Hello all. It's almost time to start radiation. I am anxious to get started so that I can get done. My first treatment is tuesday June 5th. Very special day!! :) I will have 33 treatments. Everyday Monday through Friday. It is going to be more of a nuisance than anything because we will have to drive to Seattle every day. But oh well, it is what it is. My friend Libby said that radiation is a breeze compared to everything else we have went through. I may start to feel some fatigue after a few weeks of treatment and my skin will start to feel burned after a while.
I went this last week and got my prosthesis. It's weird and really heavy. Not sure this one is going to work for sure or not. I also got a couple bra's and Nordstrom sewed a pocket into them for the prosthesis. I can't wait to have reconstruction so I can be more normal. It's kind of a pain to use the prosthesis. I haven't used it in a swim suit yet. Going to try that out this weekend. We don't really swim, but I do like to wear a swim suit.
Also my hair has started to come back....woot woot! Hair has started coming in every where haha. I haven't shaved for months and I am back to shaving daily, ughhh. Not complaining, happy to have something normal again :)
I have been training for my Susan G. Koman 3-day walk :) I have been walking 3-6 miles everyday. I have 3 team members walking with me. Jody Nelson, Courtney Edelbrock and Courtney's friend Jenn. I am so excited for this event. Courtney and I are walking tomorrow. Haley and Dan have also been great walkers with me. I have such a great support team. I am lucky!!
I will be going back to work on the 13th of June. I am a little concerned because I will have to walk over to treatment everyday and I feel bad because I will have to miss some work to do this. I have been gone for weeks then when I come back I will miss some work again. They are all wonderful to me. I love my work and my co workers SO much!! I just can't wait till all of this is behind me and I can just go to work and be normal.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Thursday, May 17, 2012
THANK YOU
Because of all of my amazing friends and family I have met my goal for my Suzan G. Komen 3-day walk. It is 60 miles in 3 days and I am SUPER excited to be a part of it.
So many people donated to help me and I am so humbled by your generosity. I promise to not forget your kindness and will do my best to pay it forward.
I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your donations, support and love.
So many people donated to help me and I am so humbled by your generosity. I promise to not forget your kindness and will do my best to pay it forward.
I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your donations, support and love.
Post surgery update....
This surgery has really been more than I was prepared for. I don't know what I was ready for, but not this. I have never had major surgery before and all I can say is it is not fun at all. I think the hardest part is the time it is taking to get better. It"s just really hard to not be able to do things because you are injured. I have sure taken a lot for granted in this life of mine. It is amazing the things you cannot do when one of your arms, right arm at that, is not working to full capacity. It really sucks! Okay enough complaining.
I went to see my radiation oncologist on Monday. She feels I look fantastic and am doing so well. Sure don't feel that way. I will go back to see her on the 24th of May to have very small tattoos placed on my chest and underarm. They use these tattoos to know where to aim the radiation beam. Then it takes a week or so the get everything prepared and ready to go for me to start radiation. My first radiation appointment will be June 5th. Very special day. MY BIRTHDAY! Don't they know how important my birthday is to me? Oh well, it will be nice to just get it started. Have to start it to finish it. I will have 33 sections so radiation will go until the middle of July. I am kind of bummed because I wanted to be done by the end of June. Oh well.
I saw my surgeon on Tuesday for a check up and to get my port removed. So nice to not have that ugly bump on my chest anymore. Wont miss that thing one bit. I am healing well from surgery and the site looks good to a surgeon. Looks icky to me. I am having a problem with my arm. I keep having this burning sensation and it is really uncomfortable. She says it is my nerves kinda freaking out because they have been cut and messed with. This is were they removed the nodes from. She wants me to see another doctor for this. I am so tired of doctors and doctor appointments. So I still have to make an appointment to see him. He is a specialist on rehabbing me back to full capacity with my arm. Ugh....
I seem to have good days and not so good days emotionally and physically. Emotionally I think I am good and can handle all of this. Knowing that I will be rebuilt is what keeps me okay. Physically I just need to let my body heal and start feeling better and I will be fine. I still have a lot of pain some days and not so much others. I think most of this is from the nerves in my arm. I just don't want to hurt anymore. It's gotten really old.
