Monday, February 28, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
five more radiation treatments down....
apx. 11 (or 12 ?) to go . . . .
My skin irritation / rash is not getting any worse, so that's good! I've switched to a hydrocortisone cream (as suggested) and that relieves the itch.
Though I had an appointment with the plastic surgeon for next week, they called on Wednesday to ask if I could come in the next day. I gladly agreed! Thankfully Sabrina was available to go with me, as we received a ton of information and she was feverishly taking notes and asking questions : ) We had met with a plastic surgeon last May, before my mastectomy, but she has since gone on medical leave and it's unknown whether or not she'll return. So this was a consultation with Dr. Andrews and we both had a good impression / liked him very much. He spent well over an hour with us and was very thorough and informative.
He basically explained four reconstructive options for me and gave us a lot to consider. We talked extensively with his nurse afterwards as well. He did not recommend that I just get tissue expanders and implants, saying that the radiated skin is damaged (from the inside, out) and I would most likely not be pleased with the results. What I have decided to go with is called a Free Tram Flap (google it if you're curious : ) Which means they will make an incision from hip bone to hip bone, remove tissue and muscle and move that up top to give me some boobage (yes I made up that word) LOL
They will also move blood vessels, which will provide healthy blood flow to the relocated tissue. It'll be all natural, all me ..... with hopefully, no implants required! So in essence I'll be getting a tummy tuck ~ and before you say it, I've already heard it "what tummy?!" But he assured me he could get me to a full B-cup size by doing this.
The drawbacks: surgery will take 10 hours and I'll be hospitalized for 5 days after.....
Originally I had wanted surgery ASAP. But earlier this week, a Sanibel vacation developed and I've decided to wait until after that to have surgery. Radiation will not be over until mid-March and I need a month to recover, before they'd consider surgery (but optimal time is within 3 months). Friends have already taken off work at the end of April, to join me in Sanibel ~ for what we are calling a Survivor Shellibration! Marking the one year point - and completion of this chapter of my life - yaaay! Though I would love to have had surgery before we go, I realized I'd probably not be able to swim, and long beach walks might be out of the question; so I will wait. Britt encouraged me with these words: "last May when we were down there, you were preparing to come home and get those girls cut off ..... this May you'll be preparing to have 'em put back on!" : ) LOL - that's my girl!
I did call the plastic surgeons office yesterday and they are working to get me on the schedule for mid-May. There will be three surgeons participating, so coordinating their schedules can be tricky. I am (of course) a little nervous, but very excited to be nearing the end of this journey! Of course I'll keep ya posted ~
My skin irritation / rash is not getting any worse, so that's good! I've switched to a hydrocortisone cream (as suggested) and that relieves the itch.
Though I had an appointment with the plastic surgeon for next week, they called on Wednesday to ask if I could come in the next day. I gladly agreed! Thankfully Sabrina was available to go with me, as we received a ton of information and she was feverishly taking notes and asking questions : ) We had met with a plastic surgeon last May, before my mastectomy, but she has since gone on medical leave and it's unknown whether or not she'll return. So this was a consultation with Dr. Andrews and we both had a good impression / liked him very much. He spent well over an hour with us and was very thorough and informative.
He basically explained four reconstructive options for me and gave us a lot to consider. We talked extensively with his nurse afterwards as well. He did not recommend that I just get tissue expanders and implants, saying that the radiated skin is damaged (from the inside, out) and I would most likely not be pleased with the results. What I have decided to go with is called a Free Tram Flap (google it if you're curious : ) Which means they will make an incision from hip bone to hip bone, remove tissue and muscle and move that up top to give me some boobage (yes I made up that word) LOL
They will also move blood vessels, which will provide healthy blood flow to the relocated tissue. It'll be all natural, all me ..... with hopefully, no implants required! So in essence I'll be getting a tummy tuck ~ and before you say it, I've already heard it "what tummy?!" But he assured me he could get me to a full B-cup size by doing this.
The drawbacks: surgery will take 10 hours and I'll be hospitalized for 5 days after.....
