Nurses with Breast Cancer
Comments
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Namaste!
In Cognito, I think how soon you can go back to work depends a lot on if you can go back to light duty or not. Before my BMX and intended TEs in April my BS said I could return to work(desk duty) in one week after a MX and the PS said he would clear me for light duty after two weeks but he finds most women need at least 4 weeks. Can't lift your elbows above your shoulders for at least 3 weeks. They ended up not being able to put in TE immediately. Because I had enough time ahead I requested and received 3 weeks of vacation for the surgery before I told my employer about the surgery, It is kind of hard keeping your employer out of your surgery information when you work in PACU/POH. When I returned the MD wrote for light duty for 2 weeks (I was currently still in a desk duty situation as SDN but had been notified my position was being eliminated) Buuuuuuuut since my hospital does not recognize light duty, even though I returned to work those two weeks counted against my allowed FML time.
I think 6 weeks is a very reasonable time as long as you are complication free and have understanding co-workers (forget trying to get management to understand)
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Namaste!
Sas and Squid: Thanks for celebrating with me about my expected joyous return to work today.
Unfortunately #%&*(!#% IT DIDN'T HAPPEN! I spiked a high temp yesterday and had horrible headache and every part of my body hurt and I felt ever so miserable and I am now in the hospital for possible sepsis with hopes of saving my right TE and hoping it doesn't spread to my brand new cervical spine fusion and plate.
I am more than a bit depressed about my job situation now. SUUUcky.
Karla
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Oh, Karla, how upsetting! I do hope you get better very, very quickly and are able to save the implant.
Why do we, nurses who advocate for humane and compassionate treatment of other people, wind up getting such horrible treatment ourselves when we need a little support and understanding. Not to mention some of the worst health insurance coverage in the country?
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Namaste!
Native Mainer: Amen to your statement about health care employers.
The good news is that the Infectious Disease specialist told me that if my cervical spine hardware was titanium (and it is) that my chance for compromise of it was about the same as for someone to get hit on the head with a foul ball at a baseball game, i.e. 1 in 500,000.
I am going down to Interventional Radiology shortly to get a pocket of fluid drained that is near the TE. Gosh, I hope they don't poke a hole in the TE. They will do cultures and insert a drain. I am hoping it is just seroma and not a pocket of pus. The PS and the ID MD were in here together and felt there is a good chance to salvage the TE if the infection is just in the skin. I am hoping, but man, it made me so sick so fast that I worry that it is in the blood stream or in this pocket.
Karla
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Karla--I can tell you from experience that you can get pretty sick without the infection going beyond an abscess or pocket. I wound up in the hospital for 8 days a couple years ago due to abscesses in the radiated breast and I was so sick I don't even remember the 3 days after I was taken to the OR for an I&D. Hang in there, and don't be surprised if you wind up on IV antibiotics for weeks to months--I did a couple years ago.
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Oh Karla,
I am so so bummed for you! I did get to keep my TE even with my wicked cellulitis, and I was sick sick too...vomiting, awful pain, fever wasn't too high, but that's just me. Hang in there, and keep us posted. I would certainly hope you would receive the compassion you deserve, especially since you are in the same hospital as where you work, right?
Hang in there, I'll be thinking of you.
Traci
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I agree that we need to be aware of natural products! Just as "real" medicine has a place, so do natural and alternative remedies! But we must know what we are taking and any precautions and interactions. I do not like so many of the altenative medicines that have a list a mile long of everything in them! But I don't see the need to take a pill for everything as the first choice. Diet, exercise, chiropractic, SAFE natural products, need to be tried first. I used chiropractic post-op and KNOW it helped! It also helps headaches, fibromyalgia achiness, etc. But just like doctors, dentists, vets, and even nurses --- you have to find the good ones!!!!
Hanta Ho - Hope you get the best nurses! One step at a time! Thoughts and prayers are with you!
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2Hands4me,
Could not agree more! I am curious, have you or anyone else here had chiropractic manipulation for Sacroiliac Joint pain?
Karla,
How are you doing today? I am just so sorry and really hope I get this turned around soon!
Namaste!
