Although everyone's 'normal' is different...I feel like we're getting back to what I'd consider normal for us - or maybe all of this cancer treatment is becoming normal - or perhaps it's a little bit of both!! Whatever it is...day to day living is rarely hindered by TREATMENT anymore!!!
Had surgery a couple weeks ago, recovering quite nice...Came home with two drains - one of which Glen & I pulled - this is where everyone 'freaks out' - some, simply because I'd even consider doing it myself and then most, at the thought of Glen assisting:)
To be honest, he was a little freaked...but I had been at the Mayfest all day with the kids and crafting, walked home to meet Glen and as my first assistant, Amie, had already left for the evening and of course I wanted it out THEN, I just began... clipped one stitch, then the problem arose when I couldn't really tell in the mirror on the tighter stitch and really didn't wanna cut ME or the drain tube and was really hard to use right hand ... anyway...called for Glen, handed the tools to him and gave instructions - (not to be confused with orders)... he clipped, I pulled, he gasped, I put a little pressure dressing on it and we were back off to the Mayfest on foot for Pork Burgers and Beer.
So, ya see, it's not that bad...surgery on Monday, home on Tuesday, walking up town on Saturday - I resembled a homeless woman, not able to carry or lift with Right arm, I pushed our beach cart (stroller like) up there with my 'stuff'' in it and - the thought was, when I made the many purchases I usually make at the craft fair, I'd have my cart for carrying... Seems my children may have been a little embarrassed, but they're tolerating all this weirdness so well!!!!!!
Anyway, 5 days post op, walked up to square, walked all day, then back that evening -
back at work last week, yesterday back to St. Louis - had other drain pulled -
"Free at last, Free at last, THANK GOD I'M FREE AT LAST"!!!!
Sorry, somehow people adjust to ostomy bags, etc. but - I just didn't like having to deal with securing, hiding, etc. the rubber stuff hanging off my body -
So yesterday spent the entire day in St. Louis with Dr. appts and stuff, then met friends downtown for dinner, drinks, and Cardinal Game - So, two weeks post op, really back in the swing of things:)
Still praying and hoping (Notice prayer before hope) that the placement of this tissue expander is successful, heals without infection and that I have what looks like boobs before summer is in full swing!!
For those of you interested in the treatment part of this...
HORMONES - I started taking the hormone blocking medication - as a refresher, my tumor was hormone receptor positive, so to prevent recurrence, these meds are usually taken 5 years - yes, 5 years. They too, come with some side effects, but all manageable.
HERCEPTIN - best described as an antibody, binds to the receptor site on cancer cells and turns those 'aggressive her 2 nu positive' cells into negative ones. Now I don't pretend to understand this...I've been told I don't have cancer, so where are the cells this stuff's going to bind to?! - maybe I'll ask -or maybe, I'll just suck it up, take it like a man - Especially since my port is gone - I'll get stuck IV each time - ouch?
Start next week for 9 more infusions:) I was getting this medication with chemo, I'll get it every 3 weeks.
Now, enough about all that breast cancer stuff!!
Oh, yeah, this is about all that breast cancer stuff... tootles for now:)
