Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Soon it will be my turn

Tomorrow I am off to my oncologist appointment to hear what my treatments are going to be. I’m a little nervous but at the same time anxious to get this over with. I know for sure that I will have to do radiation treatments because it goes with having a lumpectomy but I don’t know if there is going to be anything else. My mom has completed her chemo treatments and is in her second week of radiation. She goes Monday through Friday and it takes and her treatments take about 15 minutes. She’s doing really well and her hair is starting to grow back. YEAH!!! She does however get really tired by the end of the week. But it is good to see that she is starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel as far as her treatments go. Now soon it will be my turn…..

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Follow-up

It’s been 12 days since surgery and I am feeling great! I was really sore for a couple of days from where they took out the lymph nodes but its slowly starting to go away. I do however still look ‘lopsided’. Yes….I did say lopsided…one looks bigger than the other. How funny does that sound?... At first it kind of freaked me out but then I just stood there and laughed. I’m sure if you were to see me you wouldn’t even notice but I sure can feel it!


Oh! I almost forgot to mention that I received my results from UCSF regarding my BRCA 1 & 2. It all came back negative. When I got the phone call I was shocked! I thought for sure with my family history that it would have been positive. So with it being negative, it means I am not a carrier for the breast cancer gene and if I ever have a daughter, I will not pass this on to her. Thank God….Now that I am not a carrier it also means my sister does not have to get tested because my breast cancer is not hereditary. My question still is…Where did it come from? I must have been dealt a bad hand because I find it to be ironic that my grandmother had it and my mom has it too and it’s not hereditary?! Seriously? UCSF doesn’t have any answers either, they were just as shocked as I was but hey I’m going to take it and run with it…all the way to my next appointment.

Which as….today! I had my follow-up with the surgeon and my incisions are healing fine. He also told me that if it feels like I have water in me, it’s because I do. That explains why I look ‘lopsided’!!! I was told that he removed a lot of tissue around the tumor and that he doesn’t suture the muscle together. What he does is he fills the area where the tissue was removed with saline so it fills the gap. In time my body will reabsorb the saline and as it heals the girls will look even. It won’t look like have a dent. Makes sense right? But the best part…. he told me my lymph nodes were clean of cancer!!! The cancer did not spread to my lymph nodes!!! Super excited about that!

I still have to see my oncologist to learn the stage and what my treatments are going to be. So far I have received good news twice. First about my genetic testing being negative and second, my lymph nodes are negative. I’m hoping the oncologist will have some kind of good news for me too!

Ending on that note…thought I’d share the beautiful flowers I got from the ladies in the Dynamic District Lodge……







and the orchid from my best friend from college….



Until next time.....

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Surgery

Friday was the big take-out-the-cancer day and I am so happy it’s over. It really wasn’t a long surgery but it sure just felt like that day was never going to come. So here’s a rundown of my day….


First of all, the night before I didn’t sleep very well because of all the anticipation and just wanting it to be over with so having to get up at 5 a.m. to be at the hospital by 6 a.m. was not a big deal. Once I was there I was admitted to the Surgical Observation Unit to get prepped for surgery. Having worked at the hospital for the past 9 years definitely had its perks. See, working in the lab you get to know a lot of nurses over the phone but never really get to see them because lab people don’t usually venture off to the floors. Once I was put into a room, the nurse came in, introduced herself as Suzanne and then I told her who I was. She was pretty surprised to see me and said that she knew exactly who I was because she could never forget a name like mine. And really….who can.

During my prep for surgery Suzanne took very good care of me. She asked if I was nervous  and I told her the only concern I had was getting the Sentinel Node Biopsy done because my mom said that it hurt like an SOB! She mentioned that all her patients who go through that have had the same experience. Now remember when I said knowing people had its perks? Well…Suzanne hooked me up!! Before I was sent to Nuclear Medicine to get the Sentinel Node Biopsy done she had given me a dose of Verst. In a matter of 15 seconds the happy juice kicked in, I was wheeled to Nuclear Med and didn’t feel a thing!!! It was great!  And of course my mom was jealous.

Around 9:10 a.m. I was wheeled into surgery. I was in there for an hour and a half and was in recovery for only 45 min. They told my mom that I would be in recovery for at least an hour and a half but I was ready to go home and didn't have any complications with the anesthesia. I was home by 1 pm and slept for about 3 hours and felt fine afterwards. They gave me Ketorolac for an antibiotic and Darvocet. I haven't had to take the Darvocet because I don't feel any pain. I am however really, really swollen and just sore from where they took out the lymph nodes. The doctor did remove 2 lymph nodes plus the tumor. Apparently, he always takes 2 lymph nodes just as a precaution.



I did get plenty of rest over the weekend and had great people taking care of me. My sister was there to help along with my mom and my favorite little man was there to brighten up my spirits. My Aunt Cathy, Gianna and Ivan came to visit and brought ice cream cupcakes! I also got a set of PJ's from my best friend Stephanie (love them!), the book The Bedwetter by Sarah Silverman (Gia you always know how to pick a good book), Elena brought a movie and lunch over (thanks again!) and many flowers from family.



So I want to give a BIG thank you to them for helping me through this. I couldn’t have done it without you!! And many, many thanks to all those who came to visit, called or just had me in their thoughts.  I have a great support system and I love you all!! Geez…sounds like an Oscar speech.



As far as my results go, I should be finding out sometime this week. I hoping it’s going to be good news so please keep your fingers crossed….