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OK, ladies, I need some input. I slept in a bit this am but felt great and full of energy when I got up. Did some housework, went grocery shopping, put away a small load of laundry. Then, all of a sudden, I hit a wall. Exhausted. Fell asleep in the recliner in the middle of typing a sentence in an e-mail. Slept for about an hour and still feel like my arms and legs weigh a ton each, and having trouble concentrating. No change in meds or foods, been feeling pretty good (if a bit stressed at work) for the last few weeks. What the heck is going on and why now? If I had any energy at all I think I'd be scared. . .
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Namaste!
Blood Cultures are Negative, hip hip hooray. Drain is draining "cloudy" and there were a lot of WBCs on gram stain, culture is set up. ID say even if it doesn't grow anything out they will consider it bacterial and won't treat it as a cellulitis. I guess that means a lot of antibiotics in my future. If it grows something specific it just might limit the # of different antibitics while if it doesn't grow out anything specific they will treat for everything. The drain will be in 3 weeks uuuuurgh! I will have to irrigate it every day. Every week I will have an interventional radiology procedure to check how the pocket is resolving. They have given me the diagnosis of SIRS at this point. I am so glad that I cancelled my cystoscopy that had been scheduled for Tuesday of this week. That could have put me into a worse mess. My WBC is coming down well. My CRP went as high as 180 (normal high is 1-2) and is down to 160. My Vit D level was 28 and so I am on 5,000 of that and they have me drinking this Juven stuff twice a day. Overall I am much better. I am dumping so much fluid that they are concerned I might get dehydrated. I don't feel dry, I must have just been retaining a lot. Did any of you have fluid retention with infections. I will be here at least till Monday.
Traci, I am in the hospital system of my employment and I can say I am mighty proud of the nursing care I have received. The caring they show has been great. They tell me everything they give me and show me labs when they come back, go the extra step with any request, I am just so proud. On Monday, I will see if Human Resources and the Brass .is likewise as I try to find out what my options are.
Karla
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NM are you still there your last post was 7 hours ago . What have you done? How do you fell? Clues? Did you go to the hospital? Where are you? Shit whats going on WE don't have a clue how to get someone to check on you
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Karla- cluster fuck. You bust your arse for them and you get screwed. In a do over everyone who gets the dx of cancer should immediately apply for social security disability.
Actually the company that I worked for gave me up to a year off on medical leave because I only worked for them 11 months. I wasn't eleigible for FMLA until 12 months So in retro my company was great. there were extenuating circumstances.
SO if your company fires you check the law. There recently was a ruling against MICHAELS of 8.1 mil for violating the law. in re: to a woman with a BMX
Glad your not doing worse? DUh what do you say. Nursing sucks at taking care of it's own
To all CEO's and DON's Wish you were here with us then you might have a clue. Sorry that was on the evil side. I'm not usualy like that.
Praying for you honey Namaste sheila
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squidwitch - I get regular chiropractic adjustments. My chiro adjusts the whole spine (some believe in only doing one area at a time and having you come back for the next section - I think just to keep you coming!). Like I said, you have to find a good one.... I don't like them to have you come 3x/week for 2 weeks, then 2x/week for 4 weeks etc. But I do believe that regular adjustments keep everything lined up. The principle is that if the bones are in the correct alignment, the nerves can send the messages correctly, and your health is much more optimal. I have fibromyalgia, so exercise and chiropratic helps keep me moving, with less muscle achiness. When I fell on my shoulder several years ago, my regualr doctor just said that it should be better in 8 weeks. No PT, no exercises, no suggestions. My chiro gave me detailed instructions on how to respect the pain, but not baby my arm, gave me specific exercises to prevent frozen shoulder, etc. (I used his instructions after my mastectomies to get my arms moving again!). I also KNOW that my chiro definitely treated my son's asthma - many, many times!
Native Mainer - HOW ARE YOU? Please check in! WOW! I'm tired too but that sounds really extreme and really sudden. An infection? Hope you are feeling better!
