Week of medical appointments

I've had four, yes four, medical appointments this week.  Most I've ever had.

On Monday, I had an echocardiogram, which is an ultrasound of your heart.  Apparently some of the chemo drugs I've had, or will have, can cause heart problems so they like to monitor your heart with an echocardiogram every 3 months.

On Tuesday, I had the consultation with the radiation oncologist to figure out the plan for radiation treatment.  I will have a simulation (aka set up appointment) on September 5.  My first radiation treatment will be September 19 and will continue every weekday for 6 weeks.

On Wednesday, I had a post-surgery follow-up appointment.  My surgeon is on vacation so I met with a different doctor.  He said the incisions and surgery locations look good.  He also let me know (which I'd already heard) that the pathology report came back showing clean margins.  I was very happy about that.

On Thursday (today), I had an appointment with the oncologist.  My original oncologist moved out of the area in July so this was the first time I'd seen this doctor.  Andy and I liked him.  I'll probably see him for at least the next 6 months.  My herception and perjeta infusions should start next week as soon as they get insurance approval.

While none of these appointments were particularly tough on me, I'm glad they're over.  Onto next week...

Surgery #2

I thought surgery would be on Thursday, but they ended up scheduling it for Wednesday instead.  I had to check in at the hospital at 10am on Wednesday, with surgery scheduled for noon.  It was a much easier process this time.  No "needle loc" or what I consider the most painful thing ever.

I got checked in, vitals done, beautiful green hospital gown on, IV in, and we waited.  I think they came and got me for surgery around 12:15 or 12:30.  I remember them wheeling me into the operating room and having me slide over to the operating table.... and then that's it.  I don't remember much after that, until I was back in my room.  Apparently the surgeon had a conversation with me, and told me how everything went, after I woke up.  I don't remember it though.

I did talk to the surgeon today and she said everything went well.  She said where she had to remove the tissue looked good.  She was also able to reduce the fluid build up which helped with my discomfort.

Now we wait for the second pathology report.  Here's to hoping everything comes back "clean."

After surgery & pathology results

Recovery from the first surgery wasn't too bad.  I went back to work the day after for a couple hours and then eased into half days after that.  I didn't have a whole lot of pain-- mostly just soreness and a tight/heavy feeling.

Pathology results were supposed to be back in 3-5 business days.  I still hadn't heard anything by Friday, August 3 so I called the surgeon's office.  Results were still pending.  On Monday, I thought I would hear something but the day came and went. 

The surgeon, Dr. Kennedy, called on Monday evening.  Pathology in the lymph nodes showed that she took 7 lymph nodes and only one had tiny cancerous cells in it.  Good news there.  The pathologist said she "probably" didn't quite get a clear margin.  Probably?!  They shouldn't be able to use the word probably! 

Dr. Kennedy, whom I trust completely, said she'd like to go back in and get more tissue.  As bummed as I was, I knew this was a possibility all along.  Several people I've talked to that have been through lumpectomy surgeries had to have what they call a re-excision (second surgery to get clean margins).  It's not abnormal.  Dr. Kennedy herself had to have a third surgery when she had breast cancer.

Dr.  Kennedy said the surgery would probably be on Thursday but she'd get it scheduled and have someone call me the next day.

I was a little upset after we got off the phone.  I didn't want another surgery.  However, as I thought about it more, I realized that I wanted to make sure that all the cancer cells or any tissue that had touched cancer cells were OUT of my body.

Surgery went well

We had to be at the hospital at 6am this morning for my lumpectomy surgery.  I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night.  I don’t think it was necessarily from anxiety about the surgery... more from feeling terrible from the head cold I picked up in San Diego.

Surgery wasn’t scheduled til 10:00 but there was some things that needed to be done beforehand.  Besides normal pre-surgery stuff (getting an IV, etc), they had to do what’s called a “needle loc” in the radiology department.  It’s essentially a mammogram guided wire placement. When I had my original biopsy done in March, they placed a metal clip into the breast tumor and into the lymph node showing where the cancer was located at the time.  As was hoped, the chemo shrank the tumor down to nothing.  The surgeon, Dr. Kennedy, needed a way to see where the tumor used to be so she could remove the tissue and have it tested.  Hence, the needle loc procedure.  HERE is a link for a description if you want to read about it.

