I met with the surgeon today, and set a date for surgery for Wednesday 2/24. It should be day surgery, and who knows, I may be back to work on Thursday (?!). I have decided on a lumpectomy because the rate of tumor recurrence is exactly the same for mastectomy as lumpectomy. So there really is no advantage to the more invasive surgery.
By Friday, my Coumadin level (blood thinner) had been set (at least for now), and I stopped giving myself the Lovenox shots. My midriff is sprinkled with little purple bruises from the Lovenox shots. Just one more way to a beautiful body through cancer treatment.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Number 6 1/19/2010
An amazing occurrence! I got in to see the oncologist on time today, and was into chemo by 10:00. My INR was 1.25 (should be between 2 and 3)so they're going to put me on 10 mg of coumadin (from 5) for 2 days, then come back on Friday for a retest. I will stay on Lovenox shots til my INR is where it should be.
Not sure why, but my stomach has been unsettled since Saturday. I do believe that the chemo is catching up with me. I just feel washed out. At the gym, I need to turn down the speed on the treadmill, a discouraging sign. And the tears continue. After this, I hope I never cry again.
Love to all.
Not sure why, but my stomach has been unsettled since Saturday. I do believe that the chemo is catching up with me. I just feel washed out. At the gym, I need to turn down the speed on the treadmill, a discouraging sign. And the tears continue. After this, I hope I never cry again.
Love to all.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Bump in the road 1/13/2010
So today I made my weekly trek to the oncologist for a checkup that I figured to be fairly routine. All I had on my checklist of things to talk about were that I needed a refill of my antacid prescription, and the fact that the veins on my left chest look like a road map.
After the usual 45 minute delay for my appointment, the nurse took my blood pressure and pulse, both excellent. Then the PA comes in for the check up. She snapped to attention with the mention of the veins on my chest. A check of my arms showed that the left one was, in fact, swollen. Uh-oh. She told me she suspected that I had a blood clot, and ordered an ultrasound for this afternoon. The ultrasound confirmed her suspicion.
It turns out that cancer patients are much more likely to have blood clots than others, and that breast cancer patients even more so. I have been started on lovenox shots (which I will self-administer), and will begin coumadin on Friday. I'm told that I will probably be on the coumadin for at least 6 months.
I have also noticed that I have water retention in my lower legs. Oh joy.
Tomorrow I have to go back to the oncologist for a dye study of the port area to make sure that it is clear for Tuesday's chemo. And I have to go back again on Friday to get coumadin instructions. I could drive to Nashua in my sleep...
Oh well, just a bump in the road...
After the usual 45 minute delay for my appointment, the nurse took my blood pressure and pulse, both excellent. Then the PA comes in for the check up. She snapped to attention with the mention of the veins on my chest. A check of my arms showed that the left one was, in fact, swollen. Uh-oh. She told me she suspected that I had a blood clot, and ordered an ultrasound for this afternoon. The ultrasound confirmed her suspicion.
It turns out that cancer patients are much more likely to have blood clots than others, and that breast cancer patients even more so. I have been started on lovenox shots (which I will self-administer), and will begin coumadin on Friday. I'm told that I will probably be on the coumadin for at least 6 months.
I have also noticed that I have water retention in my lower legs. Oh joy.
Tomorrow I have to go back to the oncologist for a dye study of the port area to make sure that it is clear for Tuesday's chemo. And I have to go back again on Friday to get coumadin instructions. I could drive to Nashua in my sleep...
Oh well, just a bump in the road...
Friday, January 8, 2010
Better, and a thank you 1/8/2010
As the onc predicted, the cold has been getting better daily. Unfortunately, now Ray has caught the damn thing. Which brings me to something that I need to say. Through all this, Ray has been my rock. Without lots of words, without fanfare, he keeps me grounded. He knows when to just let me be, and when to just be there when I'm needing a hand. Every day, I wake up aware that I am the luckiest woman in the world to have his love. Thanks, BC.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
The cold gets worse 1/5/2010
Geez--I don't GET sick! But this cold is a doozy! I really thought that it was going away until last night, when I realized that it was settling in my throat and chest. I sound like a wheezy 13 year old with a cracking voice. Fortunately, I see the oncologist tomorrow. Maybe she can prescribe something that will make this all go away.
Otherwise, the usual pattern is settling in--as the week goes on, the chemo effects wane a bit, and food is starting to taste marginally better. With the tearing eyes, I have no lower eyelashes left, and have lost some eyebrow real estate, and I'm told that I'm balder--less peach fuzz on top. In other words--just GORGEOUS!!!
Otherwise, the usual pattern is settling in--as the week goes on, the chemo effects wane a bit, and food is starting to taste marginally better. With the tearing eyes, I have no lower eyelashes left, and have lost some eyebrow real estate, and I'm told that I'm balder--less peach fuzz on top. In other words--just GORGEOUS!!!
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