I went to see my radiation oncologist on Monday. She feels I look fantastic and am doing so well. Sure don't feel that way. I will go back to see her on the 24th of May to have very small tattoos placed on my chest and underarm. They use these tattoos to know where to aim the radiation beam. Then it takes a week or so the get everything prepared and ready to go for me to start radiation. My first radiation appointment will be June 5th. Very special day. MY BIRTHDAY! Don't they know how important my birthday is to me? Oh well, it will be nice to just get it started. Have to start it to finish it. I will have 33 sections so radiation will go until the middle of July. I am kind of bummed because I wanted to be done by the end of June. Oh well.
I saw my surgeon on Tuesday for a check up and to get my port removed. So nice to not have that ugly bump on my chest anymore. Wont miss that thing one bit. I am healing well from surgery and the site looks good to a surgeon. Looks icky to me. I am having a problem with my arm. I keep having this burning sensation and it is really uncomfortable. She says it is my nerves kinda freaking out because they have been cut and messed with. This is were they removed the nodes from. She wants me to see another doctor for this. I am so tired of doctors and doctor appointments. So I still have to make an appointment to see him. He is a specialist on rehabbing me back to full capacity with my arm. Ugh....
I seem to have good days and not so good days emotionally and physically. Emotionally I think I am good and can handle all of this. Knowing that I will be rebuilt is what keeps me okay. Physically I just need to let my body heal and start feeling better and I will be fine. I still have a lot of pain some days and not so much others. I think most of this is from the nerves in my arm. I just don't want to hurt anymore. It's gotten really old.
Friday, May 11, 2012
Surgery is tough stuff......
Well, I am still hanging in there. This surgery is no joke. I am tired of being tired. I am tired of being sore. I am tired of depending on other people to do things for me. I am just tired! I have never taken pain pills for 10 days straight, until now. It has been pretty uncomfortable.
I saw my surgeon on Tuesday. I really like her a lot. She removed one of my drains...woot woot. She went over my path report with me. She was able to remove all of the cancer :) the margins were all clear. That is really good because they don't know for sure when they are doing surgery that they are getting it all. It's not like the cancer is blue haha. Would be nice if it was. She also removed 28 nodes and only two had any cancer in them. I totally freaked out when she said she removed 28 nodes. I was like what the heck does that mean? She an my oncologist explained it to me like this......they said that our nodes are like a bunch of grapes dangling down in my armpit area and when they do surgery they go in and grab that bunch. Some people may have a few, others 10,20,30. The better news was that only two of the 28 were positive for cancer. There were probably more nodes that had cancer in them, but the chemo took care of them.
It was really nice having my mom here for a few days and then my sister here for a few days. Great to have family around. Haley has been home also and that too has been really nice.
Yesterday I noticed that my other drain had drastically started to drain less. They had told me that once I was down to draining 30ml or less I could have the drain removed. I called and headed back to Swedish to get that drain removed. My nurse wasn't totally happy with me and was feeling that I should keep it in a little longer. She wanted me to be draining under 30ml for a couple days. I was in Seattle, again this week, and I wanted that icky drain removed. So she removed it :). Of course reminding me of some things that can happen if I continue to drain. I was instructed to totally take it easy and do nothing. Well that is what I have been doing for 10 days anyway so should be pretty easy. Also I need to watch for any puffy or squishy areas. I think so far so good. Still all looks the same to me. It is SO nice to have those drains out. I have so much less discomfort. Actually, this is the first day I have not taken a pain pill. Yay for that!!
This next week I see my radiation oncologist and I see a physical therapist. I am anxious now to start radiation. Lets just keep on rolling and get this done. My friend Libby just finished her radiation today. Lucky dog!! I hope to start May 21st. The nurse yesterday said you have to be 30 days out of surgery. No one told me that before. They have always said 3-4 weeks past surgery depending on how you are healing. So I guess we will see what the radiation oncologist says next week. I want to get started! Once I start radiation I will have to have 30 hits. That will be everyday Monday - Friday for six weeks. I have heard it is more of a nuisance than anything. As far as what I go through, it should be a piece of cake compared to everything else. So that's good news.
I need to see a PT to get my arm back in motion. I have been doing exercises. But my arm is really sore. It will move in all directions, but it hurts!
OH OH OH......on Tuesday I get my port removed :) Will be so nice to not have this big purple bump above my chest anymore. Dan calls it my over grown zit......eeeww
I thank each and everyone of you for your continued support, encouragement, well wishes, prayers, thoughts and LOVE.
