Two More Down!

I had my third radiaiton treatment today.  I am amazed that it takes much longer to undress and get dressed (in that adorable hospital gown) than it does to actually get the treatment.  They radiate from two different directions and each time it is about 24 seconds.....the machine with this big eye thing comes up and around and you hear it make noise and that's about it. I am sure I will eventually see the results.  I also visited with the radiation oncologist today and she checked to make sure there isn't any effect from the radiation yet.  It still looks good and she also said I probably won't see anything until around two weeks.  So far so good.  I did go purchase the "Vanicream" which they recommend for sensitive skin and people going through radiation.  It is a special cream/lotion that is free from fragrence and chemicals which can irritate healing and damaged skin.  They sell it everywhere here but I don't think I have ever seen it anywhere else. It was specially developed here at Mayo and is nice stuff so we hope that it does the job.  I have one more treatment this week because of New Years Eve and then a full week for the next 3 weeks and then one more day....if all goes as planned. So I will be posting again probably tomorrow after I see the nurse educator about preventing radiation damage.  Should be interesting.  Until then....hugs to all.  Love, Patsy

Back in Rochester-One Down, 19 to Go!

I'm back in Rochester after about 3 and a half weeks of healing at home.  The incisions are still a little tender but mostly ok.  The trip over allowed us to spend a little time with Bill's dad and sister in Mitchell.  We arrived late last night with the roads being decent but not great.  What I really didn't like was in and out of all the fog.  Hate driving in fog!!!  I like to be able to see where I am going!  So we are at Krista's until I can get a room at the Hope Lodge for patients undergoing treatment.  We decided that I would need a quiet place by the time I got toward the middle of treatment. As of today, I am number 6 on the list.  So probably sometime next week.  

As for the actual treatment.......I'm not sure that they did anything.  ;o)  Until the cumulative effect kicks in you do really wonder if they are doing anything...but of course we know that they are.  I checked in and they called me almost immediately.  I headed into the dressing room where you get to take off everything from the waist up and put on a lovely hospital gown.  Then its into the treatment room which has all this sci fi looking equipment all over the place.  My special little pillow was laying on the table.  Before I left last time I was fitted with this pillow that your head, arms and upper body lay in and then somehow it hardens so that when you come in everyday they can get you in the exact same position.  They also tattooed 4 markers to help with the positioning-never quite envisioned having a tattoo but in all actuality, they are barely more than a pencil dot.  After being all positionedand told to just breath normally, the therapists left the room and came back about 4 minutes later saying I was done for today!!!  Hmmmmm!  So for now I guess it will be pretty easy going.  They did say that I probably wouldn't notice any side effects until the 10th treatment which for me is half way.  I pray that is true.  I made the mistake of reading about some of the side effects on the internet so that kind of freaked me out!  Wouldn't recommend doing that at all!

Over the last couple of weeks I have also been contemplating the title of my blog and have decided, yes it is an unwanted journey, but we all have unwanted journeys throughout our life of one sort or another.  There are several people/families right now that I have decided have much rougher journeys than mine.  So all in all, I remain extremely thankful that my journey is one that has been a little bumpy but overall, worth the trip.  Every event in our lives is an opportunity to grow and experience the love of God, family and friends.  I'm never quite sure what God has in mind but it will become abundanty clear to me at some point-it always does, even if it is years down the road. 

So, I will update you again in a couple of days.  Hopefully it won't be with news of more snow....man they have a lot over here!  Hugs to you all.  Love, Patsy

Home again!

It is good to be home....my own bed will feel wonderful tonight!!  But do miss the grandboys already!  I am just so thankful that all has gone so well so far.  I can't thank all my praying friends enough for their prayers which I know God answers.  I feel that I am a third of the way through the journey and now have the radiation to do and then some hormone therapy which will last 5 years. Hormone therapy is well proven to help prevent the recurrence of breast cancer and actually is what I was on the study for. 
My appointment with the surgeon was very short....he said my incisions looked good and the tumor was less than a centimeter with lymph nodes being negative (which I already knew from the radiation oncologist).  The incisions may look good, but the one under my arm is driving me to distraction!!  Everything seems to rub and it is just really tender.  But I know it is just temporary and will eventually get better!!
The appointment with the mecial oncology people was a little weird....and long.  My appointment was at 2:15 and we got in there about 2:40 but didn't get out of there until almost 5!! :o(  I have to say though, of all the appointments I have had at Mayo, that was the worst wait I have ever had!  I guess I just knew we would do hormone therapy when all was done because of the time I spent on the study and talking to my other doctor.  So, for me it seemed a little redundant but then again maybe some people need all that information.  I will be checking with the Dr. that I did the study with for her final ideas on that one.
So, I am home until Christmas and it is off to work tomorrow.  It will be good to get back into the routine.  Big hugs to you all.....and many praises for the positiveness of this experience.  God is good!

