Bonus Adventures

I think I can drive up to the Huntsman Cancer Institute with my eyes closed (don't worry, I won't). My latest visit was very informative and adventurous! After meeting with my radiation oncologist (cool title!), I got a new drain put in. 

Backing up: the surgical drain that was put in during surgery came out last Friday because the fluid that was draining was sufficiently low. Around Sunday I noticed some fluid retention which increased daily and peaked on Wednesday. I called it a waterbed because that's how it acted. I pushed in one place and the fluid would move along in waves under my skin. Thursday my surgeon drained about 90 mL of goodness in the office, and the new drain is working well. The best part about this new drain adventure is that the first drain she put in did not work well, so she put in another one. Second time's the charm! Perhaps I'll get this new drain out next week, but we are being very conservative this time.

I also learned that radiation is a daily thing. After participating in chemotherapy with weeks in between infusions, doing something daily was a bit of a shock. Get this - five days a week (Monday through Friday) for six weeks. Yep. Sounds awesome. The bonus? I get to go to the Huntsman Cancer Clinic thing in Day Break for radiation, which is closer to home, and each appointment will only be about 30 minutes. So, really, it won't be bad at all. I can still even drive my girls to school, go get radiation, then come home with plenty of time to do PTA stuff and dishes before I go get them to bring them home. And still get chemotherapy every three weeks. Bring it on!

It's no secret that radiation causes cancer. My husband put it this way: you can die of breast cancer in a year, or do radiation and deal with thyroid cancer in 15 years. When I mentioned that to the radiation oncologist, she said she wished I could come talk to her other patients. That is the perspective she tries to bring with radiation. 

For better or worse, this is the course I feel impressed to follow. So, follow I will. But the best part? I don't start radiation until I get back from Hawaii. Mahalo!

Pathology

Post surgery checkups are cool for a couple of reasons:

1. I got to see the surgeon not in scrubs
2. Nurses were not trying to get me ready for surgery, but were just checking up on me
3. The surgery is over

Looking at the pathology report during a post surgery visit is cool because: 

1. I learned what a pathology report is
2. I saw the rationale behind some of the decisions medical professionals make
3. I got to read the resident doctor's report and the attending physician's report
4. The gross report means what things look like to the naked eye - is that why it's called gross?
5. Who comes up with these names? That's all I have to say about that. 

Based on the very detailed and specific pathology report, I am a great candidate for radiation. Good thing that pathology report was there to clear that up. 

Surgeon: You'll have a consultation with Dr. [Radiation] and go through a dry run where they set everything up how it will be for radiation.

Keith: Like a dress rehearsal?

Surgeon: Yeah.

Delores: Okay, I'll do it as long as the doctor dresses up for the play when I have the radiation. 

Keith: Yeah. Like cosplay?

Surgeon: (chuckling) Oh! Now I have a picture of that in my head. Everytime I picture her doing radiation I'm going to picture her all dressed up for a play. Ha! I've got to tell her! 

I figure that as long as the radiation doctor is willing to dress up to play her part, I can do mine as well. 

Post Surgery

Firsts for me:

1. I had my neck measured. Never had that done before. I was measured for the breathing tube.

2. I had a breathing tube put down my throat after I was asleep, and taken out prior to waking up, so I never felt it.

3. I have a drain sticking out of the side of my chest. The drain catches fluid from the surgical site. 

4. I have a on Q-pump also sticking out of my chest. The On Q- pump delivers a numbing drug - similar to novocaine you get at the dentist. This is numbing the place of the incision.

5. I had my nurse give a fake name incase we wanted to complain. She told us her real name, then said if we had any complaints then her name was Susan. (which was the charge nurse's name).

6. I got to wear ted hose. They were put onto my legs by first putting a small plastic bag over my feet to help them go on. Genious!

7. I got to speak with three different employees from the pharmacy. One an intern, the other two pharmacists. The intern had enough energy for everyone in the pharmacy.

6. Oh, and I got my breast removed. That was a first too!

How do I feel after getting it removed? Great! I feel that my body is more relaxed as it no longer has to fight the battle that was raging in my breast. Kind of how I felt after getting my rotten root canal pulled. Just a lot of relief that it's gone from my body.

Hurray for Firsts!

And a BIG THANK YOU to the sweet people who either came with flowers or sent them to me while I was up at Huntsman. I meant a lot to me that you would think of me.