Follow-up with Dr. Osland

What a week! I really must try to post more often.



Went back to work as scheduled on Wednesday. It was a busy day, and I was amazed at how well I felt and how much stamina I had to draw on. Took it easy Wednesday night and slept like a rock. Went in to the office Thursday morning, as my boss is out until Tuesday. Al's department is SO short-handed these days, he didn't take off to go with me, and though I had offers, I decided to go by myself.



Dr. Osland looked me over and answered my questions. Then she did something I never expected from a doctor -- she APOLOGIZED!!! At the time, my boob was still looking rather cock-eyed and puckered, and she apologized that it didn't look better. I love this woman!!! And her staff is so wonderful as well.



So, for the medical, non-gory details: the lump was actually only 1.0 x 1.0 x 0.8 cm (though I read in the path report they removed a 4.8 x 4.0 x 4.0 cm section; no wonder I'm bruised!), the remaining margins are clean (no cancer cells found in the 'section'), no cancer found in the lymph nodes, Estrogen receptors are 95% as are the Progesterone Receptors, the Proliferative Index is 7% (low is GOOD), and the HER2 Protein is Negative, a 1+ which means my cancer is not an aggressive type of cancer. Interpretation: It's all good. All the cancer that could be surgically removed is gone.

Next stop: medical oncologist, to determine whether I'll need chemotherapy. From what Dr. Beck drew me in our follow-up with him for Al in August, I shouldn't need any. Dr. Osland was great and gave me some good questions to ask him and told me if he's definitive one way or the other, I should really push him for a reason. The good news is that there's a lab test out there called Oncotyping where they test the tissue that's already been removed to see whether chemotherapy would be effective for me. {Just for the record here -- because I know you're asking yourself, too -- I did ask why not go ahead and do the oncotyping and make this decision a no-brainer. The response from both Dr. Osland and my oncologist's office was "that's not how it's done; you need to see the oncologist first".}

So I've made an appointment for October 6 with Dr. Cathcart-Rake at Tammy Walker Cancer Center, literally across the hall from Al's oncologist with other shared facilities. And you know me, the first thing I want to know is "why NOT do the oncotyping?". My logic is that they could do that NOW and the lab work (which takes 10 days to 2 weeks) would be there when I go to see him. But that's just not done. Hurry up and wait.

My only source of comfort about this timing is that Dr. Osland says I can't start any treatment til 4 weeks after my surgery anyway, because all that tissue needs to heal before we start bombarding it with chemo or radiation. And, yes, I already called the radiation oncologist's office to see how long a wait it would be to get in to see her! Probably same week service, but not until the medical oncologist 'excuses' me from chemo. To quote my dear husband, "Hurry up and wait"!!!

Once I'm finished with all my treatment, I'll have to take an aromatase inhibitor for 5 years. This will fill those hormone receptors in my cells to keep potential recurrent cancer cell growth at bay. This is an issue since I don't have Rx insurance coverage in my job, but I can probably get into a study that will provide the drugs free or at reduced cost since I'm considered young (ha!!!) to be post-menopausal (thanks to my hysterectomy/oophorectomy last fall). And we're looking into Al's insurance to see if I can enroll in Rx-only since I have better health insurance in my job. Then again, another option is job change, LOL.

Emotionally, I remain strong. For some reason, the tear switch has been turned on the past few days, but I dunno why. Perhaps it's disappointment at the potential of not needing this t-shirt. Or because I'm sad to have finished reading Fannie Flagg's book, Can't Wait to Get to Heaven. (Wonderful book, mom, and at just the right time; but read her Standing in the Rainbow first.) It helps that I've rather adopted breast cancer education as a personal mini-mission. I figure if I can get somebody doing BSEs or having a mammogram and save them from my experience, I'm paying it forward.

And now, dear readers, I'm off to whip out the car, pop off the tops, and fetch Al for lunch. Thanks so much for your e-mails, calls and cards; they always arrive at just the right time!!!

xoxoxo
Sharon

Monday, Monday

Well, I did get dressed on Saturday. Al and I even went out for breakfast. Pam & McKaylen came by to visit, and we went out to Hobby Lobby. Riding in the car was not a lot of fun, but it felt good to walk around the store. Al went off to work 1-10, and I slept most of the afternoon away.