I saw my surgeon on Tuesday. I really like her a lot. She removed one of my drains...woot woot. She went over my path report with me. She was able to remove all of the cancer :) the margins were all clear. That is really good because they don't know for sure when they are doing surgery that they are getting it all. It's not like the cancer is blue haha. Would be nice if it was. She also removed 28 nodes and only two had any cancer in them. I totally freaked out when she said she removed 28 nodes. I was like what the heck does that mean? She an my oncologist explained it to me like this......they said that our nodes are like a bunch of grapes dangling down in my armpit area and when they do surgery they go in and grab that bunch. Some people may have a few, others 10,20,30. The better news was that only two of the 28 were positive for cancer. There were probably more nodes that had cancer in them, but the chemo took care of them.
It was really nice having my mom here for a few days and then my sister here for a few days. Great to have family around. Haley has been home also and that too has been really nice.
Yesterday I noticed that my other drain had drastically started to drain less. They had told me that once I was down to draining 30ml or less I could have the drain removed. I called and headed back to Swedish to get that drain removed. My nurse wasn't totally happy with me and was feeling that I should keep it in a little longer. She wanted me to be draining under 30ml for a couple days. I was in Seattle, again this week, and I wanted that icky drain removed. So she removed it :). Of course reminding me of some things that can happen if I continue to drain. I was instructed to totally take it easy and do nothing. Well that is what I have been doing for 10 days anyway so should be pretty easy. Also I need to watch for any puffy or squishy areas. I think so far so good. Still all looks the same to me. It is SO nice to have those drains out. I have so much less discomfort. Actually, this is the first day I have not taken a pain pill. Yay for that!!
This next week I see my radiation oncologist and I see a physical therapist. I am anxious now to start radiation. Lets just keep on rolling and get this done. My friend Libby just finished her radiation today. Lucky dog!! I hope to start May 21st. The nurse yesterday said you have to be 30 days out of surgery. No one told me that before. They have always said 3-4 weeks past surgery depending on how you are healing. So I guess we will see what the radiation oncologist says next week. I want to get started! Once I start radiation I will have to have 30 hits. That will be everyday Monday - Friday for six weeks. I have heard it is more of a nuisance than anything. As far as what I go through, it should be a piece of cake compared to everything else. So that's good news.
I need to see a PT to get my arm back in motion. I have been doing exercises. But my arm is really sore. It will move in all directions, but it hurts!
OH OH OH......on Tuesday I get my port removed :) Will be so nice to not have this big purple bump above my chest anymore. Dan calls it my over grown zit......eeeww
I thank each and everyone of you for your continued support, encouragement, well wishes, prayers, thoughts and LOVE.
Saturday, May 5, 2012
FIVE days post op surgery....
Hi everyone. Well, I am doing pretty good. This surgery is definitely a big deal. I guess thats why it's called major surgery. I feel like I have lost the last five days. My mom was here for a couple of days and my sister was here until last night. So nice having them here. The worst part of all of this is these icky drains that I have. One from my breast and one from the auxiliary nodes. They are just down right gross! We have to drain them several times a day. Dan has been absolutely wonderful, as usual :). I haven't had horrendous pain. I've been taking pain pills off and on it seems. Last night was definitely my worst night so far. Not sure why. Night before last I didn't take any pain pills and yesterday I only took one. Last night I took 4 or 6 through the night and I had a lot of pain. I think my drains might be plugging up a bit. DanO and I did some major cleaning out this morning so hopefully that wont happen again. I plan on starting the exercises that I am suppose to do today. We'll see how that goes.
I see my surgeon on Tuesday. Very anxious for that appointment. They should have my pathology back and I will get my true cancer staging. I do know that she removed several nodes. I love the thought that all of that nasty cancer is out of me. That is a really good feeling.
Lastly and most important.......I can not believe all of the love that has been sent my way this past week. THANK YOU to everyone of you that called, texted, came by and that sent flowers. I have never ever had so many deliveries to my house way out here in the country.
Ali Better thank you for coming by the hospital to see me. I have been wearing the healing beads bracelets you made me :) and the flowers you put together are still beautiful.
Ali Better's flowers
Joe & Sara's flowers/ Susan G Koman flowers :) amazingly beautiful!!
Bob & Deb Crescent Bar friends. Complete with teddy bear and candies :)
Maaartin & Jenni Coles. Fruit, chocolates, crackers, meat and cheeses. Very cool! My photo does not do this basket justice. It was so nice.