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Native,
I'm sorry I didn't get back earlier. What you describe has happened to me many many times as I recovered from chemo and rads. It can still happen occasionally, and it comes after a busy day where I have done too much. You had surgery how long ago? If it is still less than three months ago, I say there is your culprit. I have had many surgeries, and have always been surprised how far out the hitting the wall can be. When I have these exhaustion attacks...I have barely made it to the bed, and fallen asleep in weird positions, like knees up, just where I landed, and my hands would be stiff the next day.
But don't forget our little pesky friend the thyroid. Mine crashed again about two months ago, and I was hitting the wall all over the place, without understanding why. I believe strongly that I had acute thyroiditis....and definitely had thyroiditis on my most recent U/S according to the tech...not surprised at that as PET showed it as well. Just waiting for the other parts of the reading.
Hang in there, make sure your electrolytes are up to speed (pedialyte anyone?) that you are well hydrated and getting rests in between projects/tasks. I hope this is all that's going on. Let us know, K?
Traci
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Morning, all--thanks for the concern, much better now. After I posted I decided to go lay down and take another nap, slept for another few hours, got up and fixed a decent meal (meaning contains veggies), and went to bed early. Slept like a log. This morning I feel fine. My last surgery was in June (almost 19 hours of anesthesia). I think it was an after effect of that combined with a very busy and stressful work week and not drinking enough water over the last few days. I've had much milder fatigue attacks, usually at the end of a busy day, and not so profound.
I've got an appointment for regular lab work and a physical with my PCP in a few months. I'll call and see if thyroid levels are included in the list. I've been tested for thyroid function before as it's a huge struggle for me to lose weight even before bc and treatment, but it's a good idea to have it checked again.
Thanks again for the concern and the recommendations. Hopefully that was a one-time thing.
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Glad your kicken girl
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Native,
It sounds like you had several things going on! I'm glad you are feeling better. I hope it is a one time thing...19 hours of anesthesia? What in the world?
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I had a bilateral DIEP, delayed on one side, prophy mast and immediate recon on the other. Being obese made the surgery harder to do and longer, especially since my PS takes the time to get the best possible result on the original surgery. So it took 18 hrs and 45 minutes. On the flip side, I don't need ANY revisions done at all. I had gotten myself into pretty decent shape before surgery, walking 3 miles almost every day, kayaking, running up stairs, etc, etc. 4 months later and I still an no where near that level of activity. And the word searching I do now--it's going to make giving my lectures next month very entertaining or very frustrating, not sure which yet. And not only is the physical not up to par, but the emotional isn't either. I really think that hitting the wall the other day was a combination of things catching up with me--a long hard work week, a retirement fund I cashed out came through so I could catch up on a lot of bills and finally go grocery shopping, not eating correctly, and waiting to hear when a colonoscopy and EGD will be scheduled (the referral was made a month ago now). I also had been out late the night before at a play and late dinner with friends, so my whole sleep/wake cycle was off. After all that I sat down with a rum and cola, and I think that just pushed me over the edge. Sort of a sharp reminder that I need at least one day a week of not leaving the house and playing couch potato. Lesson learned.
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Yes Native, it does sound like it all caught up to you. I have this thing where if I do something during the day, then I cannot do anything more at night, and the same in reverse. My preferred sleep/wake cycle would be alseep at 3 AM, up at 11 or Noon. To bad I am too beat up to work in a hospital on Night shift anymore. Waking up "early" is brutal for me.
Do you mind sharing what you will be teaching in your lectures next month?
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Namaste!
Native Mainer: You certainly did have a lot on your plate recently. Sounds like you overdid things a bit. And getting dehydrated along with it can really wipe you out. Glad you are feeling better.
I am still in the hospital, labs are "normalizing" but not there yet. Culture from the pocket of fluid grew out Staph Aureus coagulase negative. The MRSA screens were all negative. That was good news. Now we are waiting for the sensitivity report. So we still don't know if I will be lucky and get orals or if I will have to continue IV antibiotics. Today the ID specialist was hopeful that there was enough space between the pocket and the TE that there is a possibility there is no biofilm on it. He says it is really tough to get the biofilm to go away if it has settled in and then the TE would have to be removed.
I did not hear back from either my supervisor or HR about the FML to furlough status. So still waiting.
Karla
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NativeMainer - So glad to hear you are ok. I get that way sometimes, especially on my TCH weeks.
