I'll introduce myself. I'm a 7 year breast cancer survivor. Yep. Thats me. Stage 3a. 4 of 14 nodes positive for cancer. i had 3 tumors. 2 cancerous. Two tumors were 5cm around. One tumor, the smaller one was not cancerous. I had 2 surgeries, one was a surgical biopsy, and the other was a lumpectomy to get rid of the pesky tumors. I was supposed to have a sentinal node biopsy before my lumpectomy. In a nutshell, this procedure is supposed to replace getting lymph nodes removed to see if the cancer has travelled. They inject a dye into your breast, and the dye travels to the lymph nodes, thereby testing to see if the cancer has travelled. However, in my case, after 2 injections, the damned DYE wouldn't travel. So, i had to have 14 nodes removed, which left me with 2 drains to take home as a souvenir. Luckily, all went well with the drains, and they were removed one week later. (a shower was a welcome friend by then!) Because the cancer had spread, i was to start treatment about a month later. That meant 4 rounds of Adriamyacin Cytoxin Chemotherapy. 4 rounds of another type of chemo, Taxotere. Then, 33 radiation treatements on the right breast.
Since 2002, and my treatments, i've been very diligent about keeping up with my mammograms. i have had numerous scares since then. Microcalcifications, which required needle biopsies. Not so bad, just rather awkward. You lie on your stomach, and your breasts are kind of squished, in preparation for the needle biopsy. They deaden the area with a few small injections. Now, i'm PETRIFIED of needles, but, it wasnt bad at all. Then they make a small incision (which you do not feel) and insert the large needle into the spot where the 'problem' is. after they withdraw the 'problem', they insert a clip. This will be your 'X marks the spot' so the next time you have a mammogram, they will know there was an issue here. (i dummied it down for myself!)
I had my latest mammogram, and once again, THERE ARE FLIPPING CHANGES. i'm sick and tired of these old useless 'things'. So, my doctor set me up with a surgeon. She wanted me to come back in 3 months, and we'd monitor the changes. i figured enough is enough. I told her 'i want to take them off before they take me'. i explained that i was 53 and they'd served their usefulness. She agreed and set me up with the plastic surgeon.
I saw the plastic surgeon, and he explained my options to me. Because of my previous radiation, they will have to watch for infection. The surgery will be done in 2 parts. The first one will be a tram flap procedure. Mastectomy with the fat from my abdomen taken to rebuild my breast. And get this, the abdomen fat, is only big enough for one breast! This surgery is scheduled for September 21st. After i heal up, i will be scheduled for the 2nd surgery, which will be sometime in October.
I will have to work HARD on my diabetes sugars. Due to the freaking heat up here, some stress, and other teeny factors, my sugar went up this last 6 weeks. Not too much, but enough to piss me off. So, i called my primary, who has to write the medical release for me to get the surgery. She said i could still get the release, and not to worry. She increased my Lantus Solostar pen, and ORDERED me to walk more. Plus, i need to eat smaller portions. I have been lazy about walking, but this is the incentive i needed. So, beginning yesterday, i hoofed it around our neighborhood. I mean, come on! i live in the mountains (or as i affectionately call it) Waltons Mountain. Its all kinds of beautiful, with all sorts of animals at my disposal. I am the 'Animal Whisperer'.
This blog is for breast surgery updates. Not to be confused with my regular blog which is just the ramblings of an artist. LOL Here's the link to that one. http://msdebagain.blogspot.com/
and here's the DETAILED blog about my cancer. http://msdebagain.xanga.com/weblog/