Originally I had wanted surgery ASAP. But earlier this week, a Sanibel vacation developed and I've decided to wait until after that to have surgery. Radiation will not be over until mid-March and I need a month to recover, before they'd consider surgery (but optimal time is within 3 months). Friends have already taken off work at the end of April, to join me in Sanibel ~ for what we are calling a Survivor Shellibration! Marking the one year point - and completion of this chapter of my life - yaaay! Though I would love to have had surgery before we go, I realized I'd probably not be able to swim, and long beach walks might be out of the question; so I will wait. Britt encouraged me with these words: "last May when we were down there, you were preparing to come home and get those girls cut off ..... this May you'll be preparing to have 'em put back on!" : ) LOL - that's my girl!
I did call the plastic surgeons office yesterday and they are working to get me on the schedule for mid-May. There will be three surgeons participating, so coordinating their schedules can be tricky. I am (of course) a little nervous, but very excited to be nearing the end of this journey! Of course I'll keep ya posted ~
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
see you later friend ~
Tonight was the memorial service for a longtime friend - Mike Riggs.
I first met Mike when Tim and I were dating some 30 years ago. He was funny and friendly and one of those all-around great guys.....
Mike was diagnosed with pancreatic and liver cancer last fall. It was sad and shocking news.
Sabrina and I went to see him in November, while he was hospitalized and I was just finishing my chemotherapy treatments. She took this pic - which I will treasure forever.
I would visit Mike one more time, while he had chemo and I was preparing for radiation. Our mutual friend Barbie Walden was there and for a brief moment .... it was like being back in the early 80's. We joked and laughed and reminisced about old times.
Mike lost his battle just a few days ago.
Once again, I feel incredibly blessed.
And sad.
I first met Mike when Tim and I were dating some 30 years ago. He was funny and friendly and one of those all-around great guys.....
Mike was diagnosed with pancreatic and liver cancer last fall. It was sad and shocking news.
Sabrina and I went to see him in November, while he was hospitalized and I was just finishing my chemotherapy treatments. She took this pic - which I will treasure forever.
I would visit Mike one more time, while he had chemo and I was preparing for radiation. Our mutual friend Barbie Walden was there and for a brief moment .... it was like being back in the early 80's. We joked and laughed and reminisced about old times.
Mike lost his battle just a few days ago.
Once again, I feel incredibly blessed.
And sad.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
another week down
check five more treatments off my list!
Not much new to report. Except for an itchy rash which started on my collarbone and is now spreading to my chest wall. I try to leave it alone, and they've told me to put Neosporin on it.
I met a new friend in Mahomet for coffee yesterday - she is a BC patient / survivor as well. We actually met on a BC message board, which has members from all over the United States and other countries.... but her screen name was Mahometmom, and she was asking if anyone went to Carle in Champaign! I started communicating with her and we discovered we both have Dr. Rowland as our oncologist :)
So we met yesterday, swapped stories and compared notes. She met with the other plastic surgeon (not the one that I meet with on March 1st) and was not impressed. So she is anxious to hear what I think, after meeting with what may become my PS.
Then just this morning, I was on Shuttercal, a photography website which gives you a calendar & encourages you to take a picture a day (which shockingly, I don't do!) LOL .... But anyway, I saw a gals picture of her pink ribbon 'Strength' bracelet and I left her a comment. We exchanged email addresses and have been corresponding already today! She is 41, lives in San Diego and was diagnosed in November of last year.
Yes, this journey of mine continues to expand my life. Which as I think about (in typing it) is sort of ironic.... cancer has not limited my life experiences - it has expanded them - yaaaay!
I have a dinner date for tonight.
And life is pretty darn good!
Not much new to report. Except for an itchy rash which started on my collarbone and is now spreading to my chest wall. I try to leave it alone, and they've told me to put Neosporin on it.