Good news again!

Just returned from my radiation oncology appointment and she was able to confirm that there were no cancer cells in the lymph nodes.  Yay!!!  God has been so good through this.  I am so blessed.  I liked Dr. Yan and we have decided on a 4 week treatment that will start December 27th.  They actually worked me in to get all my appointments done for the work up for my radiation treatments.  So I now have 4 little tatooes to make sure everything gets lined up again when they do the actual radiation.  I still have my surgical follow-up and a medical oncology appointment and then we are heading out.  It will be good to get back home.  Get things back to normal for a little while. So I will let you know about the other appointments on Wednesday when we get home.  Hugs to all.  Patsy

OK a little nervous again!

It's Monday night and I am getting ready for bed realizing that I am a tad nervous to hear what the doctors all have to say tomorrow.  My first appointment is with the radiation oncologist. She should have all the news about what they found when they sliced and diced my lymph nodes because she determines the course of radiation treatment.  My next appointment will be with the surgeon.....I can't wait to get these bandages off.  The one under my arm is like really annoying, itchy and at times a little painful.  So hopefully  getting the bandage off will help.  Then I also get to see a medical oncologist.  Will let you all know about that.  Have no idea what all of these people do....just glad they are all so skilled.  All in all, I am still feeling blessed through this whole ordeal.  We never know where the path leads.....but God does and He always has a plan!!!  Hugs to all. 

3 Days Later

Well, it is 3 days post surgery, and I have to say it's not been too bad.  I feel good although I find myself taking naps which I usually don't do.  I got a shower yesterday which felt amazing.  Thursday I spent all day in my pajamas.  The pain is pretty non descript.......once in a while when I lift my arm too fast but for the most part nada.  The incision under my arm is by far the worst part. Proabably because it is involved in so many movements. However in retrospect, thinking back to my shoulder surgery after my car accident, this really is a piece of cake! I took one pain killer the first night and two extra strength tylenol the next day, but otherwise nothing.  Actually, pain stuff makes my stomach hurt worse than what little pain I might have.  So just thought I would let you all know that things are going well.  The worst part is wanting to pick up Nathan which I am not supposed to lift over 10# for at least a week. But all in good time.  They had about 6-8 inches of new snow here last night so I guess we wouldn't have been heading home yesterday even if they hadn't scheduled me for appointments on Tuesday.  All in all, I am still extremely thankful for the way everything has turned out.  God is good!  So hugs to all....I will proabaly update again on Tuesday after my appointments unless something else exciting happens.  ;o)  Patsy

It's Over and Good News

Man, I thought yesterday was a long day......we had to report to the hospital at 7:15 so it was hurry up and wait.  They admitted me to a room and I got my IV in right away and then we waited until 10:30 before they moved me to pre-op.  Pre-op was more questions to make sure that I was the right person and I knew what they were going to do.  I also will not forget my name or birthday when I have alzheimers in my old age! :0)
Pre-op was approximately another hour before I actually went into surgery.  Then it was a blur until I woke up at around 2:00.  I was in recovery for another 45 minutes to an hour and finally back up to the room.  Then we had to wait for the doctor to call and the news was good!!  He got clear margins on the lesion and the lymph nodes were clear as well.  He took the 3 sentinel nodes and then 2 others becuase he thought they felt funnybut they too were negative under the microscope.  So I am thankful that this is the news.  They will do a more thorough study of the nodes and will find out for sure at our appointment on Tuesday. So far it is uncomfortable but not awful.  I have drugs if neccessary but don't like to take them so will see how it goes.  So we just got home and I am starving but supper smells wonderful.  Thank you all for your prayers and love.  I will keep you updated over the next few days on how I am doing. Hugs to all.  Love, Patsy