I finally am at the half way mark for chemo and I am so glad. Have been having problems with anemia but not so low that I need packed cells. Received IV iron past 2 weeks but still no improvement. Guess I need to add iron supplement to my meds, what a pain in the as.....
Still getting great care at the onc dr and the cancer center, but I watch and question everything!! And I guess they feel like it is easier to pacify my requests than to argue!!! And they would be right.
Have a great Halloweeeeen
Peace and laughter,
Cheryl
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Cheryl,
Hang in there
It's tough isn't it? I see you are Her2+ so are you halfway through that?Karla,
I'm glad that you are proud of your co-workers. I have just loved some of them seeing them on the other side of things.Just appreciated their personalities and what they bring to the table so to speak. I'm so glad you are MRSA is negative. Here you were so excited, and this. I really thought my TE's were going too, so hoping that everything here gets turned around. Keep the faith
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I have 12 more Herceptin treatments, and 3 more TCH treatments. After the TCH, the Herceptin goes to every 3 weeks. After the TCH, then my onc dr said I could return to work. Since I fly ALOT, he will not let me travel til after chemo is done. I am hoping!
Peace and laughter and (((Hugs))),
Cheryl
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You have a beautiful Spirit
and you are a tough cookie too!Traci
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This semester I get to teach my favorite subject--pediatrics. First lecture is on cardiac malformations, then hemat dysfunction, later I get to talk about pedi cancers, musculoskeletal, neuro and GI disorders. I really enjoy these classes, but I'm not very happy that the time alloted to cardiac and hemat have been cut down from 2.5 hours each to 90 minutes each. Had to make room for disaster nursing this semester. Oh well.
I'm making an effort to drink at least 1000 mL of water (or non-caffinated fluids) a day. I seem to be getting to a better energy level over all. I rather suspect I had gotten dehydrated, and with a history of kidney failure due to dehydration and med interactions my K+ levels can pop over the upper limit of normal rather easily. My body gave me a very noticable wake up call to take better care of myself.
Karla--did your PS do the antibiotic wash on the implants just before putting them in? I've read in a few places now that it's becoming a more and more common practice to wash or rinse tissue expanders and implants with antibiotic solution just before placing them in the chest as a way to decrease the failure rate due to infections. Not that it prevents every infection, but there is eveidence it makes a significant difference. Your PS may want to do that later when the implants are replaced.
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Native,
You teach year round? I am thinking about that for my future...I may have some questions for you if you don't mind. I am a geriatrics gal myself, I run squealing from Peds. I can, but they are not in my comfort zone. My favorite place to hang out as a Nurse is the Emergency Room, and my two favorite specialties are Neuro and Cardiology.
anyone else care to share their passions?
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NativeMainer, I also having thinking of going back to teaching but by internet. I taught at OU Nursing school years ago before going to the private sector. How do you like it? I like geriatrics better also.
Hopefully this chemo brain with clear up after chemo is finished!
Peace and laughter,
CHeryl
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I LOVE teaching! The university system I work for has a work contract of Sept 1st through May 31st, but I get paid year round. I get paid extra if I teach a summer session class. Other systems work and pay differently. The University of Maine system is a state land-grant system, so the pay is lower than the national average so all of us on the faculty depend on working summers to make ends meet. It doesn't matter what your area of preference or expertise is, there is a need for it! The only class I haven't taught in is Psych, much to my relief. Psych nursing scares me silly--that's the one I run squealing from. It's my office mate's chosen speciality, though and she's never spoken in tongues or rotated her head 360 degrees, so maybe that line of nursing doesn't make for crazy nurses. . .
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LOL!
Can I ask how what route you took?
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Seeing surgeon tomorrow,after almost 4 months of chemo. #7 chemo on tues.Found out neg. for brca1&2. Couldn't sleep after watching horror movies all night! Hey, Don't bash psych nurses,somebodies got to do it! Unfortunely,mental health has always been looked down on for too long. I see many phases of mental health in children: depressed,abused and neglected children.I've been off work during my treatment,and miss it. Well that's it for my soap box talk.Hope everyone is healing well ,your in my prayers.
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