I met a new friend in Mahomet for coffee yesterday - she is a BC patient / survivor as well. We actually met on a BC message board, which has members from all over the United States and other countries.... but her screen name was Mahometmom, and she was asking if anyone went to Carle in Champaign! I started communicating with her and we discovered we both have Dr. Rowland as our oncologist :)
So we met yesterday, swapped stories and compared notes. She met with the other plastic surgeon (not the one that I meet with on March 1st) and was not impressed. So she is anxious to hear what I think, after meeting with what may become my PS.
Then just this morning, I was on Shuttercal, a photography website which gives you a calendar & encourages you to take a picture a day (which shockingly, I don't do!) LOL .... But anyway, I saw a gals picture of her pink ribbon 'Strength' bracelet and I left her a comment. We exchanged email addresses and have been corresponding already today! She is 41, lives in San Diego and was diagnosed in November of last year.
Yes, this journey of mine continues to expand my life. Which as I think about (in typing it) is sort of ironic.... cancer has not limited my life experiences - it has expanded them - yaaaay!
I have a dinner date for tonight.
And life is pretty darn good!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
pre-spring
well, we've had temperatures in the 40's and they say 50's, maybe even 60* is coming our way! Definitely giving us all a bit of spring fever around here!
Radiation continues to go well. I have a little a rash on my collar bone - which is where my radiation oncologist said I would break out first. I'm using Neosporin as suggested and hoping it will stay minor. I think I'm at about treatment # 14-15, so nearly halfway through - yaay!
I've had a good week. Some scrapbooking and some good times with my girlfriends over the weekend. Here are some pics ~
\
Then on Monday (Valentines day) we had our monthly Ladies Lunch Bunch - here is Elizabeth and I
And one of our friends had us draw a card (I thought she was gonna do a magic trick :) but no.... there were inspirational messages on each one. This is the one I pulled ~ I love it and couldn't agree more!
Radiation continues to go well. I have a little a rash on my collar bone - which is where my radiation oncologist said I would break out first. I'm using Neosporin as suggested and hoping it will stay minor. I think I'm at about treatment # 14-15, so nearly halfway through - yaay!
I've had a good week. Some scrapbooking and some good times with my girlfriends over the weekend. Here are some pics ~
\
Then on Monday (Valentines day) we had our monthly Ladies Lunch Bunch - here is Elizabeth and I
And one of our friends had us draw a card (I thought she was gonna do a magic trick :) but no.... there were inspirational messages on each one. This is the one I pulled ~ I love it and couldn't agree more!
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
more curls
Nothing new to report really.
Radiation is still going well.
But I swear my hair is growing more every day!
Check out the curls I have in back now . . .
Radiation is still going well.
But I swear my hair is growing more every day!
Check out the curls I have in back now . . .
Monday, February 7, 2011
Monday update
I'm doing well, just keep getting more and more radiant each day!
(Totally kidding - that was a radiation joke!)
I've had 8 treatments now. Saw the dr. again this morning (see radiation oncologist once a week) and he was pleased. I had blood work done last week - he said they need to be sure my hemoglobins are high enough. I was at 11.9 and he said 10 is good (guess that means I'm great?) LOL
Not much other news that I can think of. I went to a comedy show with a guy friend on Saturday night; then watched the Super Bowl with he and some friends yesterday. Green Bay beat the Steelers. Works for me.... my reasoning was, I can't stand Rothlisberger and I wanted Green Bay to prove they can win it all WITHOUT Brett Favre!
Another picture of the new hair color -
(Totally kidding - that was a radiation joke!)
I've had 8 treatments now. Saw the dr. again this morning (see radiation oncologist once a week) and he was pleased. I had blood work done last week - he said they need to be sure my hemoglobins are high enough. I was at 11.9 and he said 10 is good (guess that means I'm great?) LOL
Not much other news that I can think of. I went to a comedy show with a guy friend on Saturday night; then watched the Super Bowl with he and some friends yesterday. Green Bay beat the Steelers. Works for me.... my reasoning was, I can't stand Rothlisberger and I wanted Green Bay to prove they can win it all WITHOUT Brett Favre!
Another picture of the new hair color -
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