Greg, Katy, Megan and Emily. Beautiful Azalea that I can plant outside.
Merle, Bettie, Courtney, Wade, Janice, Reese and Hank. Beautiful!!
My neighbor Tonya bought me this beautiful hanging basket and she brought us dinner when my mom and sister were here. It was so nice. Tonya you have been absolutely wonderful to us. I cannot thank you enough for all you have done. I love you
My blast from the past gift basket from Bergie, Jodi, Gina, Ali and Syd. Came with a Teddy bear because my name in school was Teddy, Molly Hatchet CD because I used to cruise the gut with Molly Hatchet blasting out my speakers, an autographed baseball because I played on the boys baseball team my freshman year, two single shot tequila bottles don't know why they put these in here hahaha, a hot wheels silver camero because I had a hot silver camero in high school and a pink basketball because we all played ball together and we were awesome. Basically we were State Champions our senior year.
Lastly my daughter and son in law Tami and Sam Kazdal ordered dinner for us from Mardini's restaurant in Snohomish for Thursday night. It was so cool! They are in Texas and wanted to do something for us. Dan went and picked it up and we had a fabulous Mardini's dinner at home.
I started this post this morning and now it is 6:30pm. I have had a pretty good day. Dan and I made it to costco today and I did well. I have needed to take my pain pills, but I was able to do my exercises too. Still draining well haha. I also am very tired.
Thank you all again for everything.
Happy Cinco De Mayo to all.
I see my surgeon on Tuesday. Very anxious for that appointment. They should have my pathology back and I will get my true cancer staging. I do know that she removed several nodes. I love the thought that all of that nasty cancer is out of me. That is a really good feeling.
Lastly and most important.......I can not believe all of the love that has been sent my way this past week. THANK YOU to everyone of you that called, texted, came by and that sent flowers. I have never ever had so many deliveries to my house way out here in the country.
Ali Better thank you for coming by the hospital to see me. I have been wearing the healing beads bracelets you made me :) and the flowers you put together are still beautiful.
Ali Better's flowers
Joe & Sara's flowers/ Susan G Koman flowers :) amazingly beautiful!!
Bob & Deb Crescent Bar friends. Complete with teddy bear and candies :)
Maaartin & Jenni Coles. Fruit, chocolates, crackers, meat and cheeses. Very cool! My photo does not do this basket justice. It was so nice.
Greg, Katy, Megan and Emily. Beautiful Azalea that I can plant outside.
Merle, Bettie, Courtney, Wade, Janice, Reese and Hank. Beautiful!!
My neighbor Tonya bought me this beautiful hanging basket and she brought us dinner when my mom and sister were here. It was so nice. Tonya you have been absolutely wonderful to us. I cannot thank you enough for all you have done. I love you
My blast from the past gift basket from Bergie, Jodi, Gina, Ali and Syd. Came with a Teddy bear because my name in school was Teddy, Molly Hatchet CD because I used to cruise the gut with Molly Hatchet blasting out my speakers, an autographed baseball because I played on the boys baseball team my freshman year, two single shot tequila bottles don't know why they put these in here hahaha, a hot wheels silver camero because I had a hot silver camero in high school and a pink basketball because we all played ball together and we were awesome. Basically we were State Champions our senior year.
Lastly my daughter and son in law Tami and Sam Kazdal ordered dinner for us from Mardini's restaurant in Snohomish for Thursday night. It was so cool! They are in Texas and wanted to do something for us. Dan went and picked it up and we had a fabulous Mardini's dinner at home.
I started this post this morning and now it is 6:30pm. I have had a pretty good day. Dan and I made it to costco today and I did well. I have needed to take my pain pills, but I was able to do my exercises too. Still draining well haha. I also am very tired.
Thank you all again for everything.
Happy Cinco De Mayo to all.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
One day post op surgery.....
Hi all. I am doing well. The surgery went really good. I slept all day yesterday. I haven't had much pain. Well actually I guess that's because I've been taking pain meds :) Last night I had some nausea and got a little sick, but I've been pretty good since. I kind of freaked out this morning when I looked at my chest :(. It's so concaved. I can't wait for it to heal and look better. I have these crazy looking drains hanging from me. Icky!! I feel sad when I think about my body part being taken from me. But eventually I will be all put back together. I just try to think about that.
I'm looking forward to seeing my doctor this morning then heading home.
I cannot thank all of my friends enough for all of the support you ALL continue to give to me. Thank you so much!
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