Nurses with Breast Cancer

Rita--let us know how it goes as soon as you feel up to it!

Yesterday went better than I thought it would. I took the "less is more" approach and wrote the very minimum I could on the evals, one sentence for each problem noted on the mid-term eval, one sentence for each of the top 2 positives and let it go at that.  It was sooooo much easier to sit there and listen to the complaints and negativity knowing I wouldn't be dealing with it next semester!  I will miss a couple of them, but such is life.  Final exam on Thursday, then the whole group is someone else's problem for a semester!  YIPPEE!  

Thanks, Squid!  I'm looking forward to a fresh start with a new group next semester.  Bonus:  I get to teach some of my favorite subjects (pain management and stress management)! 

Squid--no, I don't go into great pathophysiological detail, I only get 2.5 hours and these are first year ADN students.  I do talk about nerve vs cancer vs surgical vs visceral vs chronic pain, and I do review  the major drug classes (opioid,anticonvulsants, antidepressants, anti-inflammatories, benzos) but I focus mostly on assessment and non-pharmacological management.  I spend a fair amount of time on the effects of pain on functioning and learning, and how things like stress, fear, anxiety, fatigue, etc affect the pain experience.  The there is the obligatory talk about drug diversion, addiction and abuse.  I try to keep it as practical as possible, and trust the A&P class they take will fill in the details. 

Having a pain management group is a great resource!  Good for your clinic!  

Hooray for you, Rita!  Having the node mapping while you are out is the ONLY way to do that procedure!  Here's hoping node negative is still the word after the more in depth exam!

Recieved the best possible Christmas gift ever! NEGATIVE margins and lymph node from path report. Thank you to my  friends for your support. It is a nerve wracking experience! Always got to keep the faith.If you start worrying( about the what if's),it will get the best of you.Still have to go thru radiation after the holidays. What a relief!

Hello all, I just found this post and I am also a nurse. Being a patient is a bit of a strech for me, but I am working hard to be the patient. I had the Sentinel Node Biospy last week and did great hiding the fact that I was a nurse until they asked history stuff and I rattled of the medical terms. However, the nurse did great and continued on like I was a normal patient. I also promised not to be the worst patient. When all was said and done, they said I was a great patient. I think it was the drugs they gave me.

Thank You Native Maine and all the great friends I've made on the web!Your support has definately helped.Went to see Radiologist yesterday-6.5 weeks for that.Last leg of this journey. Incision in axilla area still very sore. Can not believe how long this process is. No matter which way you go on your decision, takes lots of time for healing and repair! Working on healthy living . Keeping my weight down at this time of year is a challenge.My  2 dogs are always willing to take on the weather(more than me)for a walk.Merry Christmas!

congrats, Karla!  I bet you'll find you remember more than you think, but if you need a bit longer re-orientation ask for it!  What a good start to the New Year!

Rita,

Congratulations. What wonderful news! And Karla, I know the feeling of coming back into your Nursing after an extended leave. You will be great, wishing you the best!

Karla,I definately would not be celebrating "that day".When I heard that diagnosis,I shut down and cried for 2 days.Those were dark days also. Men can be a support but clueless! We went away before I started tx and it was so stressful I did not enjoy it.Hubby couldn't understand why I did not have a good time. How about celebrating end of tx. Maybe his thought  was one year of being cancer free? Focus on that ,and change the date to happier times.

Namaste!

Rita and Native Mainer:  Thank you for your thoughts.  I do think I want to celebrate when I get "finished". 

Karla

Karla I guess from his point of view you have been carrying this thing together for a whole year, i guess he thinks (and I hope it's true) he has been your tower of strength for all of that year.... i went off and cried for nearly a week at diagnosis, def not a day to remember. But then I finished rads (and all active treatment) on what would have been my 25th anniversary if we hadnt have split up long ago, so that made a bad day good again. While I was on pre-surgical tamoxifen and getting totally frustrated about lack of progress, DD and her BF took me off on holiday that was great although I was constantly anxious, and we could do things i knew I wouldnt be able to do post=op, we have great memories and got to know the lad so much better in that surroundings. Have a great time together whatever you choose to do. 

Thanks...I haven't peeked over here for awhile due to life stuff. Great to know, and I will check it out. Hello to all my fellow Nurses!

Traci

Thanks for that FaceBook link.

Wishing all my fellow nurses well today!

Update.

Good Morning Everyone!!

March 2nd has come and gone and chemo thereapy is a thing of the past. I'm in recovery now abut knowing that I don't ahve any more treatments just makes me feel like a huge weight is off my shoulders. I didnt bounce back as well as I'd ahve like after treatment 5 so thinking this recovery might take longer too. I'm activity intolerant (walking up stairs makes my heart pound) but a hemoglobin of 110 will do that. I'm stocked up on prunes, spinach, beef and iron pills so that I can do my part in getting my levels back up tthe 140s where I'm used to. Lethergy sucks.

I'll be heading out to the Canadian west coast on the 15th of March for my radiation treatments. I have 28 of them so will be gone from my family the whole time. I'm thankful though that I will be staying with family so it all works out. Plus I'll be near the ocean and I find that is always healing.

I still have 10 Neupogen injections to do and the side effects of that, but I know that every one I get is one more to be completely done. YEAH!

I'll be on Tamoxofan for at least two years and then the doc suggested the aromatse inhibitors (?), I haven't done the research for that yet.

I'll also be looking at book my surgeries for reconstruction. I have made the choice to re-create breasts and not just get the TE out and live flat. though I have a PS that I really like, I've requested a consulation with anothe PS for post radiation. I want an unbiased opinion of the skin after it has been radiated. As I have full thickness scars from a burn injury to my torso as a child this factors in with any micro surgery. I want to hear what this doc has to say. Though he works out of a hospital 4 hours away from me, if i feel more comfortable I'll go with him (I've heard that he has no personality and just gives you the facts, where as my first PS is soooooo charming!!)  I really look back and wished that the PS who did the immediate recon did not put in the implant and instead went with the TE on both sides as I believe the stress on the incision played a part on the area that did not take and eventually broke down and lead to the loss of the implant.

Shoulda, woulda, coulda...

On the time calander of getting reconstruction I'm going to have to wait longer until the rads skin settles down and options can be given. I'm getting the 28 treatments to my chest wall, the upper chest and the arm pit. I will not be getting the ALND as the research shows there is no diff in re-occurance vs LE and the problems women have with that.

On another positive note..I have my full count of growing hair back, it is about half an inch long and my regrual dark color with grey poking through...my luck. BUT it does feel thinker in the crown. I did not lose any to the Taxotare. though my eyebrows and eye lashes did thin significantly. Did I read that Vit D helps with that cause i got a whole bottle of that stuff and I'll be on it like a junkie on heroin if it helps!

So glad this part of the journey is over. You gals have been great and I've loved reading all your posts.

Blessings to you all,

 Patti