Saturday night was restless and Sunday was pretty much sleep, sleep, sleep. I actually slept like a rock last night, so am hoping to be a bit more active today. The good news is that the swelling has finally receded, except over the specific spot where the lump was, and both incisions are looking really good. They itch and sting a bit, so we know they're healing.

I go back to work on Wednesday, and see the surgeon for follow-up on Thursday.

Poor Max doesn't know what to think. His favorite place to sleep is the middle of my chest, and I won't let him up there. He and Mikey have been quite the little nursemaids; they barely leave my side!!! One of the reasons I'm sleeping in the guest bedroom is that I can shut the door with them on the other side. I just don't need a cat jumping one me in the middle of the night!!!

Al is really facing some challenges at work these days. Their 'new' manager Josh finally started working in the department August 1, then Leonard was killed in a car wreck mid-August. Robert hurt his knee a couple of weeks ago, had surgery and will be off about 6 weeks. Now poor Lance took a couple of days off last week to work on his porch, and cut off a finger with his table saw!!! They managed to re-attach it, but he'll be out til at least the first of the month.

Far as I know, Danny's still in one piece, but he only works part-time. So Al and Josh are splitting the days trying to cover the department. You all know how Al doesn't like to let things go undone, so he's pushing himself trying to get everything taken care of, and he's just worn out, poor guy!!! He doesn't like to sleep in the waterbed without me, so he's been camping out in the basement.

Well, I'm off to get some breakfast, get dressed and get going. I'm sick of laying around, and though I know I won't be doing much of anything, I need to do SOMETHING.

xoxoxo
Sharon

Let's make that a slow CRAWL

Last night I was able to remove the bandaging, and just taking all that tape off made me more comfortable. But when I looked at my poor, misshaped boob I nearly threw up. My underarm and the right side of my boob are quite swollen, and evidently the tape held the rest (where the incision is, and where the tumor was) enough that it did not swell. So it had this horrible shape, and my nipple was very distorted looking. I don't think I'll ever forget how devastating that felt and how hideous it looked. I thought about a picture -- you know, to prepare somebody else -- but decided that was right up there with taking pix of a person in their casket (YUK!) so I didn't.

But I had a nice long, hot shower followed by a fresh camisole and nightgown and told myself it would look more natural once the swelling goes down.

I slept surprisingly well last night, but woke up this morning sore, swollen and miserable from about my breast bone to my elbow. I've done little to nothing all day -- which is what I'm supposed to be doing -- except suck down a few drugs, answer the phone, sleep, and tuck an ice pack hither and yon to try to reduce this swelling. Doesn't seem to be helping the swelling much, but my boob is taking on a more 'normal' appearance. And it sure is tender -- more like a really nasty bruise along the incision site.

I don't like how Percosette makes me feel, so I only took some first thing this morning, and have been taking Advil the rest of the day instead. After a couple of days taking Percosette, my skin starts crawling so I've added Benadryl to take away those itchies. Truly, I don't know how drug addicts stand it!!! Besides, I can't even focus enough to read when I take those drugs and a girl can only stand so much TV. Fortunately, I'd recorded a number of things on the DVR that have kept me entertained. And Bravo had a West Wing marathon today. LOL

So I figure tomorrow's going to get better, and the day after that, and the day after that. Maybe I'll even get dressed tomorrow.

xoxoxo
Sharon

A Walk in the Park

Surgery is behind me. The lump is gone along with a few lymph nodes. Best of all, no cancer was found in the preliminary tests in the lymph nodes. The lump and the excised lymph nodes will be sent to a lab for more detailed testing that will take about a week. So I'll have ALL the details when I go back to see Dr. Osland on the 26th.

If you want all the details, read on:

I must say, I have to recommend Cypress Imaging and Surgery Center. I started with imaging where they had the perfect mammogram machine -- a table you lie on face down with a large circular opening to slip your boob through (the hole has a divider so your 'untested' boob stays on the table!). They did a mammogram to locate the clip from my biopsy then brought out a small machine that 'shot' a needle with a fine wire right into the lump, guided by the mammogram machine. Next they removed the needle, and we went to the next room for a traditional stand-up mammogram to ensure the lead end of the wire was in the lump. Evidently this wire guides the surgeon right to the lump.

I looked like I had an antennae coming out of my boob. The technician laughed that I might channel a nearby radio station. I told her as long as it wasn't country music, that would be fine!!!