The mammogram technician came to get me about 8am.  We got all setup and the radiologist came into do the procedure.  It included several mammogram images, poking a needle into the spot where the metal clip was, and then using the needle to thread a wire into the former tumor spot.  It took the radiologist 3 tries to get it in the right spot.  Did it hurt? Um, YES!  The words I would used to describe the pain are not too lady-like so I’ll let you use your imagination.  ;-)

Once that was over, the rest was easy.  I got to take a long nap.  Dr. Kennedy took out the tissue with metal clip and that will be tested in the lab.  She also took out some lymph nodes.  All in all, surgery went well.  And now we wait.... pathology results should be back by end of the week.

I’m planning to take it easy for the next day or two...

Back from vacay and ready for Step 2

We had a nice family trip to San Diego- got home yesterday.  Unfortunately, I have a cold.  :(  I'm still scheduled for my lumpectomy surgery tomorrow morning (Monday).  Prayers are gladly accepted.

We stayed at the Paradise Point Resort which was really nice.  A few of my favorite highlights were an evening at Belmont Park, day trip to Tijuana, dinner at the Melting Pot, and a massage at the spa.  It was really nice to get away and have a break.  Here's a few pictures from our trip:

I got to be...

Since March 16, I've been a cancer patient.  Doctors appointments, blood work, chemo treatments, hospital stay, scans, mammograms, etc.  That's been my life for the past four months.  I have focused on the goal and taken each step as was necessary.

We just returned from Abigail's freshman orientation at Cal Poly and, while we were gone, I got to be someone else for the 3 days.  Other than the fact that my eyes are still watering from chemo, I didn't have much of a reminder that I'm still a cancer patient.  And that's a good thing!  It was so nice to be focused on something else.

While we were gone,

I got to be a Cal Poly alumni.  I will admit it's pretty surreal being back on campus for our daughter's start at Cal Poly. It's been 21 years since Andy and I graduated.

I got to be a former San Luis Obipso resident.  We walked to Farmers Market from our hotel and walked by the house that I lived in my sophomore year.  It looks so different!

I got to be a mom of a kid going off to college.  The parents were separated from the students for most of the orientation.  We had a day and a half of sessions of how to prepare our student (and ourselves) for moving away from home and the start of college.

I got to be a consumer of adult beverages.  I haven't had anything to drink since my treatment started.  It was nice to be able to have one each night.

I got to be someone who was reminded how hilly and spread out the Cal Poly campus is.  My feet were definitely hurting by the end of this day.

I can't tell you how great it felt to do some "normal" things.  We will take Abigail back down mid-September and get her moved into the dorms.  That will be tough to drop her off.  As hard at it will be for us, I'm very excited for her to start this new chapter.

Humboldt Relay for Life

The American Cancer Society's Relay for Life in Humboldt County started last night.  It's a 24 hour event that starts off with an opening ceremony and a Survivor's Lap.  It hadn't crossed my mind to go but my mom invited me to go with her.  I don't quite yet consider myself a survivor, even though I know I should.  At what point should one consider themselves a survivor?

 

I admit that I had an unsettled feeling driving into the event.  I can't quite put my finger on why but I think it has something to do with the fact that my cancer diagnosis still doesn't quite seem real.  Or maybe surreal is a better word.  I still have a hard time thinking to myself that I have cancer.

I'm a "get it done and cross it off my list" kind of person.  I had a friend of ours say that he thinks I've "handled" this cancer diagnosis and treatment in a very business-like manner.  I don't think I would've come up with that description myself, but I think he's right.  You get the news, you make a plan, and you work the plan.  Step 1... step 2... step 3.  Yep, that's me.  It's probably the only way I could've gotten through this.

Back to Relay for Life.  I've never, once, doubted that I'd get through this.  Going to Relay helped me see that there are lots of other survivors out there that got through it also.  Here's a picture of me with a family friend, Michelle, that is also getting through this too.

And a picture that was taken during the Survivor's lap of my mom and I.  It ended up in the Times Standard...

They had a big white canvas that Survivor's could put a handprint with their name and how long they've been a survivor.  Mine is the pink one, under the 2018, close to my hands.  

People can buy these luminaries (a white paper bag with a candle in it) and have something written on them.  You can do it in honor or in memory of someone.  My parents bought this one in honor of me.  When it gets dark, they light all the candles and it's pretty cool.

I should be all done with my treatments by this time next year.  I plan to walk in the Survivor's Lap again.  Anyone want to join me?