After undergoing reconstruction surgery and getting an implant, I have complications with the damaged skin from radiation. The surgery won't heal, it is later discovered.
The skin damage leads to five more surgeries/procedures. Finally, a date is set to do another reconstruction surgery called a tram flap surgery.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
2010, A NEW YEAR
Well, here comes another year and I am still unable to work and working on recovery. I have had numerous issues with skin damaged by radiation, but have dealt with all of them. I have the first official reconstruction surgery in January. Time to heal.
WINTER 2009
Everything is now all about getting over treatments and getting well enough to have reconstruction surgery. I never have any energy so far. It is a journey I tell myself.
FALL 2009
OK, I am still recovering from all of the chemo, surgery, and radiation treatments. I am going to the surgeon to get saline fills into the expander. My skin got severly damaged from the radiation. I had the skin open up and I had several emergencies related to the skin damage. I had open wounds and had to treat them and try to continue to recover.
SUMMER 2009
During Summer, 2009, I began radiation treatments. I went every day, Monday through Friday, for radiation treatments. Finally, during August, 09, I had completed all of the radiation treatments. I looked forward to going somewhere and doing something not related to treatments.
Boy, was I wrong! I had severe fatigue after the radiation ended and could barely stay awake for just a few hours per day. I took care of my pets, ate a little, and slept a LOT.
Boy, was I wrong! I had severe fatigue after the radiation ended and could barely stay awake for just a few hours per day. I took care of my pets, ate a little, and slept a LOT.
SPRING 2009
Well, I have some catching up to do.
Springtime brought the end of my chemo and my first surgery.
It was a mastectomy and all lymph nodes were removed from under my left arm. I also had an expander inserted during the surgery for the reconstruction, to be done at a later date.
Time to heal, for now.
Springtime brought the end of my chemo and my first surgery.
It was a mastectomy and all lymph nodes were removed from under my left arm. I also had an expander inserted during the surgery for the reconstruction, to be done at a later date.
Time to heal, for now.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
2009 - February and more Chemo
February, 2009
More chemo.
I am now getting chemo with a schedule of every two weeks. I continue to give my self shots in the belly every night after each treatment. By Day number 5, I really hated that shot. But, I went along with my treatment program - I want to live!
There has been no birthday, no Christmas, no New Years celebrations - there has been treatments. That is the focus for me. Keep doing what the UCSD Cancer Center people tell me to do so that I can live.
I did not have surgery first, as most breast cancer patients do. I had chemo first, to try and shrink the size of my tumour.
So, the chemo treatments and trying to recover from the chemo treatments, getting through the most basic functioning and taking care of my pets and myself were all I could do.
More chemo.
I am now getting chemo with a schedule of every two weeks. I continue to give my self shots in the belly every night after each treatment. By Day number 5, I really hated that shot. But, I went along with my treatment program - I want to live!
There has been no birthday, no Christmas, no New Years celebrations - there has been treatments. That is the focus for me. Keep doing what the UCSD Cancer Center people tell me to do so that I can live.
I did not have surgery first, as most breast cancer patients do. I had chemo first, to try and shrink the size of my tumour.
So, the chemo treatments and trying to recover from the chemo treatments, getting through the most basic functioning and taking care of my pets and myself were all I could do.
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