Next she folded the wire over and carefully sandwiched in in gauze. I got dressed, and she walked me over to the surgical center for the usual prep. Cleo came over to hang out with Al during the procedure -- thanks so much, Cleo!!! The anesthesiologist was not surprised to learn I get nauseous after surgery, so he put that anti-nausea stuff in my anesthesia, and put a great patch behind my ear that I can leave on for 3 days. Pain meds tend to make me nauseous as well, so that's a boost. Surgery was at 12:30, but Dr. Osland ran a bit late. Everybody from the anesthesiologist to the scrub nurse stopped by my bed to see whether I'd seen her!!!

She came and spoke to us, they wheeled me into the operating room and I moved to another table. Next thing I know, I'm in post-op with Al and Cleo, with FAR less discomfort that I had expected and WAY less bandaging -- I have a 4x4 on my boob and another under my arm. After a few crackers and a Diet Pepsi, I was able to get dressed and get out of there. And let me tell you, I am going to sing praises to the world about this camisole. It's supportive, it's comfortable, and you don't have to lift your arms to get into it -- you can just step in.

Cleo had invited us to stop by her house, so I enjoyed a granola bar (who ever thought I'd say that??? ENJOYED a granola bar!) en route, and settled into my favorite cushy armchair and ottoman at their house. Don grilled chicken, they made a lovely salad, and they fed my poor, starving husband. I wasn't ready for a meal yet. Cleo's left arm is wrapped from palm to above the elbow, as she injured it over the weekend in their flooding (which didn't make it into the house, thank goodness!) We had a lovely visit, and she showed me her latest pattern -- fuchsia with a hummingbird, GLORIOUS!!! -- refilled my ice bag and my cup, and we headed home around 8:30. No queasy stomach whatsoever, just this icky taste in my mouth from that patch -- which is an easy trade-off in my book.

I slept in the guest bedroom last night, so I could close the door to keep the cats out. And thanks to the orientation of our bathroom, I can use the vanity counter with my left arm to stand myself up. Oh, one more proclamation:

I will never again complain or tease my husband about putting in a taller toilet.

This morning, I'm feeling quite well (now that the drugs have kicked in), and will be concentrating the ice pack under my arm. It's very tender there. I can take my dressings off later this afternoon, but until then I will be taking it WAY easy. And there'll be a shower in the offing, which I am seriously looking forward to!!!

Thanks to everybody for the cards, calls and e-mails. Keep 'em coming, wouldya?!?
xoxoxo
Sharon

Support

I was given a card about the local Breast Cancer Support Group meeting last week, and there was some reason in my mind I wanted to go. (I tacked the card up at my cube at work.) I truly debated whether to go, thinking it could be depressing or annoying. But I decided to give it a whirl anyway.

So there were the presenter and the rep from the Cancer Center, and FOUR other ladies there. FOUR. Wazzup with that??? Three of them were closer to my mother's age (I think!) than mine, the most recent being 2 years out from surgery, and the other was 33 (I asked) and has been having chemo since LAST October to shrink her cancer so she can have surgery. You know I can't remember names, but she's going to stay close to my heart, and I hope I'll see her again.

I'm so glad I went. The thing I hadn't figured out yet was what to wear to the surgical center. They'd advised me to bring "an old, ratty, looser fitting bra" to wear home after surgery due to the bandaging. But I throw out old bras (though I'll admit I ran across a sports bra that would probably fit the bill; I just wouldn't be able to pull it on!), so I was a bit perplexed on this one. Pam said I should just go home without, but I felt some support would be a good thing, especially for a 90 mile drive home.

They featured a presentation from the local pharmacy that supplies DME. She brought a variety of items from the lines they carry in the store. And, who knew? She had the perfect camisole designed for post-surgery that provides support, and can be stepped into, so I wouldn't have to try to slip it over my head. It even has an attachable pouch for the drain bags if a drain is used. So guess where I'm going tomorrow!?!?! That's right, I'll be headed to B&K to pick up a camisole. Oh yeah, it's even covered by insurance!

The most shocking thing I learned from this meeting was that of the 'patients' in the room, I was the most knowledgable about implants, reconstruction, staging, hormone receptors, the whole nine yards. I referred them to the NCI website. They all wished me the best with surgery next week (FINALLY!), and said they hoped I'd come back. I believe I will.