Iamblessed

thank you everyone, i really appreciate your time to reply to me. i appeciate the prayers more than you know. thanks Vicki. for anyone else who has had to endur chemo or radiation, do you have any suggestions on what else i can do for her? pamfenton suggested satin pillowcases and down pillow, which is great. thank you Pam. thank you also to Wendy and Debbie.

Debbie-thank you for your kind words. do you live in the same state as your sister? yes, my sister and I are extremely close.i'm losing my mind not being able to be with her. i used up all of everything when i had to go through the crap with bc, and now have nothing left to be able to go be with her. i even though of "what would happen if i lost my job? i could get a different one when all this is better...but my husband brought me back to reality when he said I need my medical insurance i have through my job for my condition and his too'

my mind races 24/7 and i havent' been able to think straight at all. i called in to work today as i cannot function. i dont know what to do. i just dont know what to do. i need to be with her. she needs me. i'm just rambling on now.

anythng else help those who had to go through chemo or radiation? any comfort measures, ideas that helped you endure and keep your spirts high through all of it? what was it that kept you sane, ? was there a certain point that made you say "i'm fightin this S*^t/!!! i'm so damn tired of cancer, and so pissed off. i'm sure all of you understand.

anything you can think of,no matter how small or silly it sounds so i can help her, please let me know. anthing.

i'm so lost

Hey gals,

Well, I went to my doctor yesterday, and after examination, she told me she is 99% sure it is Carotidynia. She said it isn't very common ( imagine that?). Nothing is swollen at all.Apparently nothing to do with the surgery as most of you indicated.

 "Carotidynia is considered by most authors to be a unilateral deep-seated neck pain radiating to the ear and face and aggravated by head movements, swallowing, chewing, coughing, yawning, and sneezing. "

Steroids will help it heal quicker, and she wrote me a prescription for it, however I am hesitant to take it yet without speaking with NOLA if it is okay. For now, I am taking hydro for pain relief, and using warm compresses. Just to be on the safe side, as my temp was slightly elevated, she took blood work and ordered an ultrasound of the neck area, over the artery, which I  am scheduled for Tuesday after I get off work. She also told me to monitor my temp, wrote me a script for antibiotics, and told me to fill it if my temp went up, to fill out.

So , there we have it, Thanks for all of your concern, I will keep in touch. My grandkids are here now, I need to fly!!

Hugs to all, and God Bless

Warmly,

Dottie

LuAnn,

My son has already done a tour in Iraq, and come back safe. He married and had a baby girl, who is now 4months old. He just left two days ago for another tour, this time in Afghanistan. I pray for him and every other soldier every night. Thanks for the information about the paint brushes though, I didn't know that. My prayers will continue.

God Bless you and your family,

Hugs,

Dottie

jmfl-

I sent you a private message

Dottie

Young79

Boy I wished I knew this before my bi-lateral mx DIEP!!! Girls, I would definately heed Young79;s advice. I was never told I would not be able to reach "behind" of my own bum, until the day I had to. Not cool. I DID have to subject my poor hubby for help. He said he didn't mind, but I felt absolutely horrible about it.  Get the Lav-aid ! I definatey would have had I know I was going to need it. Ironic, I had my bi-lateral surgery the same day you posted this topic.

Great advice young79!!! God bless.

Warmly,Dottie

Hey girls,

Just wanted to update. Late I know, but just the same..lol. I have had my bi-lateral mx with DIEP on June 4 at NOLA. I will be 5 weeks out from surgery tomorrow. I'm glad with the decision I made. More dcis was found after mx than what originally suspected and additional atypical ductal hyperplasia as well. The decision was right for me. Now, time will do the healing for this stage. Going back to NOLA in February 09 for second stage.

After going through this, with minor setbacks to boot, I'm not sure I feel guilty as I did prior to this "treatment." For me, I wanted the most agressive route, and took it. I still feel very deeply for any woman (man) who has had to endure chemo. And yes, I do still wonder if the woman who have endured chemo, think less of me as a bc "sister" because I was able to make the chemo detour. I do wonder what bc "sisters" think of me after they realize, yes, I've had the tests, the MRI, the biopsies, and the surgery , BUT never had to endure chemo and its side effects. Never had to lose my hair. Or vomit from the poison. Or enter early menopause. None of that. So, I guess it's not so much of my feeling guilty of myself as much as it once did, but leans more now to; what do my bc "sisters" who have endured so much more than I, feel about me?

Anyhoo, just my thoughts for the moment. Sorry to get so carried away. God bless all of you, and take care.

 Ah pooh, just realized I wrote my mx info in my signature prior to this. Sorry for the duplication of information.

Warmly, Dottie 

Hey girls,

Does anyone know how NOLA handles the hip "doggie ears" at stage 2, left from stage 1? I'm wondering, do they cut them and skin graft? Do they re-opened the incisions at the hip ends and ,cut the excess and re-suture? Does anyone know? What else exactly do they do at stage 2? Would anyone who has been there done that , please let me know? Thanks a million!

PS Used to be Mumsy, changed username to Iamblessed, because that's how I feel.

God Bless,

Dottie

Oh Wendy, I changed my username from mumsy to Iamblessed

Hi Slinkymalinky

Is your life insurance private or through your employment? I'm just wondering as I only have life insurance through my employer, and wouldn't know how to even contact my life insurance holder? Any ideas? Thank you!! I'm am in great financial assistance right now, if fact, in jeorpardy of losing our home, and this would be yet another BLESSING if it was something my life insurance policy covered. Thank you for letting us all know!!!!

Hugs,

Dottie

Hi Susan G!

Cant sleep so thought I would reply, just saw your post!

I am doing okay, thank you. It's three weeks out from surgery, will be four on Wednesday , the 2nd of July. My "foobs" are real sore, but to be expected! And my energy is sapped!! But again, to be expected. I am getting around, albeit slowly, and will be increasing my daily walks each week as time progresses. So far, I do like the results of my "foobs." I have to wait until the scabs on my incisions heal before I can use any lotion or tape on the incisions. NOLA has already sent me the tape and today I bought Palmers cocoa butter in anticipation of using it. I have to admit, my stomach is so TIGHT! Its gotten better of course since day 1, however still restricting for me. And I can at least reach my you know what after you know what in the "john." Couldn't do that at first!! LOL!

 I did get a nasty stomach virus ( family  had it too) my first week home from surgery which put me in ER for hours receiving fluids, a shot and medicine to take home. It was horrible. Thank God it only last a couple of days. It had me in tears. Not good. Glads its over. I also was treated with antibiotics as well as my ab incision became red. Sent pics to NOLA and they immediately prescribed antibiotics and advised me to put bedadine on the incisoin 2-3 times a day to help with the redness.

Anyhoo----just a bit of advice for those still to have this type of surgery or any flap surgery, don't hang around anyone you think even for a moment might be harboring some sort of virus. Anything at all. Immune system will be down, and it will be too easy to "catch" something. With this type of surgery you need to stay well to heal well. 

Any questions, feel free to ask, or pm me if you like. I dont come on too much lately as I am conentrating on healing but I will come on occasionally to check for questions so I can answer anyone who needs help, if I can help.

God Bless all of you!!!!!

Warmly, Dottie