3rd times a charm??

Zoisite

I have not been on this site in while and well here I am playing the waiting game again 3rd time . I had my 5 year check up from the second time I had BC and they found a lump they want to do an US next week. I’m worried and the waiting is the pits. I know it will be a while if it is cancer before I have a plan and that is the hardest. I am hoping it is just scar tissue or change in tissue since my DMX to now. I had reconstruction and it is in the breast that did not ever have cancer. I hope that’s a good sign. I hope everyone else waiting with me gets B9 results thinking of you all

lw422

Sorry you find yourself here again. My very best wishes to you for a "B-9" outcome. I know waiting is the hardest thing.

mavericksmom

Ruth and Wonder - I vacuumed the two rooms because I wanted to - DH asked a few times to do it. I just want to be able to some things, but not over do it. I've been taking it easy this week. Yesterday, DH and I went to the bank, another errand and I went for a short walk. DS came for dinner and I cooked salmon, quinoa and spinach salad. This is really an easy dinner with about 10 minutes prep. That was in the course of 12 hours. So I"m really not doing very much.

As far as cleaning person - no need. Since my DH retired he has taken over most of the cleaning - he always helped. Before this MM, I was only cleaning the kitchen sinks and counters after cooking Shabbat dinner and vacuuming the floor. He will take over whatever I can't do. I said to him yesterday, that occasionally, might want someone to cook Shabbat dinner for us since chemo injections are moving to Fridays, DH said he could do the cooking. He is a great cook. I've learned over the years to give up control and doing it all years ago. DD#2 was born 3 weeks before Passover and I was doing chemo 17 years ago.

I had originally planned to clean my kitchen - ovens, fridge, basement fridge, kitchen cabinet doors etc and begin cooking for Passover which begins next Wednesday night. Other than bringing up a few boxes (small) of Passover stuff I haven't done anything. If I feel good enough today, I will do the downstairs fridge. If I feel good on Sunday, I will do the upstairs fridge. I will rely on DH to do the rest. DD#2 gets in late Monday night so she can help cook on Tuesday and Wednesday.

I need something besides the Zofran as it doesn't last 8 hours. I'm not nauseas per se - but stomach just isn't right. Makes it hard to eat. The protein powder I ordered arrived yesterday - it is flavorless so hopefully the powder will be palatable in water, oj, or a smoothies. I ordered a small bullet blender that is supposed to arrive tomorrow. I've got to do something to stop the weight loss. I'm eating, but I just can't eat that much at a meal and I have no desire to snack. My son took some of the candy I bought since I'm not eating it.

Still waiting for insurance to pre-approve the CT of my neck and the Zometa. Endocrinologist submitted the referral for the CT scan on the 20th. Hematologist only submitted or Zometa on Monday. Waiting for the transplant oncologist office to call. I left a message yesterday, so hopefully I'll hear today.

Foggy this morning but supposed to get near 60 but cooler tomorrow. Weather is supposed to be nice till Tuesday or Wednesday.

Wonder, the flowers are beautiful. Ruth, I always like seeing the WWW.

Have a good Thursday everyone.

Zoisite

mavericksmom I hope all went well with your surgery and your healing quickly. I tried to post this before but for some reason it did not post. My US went well the dr felt it was not cancer. They want me to follow up with the plastic surgeon and to have an MRI they think it is something with my implant. I will see about getting one scheduled in the next few weeks.

mavericksmom

Oh wow, I missed your post zoisite! Happy to hear your doctor doesn't think it is cancer! Have you ever had a Breast MRI? I did once and hope I never need one ever again! I couldn't stand lying on my stomach in that tube! Claustrophobia!

My surgery went well, but there was still some "drama." Because I also had the mapping done at the same time, I couldn't have my IV in my "non-lymphedema" arm. The anesthesiologist came in to put it in my foot! She warned me it would hurt a lot more than having it put in the arm. It did! She made three attempts, twice in one foot, once in the other. The pain was so bad I thought I was going to lose it and normally I will suck up the pain with no problem. She finally put it in my neck! That hurts too, but not nearly like the foot!

I ended up staying in the PACU for four hours instead of one hour, due to my blood pressure being too high. Because it was dark outside when it was time for me to be released my daughter came and took me home because my husband doesn't have good night vision for driving. It was also good because I came home on six medications, one, oxycodone, I knew I wouldn't take but the doctor said while I shouldn't need it, he would send me home with a few just in case. I did not need them. Each medication came with 4 pieces of papers with information and my daughter was great at sorting them out, stapling each set together and numbering the drugs and papers so if I had a question, it was easy to find the answer. She also got me some soup and made sure I had everything i needed in my reach and was doing ok.

I was told not to remove the dressings or surgical bra or abdominal compression garment before my first follow up appointment, which also meant no showers! Ugh. I started to feel some itching of the skin on my implant breast but didn't worry. I couldn't see anything due to the bandages. At my follow up appointment, I knew by the reaction of my surgeon that something was wrong. I had a huge bright red blistery rash on my exchange breast! He thought it was a fungal infection and put me on medication for three days. It didn't get any better, and he said it wasn't a fungal infection but contact dermatitis from the dressing material. All I needed to do was to expose my breast to air, by taking off the padding and surgical bra and just wearing a shirt. I felt relief in a matter of hours! By the next day it already looked much better. It is still improving.

I remembered a similar issue when I had my port put in for chemo in 2003, when I had my first breast cancer. They covered it with something that caused the same reaction. Twenty years ago, there were no patient portals, no summary sheets or notes. I just told people I was allergic to surgical tape. Thankfully this time they put the complete name of the dressing in my records on my allergy page!

There was apparently even more drama, but I slept through it. During my surgery, the cauterizing instrument malfunctioned and sparks flew out everywhere and gave me surgical burns. The surgeon was able to excise the burned skin and I would not even known about it if he hadn't told me. He said it never happened to him before and it really upset him. My sister, who worked in the office of a surgery center said that happens more often than most people know! She knew the exact name of the instrument.

So now, two weeks post op, I am doing very well. I have another follow up appointment next week.

Do you know how many follow up appointments are normal for the exchange surgery and if they require yearly appointments or only if a problem is suspected? I never even thought to ask about long term follow up visits. I guess because when I completed my follow up appointments after my DIEP in 2019, I never had any more appointments with my plastic surgeon, so I am assuming implants are the same.