Nothing New Really

Well, I didn't have my radiation simulation this week. Seems they messed up the scheduling and didn't realize that I was going to be out for 2 weeks. they said that they had to do the simulation only when I could start radiation soon after... so I am getting it on June 15. Looks like it entails getting a CT scan right there and then they map you out and mark you for where you will get th radiation. Now it seems like I will be tattooed and not have sharpy marks on me but I guess I won't really know until it happens.

Seems swimming will still be out though, because pool water is too hard on your skin.

Had my echocardiogram on Thursday then went for my IV that had a dose for three weeks of Herceptin. My veins will have three weeks off! Yahoo! Getting IVs just does not get less painful each time...

Started my Tamoxifen and haven't noticed any side effects yet. I mean, I might be getting hot flashes, but I was getting them before on and off anyway.

I guess I'll have more news in 2 weeks. Looking forward to my visit to Toronto where I'll be working for the next 1.5 weeks starting Tuesday.
I hope you are all well!
Later,
Mo

next up... radiation

So, I had an appointment with my plastic surgeon this week... haven't seen him since about January. He did one more fill on my right side, because that area has to be expanded larger than the left because the radiation will cause it to shrink. Pretty gross. At any rate, I was happy to find that he didn't give me a hard time about the size I wanted to be, given that he had mentioned in the past about needing to be a certain size for proportional reasons. I will see him again in about 6 weeks when I am nearing the end of the radiation, when he wants to take a look at my skin.

I met with the radiation oncologist on Friday and learned about what to expect for the radiation. I am going in next week for a simulation where they will take measurements and mark my chest and other areas to identify where I will get the radiation. I will receive it to my armpit, chest and clavicle area. The icky news is that because during the surgery, they removed a tumor in my breast, they want to make sure that I am cancer free so they are going to enhance the radiation at or just below the skin level. This means that I am going to be very red. I am not looking forward to this. The burn-like redness can get as bad as a second degree burn... Of course, some people have no burn effect but considering my arm is still showing redness from some medical tape put there two weeks ago, I don't think I fall in that group.... I am also severly bummed that during radiation, I am not allowed to go swimming because it might make the marks wear off (so much for the Masters Swim class... another attempt at getting back into shape foiled again!). Geez, this is as advanced as marking technology is these days?! I know that sometimes they give people permanent tatoos to mark the areas but the doc didn't mention anything about this. maybe that's too extreme...

So, next week I have the simulation (when they mark up my body) and then when I get back from Toronto, I'll start with the radiation (week of June 14 or so). I really hope that whatever marks they are putting on, are going to last the two weeks I am away and are not going to be really obvious in whatever I wear to the wedding I am going to attend.

That's all my news for now.
Mo

New Updates

Gosh, I feel like it's been forever since I posted and I have lots of news...





Well, chemotherapy is done and while I have to continue my Herceptin IVs, the schedule has now changed to once every 3 weeks instead of once a week 'til the end of July. Yahoo! Looks like the veins in my left arm are getting a bit of a holiday. Thank goodness. My right arm is out after the surgery because IVs, blood pressure cuffs, etc. can increase my chance of developing lymphedema.





I have an appointment setup with a radiation oncologist for this Friday am for a radiation consultation. I'll probably start radiation in early to mid-June after I return from my trip to Toronto. More news after Friday...





Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on how you see it, I have been provided with a prescription for Tamoxifen which I am to start immediately. I have to take it twice a day, every day, for the next... 5 years :-( Sorry to make the men blush, but I just got my period back last month since losing it last July and I was finally starting to feel like a young woman again. I hope I don't lose it again. Side effects include hot flashes, although I should be far more concerned about the blood clots and strokes.





I also need to schedule another echocardiogram to check that my heart is not being damaged from the Herceptin and a CT scan to confirm that I am clear of cancer. That thought is really creepy because I really don't think of any other alternatives other than being cancer-free but I guess it's just standard protocol.





What else is new? I'm hoping to have my last fill this Wednesday. I am so done with these expanders.





Also, I have started a masters swim class in the mornings and it's been great. Have been back on my bike and managed a 33 mile club ride (ok, well, I rode the first few miles and the last 10 miles with the club but they dropped me in the hills) a week ago.





Oh, and by the way, just came back from a great 5 days in Arizona. We visited ruins from 1200 AD, Petrified Forest NP, a rodeo, a meteor crator and Sedona. Was a ton of fun.

I'll send an update on the weekend.

Maureen