Keeping you Abreast...

So, feeling better each day...Percoset is messing with my tummy (and brain as you may notice), but I suppose it beats the alternative. The pain is getting better and better though...this certainly is nothing like the pain I had after my abdominal surgeries--that's a whole different animal.

Wednesday was a very long day...had the lumpectomy and have a 3 inch or so incision mark toward my armpit and is on the side of my boob--in a decent spot. I asked the doc to be very mindful of scarring--I am already "Frankenbitch" from my abdominal stuff--9 inch vertical incision marks. Had stitches the first time then staples the second time. Well, this incision is held together with surgical glue--and I have heard that this heals very well (less scarring and pulling like with staples/stitches).

The mass was apparently about 2 cm (larger than what we expected), so with that and the fact that they found cancer cells in 2 of the 4 sentinel nodes, I was not a candidate for Mammosite. I had a complete Axillary Node Dissection, meaning the doc removed all of my lymph nodes from my breast/armpit area. I have a drain hanging out of the bottom of my left boob...the drain has a bulb on the end of it that reminds me of those plastic honey bear containers. Except for the fact that...well, that is NOT honey in that there drain bulb. Kind of icky stuff if you ask me--looks kind of like Kool-Aid if you were REALLY hard up. I am emptying it regularly and logging the date/time and amount of stuff I remove from it. I suppose it is a good thing that I don't get too queasy with stuff like that.

I was also fitted with a port for chemo...it is just below my collarbone on the left side. Sticks out a bit--which is a little disconcerting. I keep bumping it or trying to scratch at it. Weird implant thingy. Feels very strange.
My doc gave me a totally rad surgical bra to wear. Rad in the fact that it is totally, hilariously, and disturbingly ugly! Oh well, style is not what I am going for right now--considering I have extensive bruising and the drain line/bulb.

So, looks like I will be doing the "traditional" chemo first then radiation later. Bleck.

Ok, so the next steps:

Follow up with the doc (surgeon) on Wednesday. I will get the final pathology report at that time, and this will guide me and "the team" in making further treatment decisions.

Will be getting a PET Scan and requesting a bone scan (to check for cancer elsewhere in my body). The results will also help steer some treatment planning.

Need appointment with the Medical Oncologist to determine when Chemo will start and what types we will be using.

Also need appointment with the Radiation Oncologist.