting ready for #4 red devil. Has anyone had genetics counseling for gene? Was looking into it and found it expensive,will have to see what insurance would pay.Going to talk to plastic surgeon next week ,preparing for surgery after chemo.

Namaste!

Cathy, How are you doing? Are the antibiotics working?  Is the drainage decreasing?  Hang in there!

Reconstruction: Saw the PS today and he was more positive about TE & implants.  He even said my skin was as good as anyone's and that as long as my expectations are "modest" for size he thinks I will be pleased even without a flap.That was really good to hear that. On a side note, I have an opportunity at work to do some Glucose meter teaching to about 500 RNs (50 at a time).  This will allow me to save some of my PTO hours while on FML for my neck surgery.  My neurosurgon cleared me but when I asked my PS today if I could do this he said sure but when I said the first day was 2 days after TE surgery he just shook his head and said "no" and "NURSES!" Then he said after two weeks he would give me a release to teach if things are going well. Shucks!.

MELA: We are giving our sweet cat home fluid therapy.  It has perkered her up and she has taken a sudden intense interest in people food which she has never done before.  We have to be clever and sneaky to "catch" her before she gets into an inaccessible position and then after wrapping her in a favorite blanket she hides her face and lets us do it.  DH holds her so he ends up being the "bad guy".  I give her the fluids.

Got to go, DH home and wanting some help outside, such little that I can actually do, but I must be adequate company.

Karla

Karla--make sure you get some pain med about half an hour before you leave for home, and make sure to have several pillows in the car for the ride home.  A selection of big and small pillows gives you something to work with to pad the seat belt and to rest against so you can snooze on the ride home.  If you aren't staying in the hospital overnight get your doc to give you your pain med Rx before hand and get it filled the day before and keep it in the car so you can take a dose as soon as you get in the car.  Then sit in the parking lot for 20 to 30 minutes and give it time to kick in.   Good luck! 

Namaste!

Thanks for the good advice Native Mainer (does this name mean you have always lived in Maine?)and the kind good wishes Squidwitch42 (what made you choose this name?).  I will go home tomorrow after recovery.  PS wants me out pronto to decrease chance of infection. The only antibiotic I will get will be the one pre op.  Studies have shown much benifit to having the antibiotic in circulation at time of skin incision but no benifit to prophylactic antibiotic therapy post op.  I have to wear TEDs for one week and take Lovenox injections for one week to prevent DVT.  I hope I don't have steri strips or much dressings.  I had them at my biopsy and they totaly burned my skin off.  With my BMX I removed all tape and just kept a clean softee vest on and that seemed to work just fine.  I am hoping I can do the same.  I recently went to a seminar on Women's Cancers and their treatment and my PS was the speaker for Breast Reconstruction.  He said that with expanders he usually fills with 100-200 during placement and then fills are 50 ml per week for a couple months.  I can not perceive how my skin could hold that much to start with but since we are working on "modest goals" I am guessing we will start with lower amounts.  As you can see I am quite obsessing about tomorrow.  I have lymphydema in my right arm so my left is only choice for IVs and BPs.  My veins are tiny things.  I am going to super hydrate today and till 11PM tonight to see if that will help.  I have talked to my anesthesiologist about my Cspine precautions and that I must be awake when moved or repositioned and called scheduling to make a note of this on the main surgical schedule.  I have also told the pre-admission nurse who called yesterday. I have asked him not to intubate me but just to use an LMA and he has agreed to that.  I also talked to the manager of the Outpatient Surgical Suite and the Circulator of the OR room will come and talk to me before I go to the room.  I actually would like anesthesia to not put me out until I am all prepped and draped but don't know if he will agree to that.  My mind is going 100 miles an hour!  I have got to settle down.  I need to freeze some tomatoes and apples so I better take care of that today!

Karla

Nurses rule!!!!

Namaste!

Squidwitch:  That is too funny about thinking my name was Hanta Yo.  It happens to be a Lakota Sioux word that we used to name my DH solo canoe a number of years ago.  We knew the word meant "Clear the way" and we thought it was a very appropriate name for his style of canoeing.  Since then we have found out that the meaning was not "Get out of the Way!"  but was instead a more spiritual meaning to ask the creator with intent to clear the way so one might go on with their faith journey. My solo canoe is named YA" AT" EEH which is Navaho for  Hello, Welcome. We also have a tandem canoe named "Al".  It is aluminum of course. Another tandem canoe is named Hopedowatch (phonetic spelling) which is a northwest native american phrase that expresses joy in the journey.  I have the actual spelling somewhere.  Then our last canoe which can be either solo or tandem we call "Red" and yes it is red.  We are not Native American's but I did grow up near several tribal communities.  The communities had a number of challenging health and social issues amongst some members but mostly I was aware that they had a very rich spiritual and cultural life and I was always envious of this.  Oh, we also have one sea kayak.  We do like to paddle.  I have not been in a canoe since last August.  This year I have been in Dry Dock. 

I should try to go to bed.  It is almost 11 and I have to get up at 4 to take my second CHG shower.

Karla

Karla,

love your names for your canoes....I too grew up in an area that was once vibrant with tribes, but no longer. I have tried to learn some about the beliefs of earth spirit and being on the same "level" as all living things. I admire the Native American belief in reverence for earth and creatures. We shall have to talk more.  I hope you are recovering well this evening.  I am looking over at my coyote medicine dog..that's what I call her, the trickster.  She actually looks just like a coyote or fox to most people.

Blessings,

Traci