Cancer in My Rear View Mirror

Photo taken last year from my daughter's backyard in Des Moines, where I plan to be soon celebrating the arrival of my new granddaughter.

Sometimes I forget that I started this blog before I was diagnosed with breast cancer and that my intention actually was "to talk of many things." Breast cancer has dominated my life this year, and I'm eager to leave that experience behind and move on, but, of course, there are daily reminders.


My hair is now thick and covers my head, but it's curly and unruly. I've never had curly hair before and these are most likely temporary "chemo curls," but it takes me by surprise every time I look in the mirror. 


I'm experiencing some cognitive difficulties beyond the "senior moments" I had begun to laugh about over the last few years. Sometimes I have to stop and struggle to remember what I was just doing or saying or thinking about, which can be a challenge at work.This is probably a combination of lingering effects of chemo and side effects from my medication, Arimidex, which I'll be taking for five years.


My tear ducts haven't completely returned to normal functioning since chemo and sometimes I have tears streaming down my face when I'm not the least bit emotional.


For the most part, though, I'm doing well and feeling good. My red and white blood cell counts and energy level are back to normal. I'm a regular at the gym again where I do strength training on the weight machines and spend some time on the elliptical trainer and treadmill. I still go walking with Rick and the dogs daily and do some walking / slow jogging intervals and swimming while the neighborhood pool is still open for the season.


I've worked to get back to my Weight Watcher's goal weight, so as a lifetime member I can go to meetings and use their website free as long as I weigh in monthly.


I used to enjoy a glass of wine most evenings, but I've cut back to one glass of wine or margarita a week.


Last Wednesday, I was scheduled for my first post-treatment mammogram and I had a dental appointment scheduled two hours later. I worked a few hours in the morning and took off for my mammogram. Two hours later I was still at the radiology imaging center and had to call to cancel my dental appointment. That was when it began to sink in that I am still a breast cancer patient and that for the rest of my life I'll be a breast cancer patient or survivor.


These days I can't pick the location of the radiology practice that's most convenient to me. I have to go the location where they follow breast cancer patients and my images are carefully scrutinized by the radiologist while I wait. This first post-treatment mammogram did show something, so they took additional images and did an ultrasound. Then I was called in to look at the images with the doctor, who told me that I had new "calcifications" that could be due to tissue damage from radiation or could be due to new cancer. The only way to tell was to do a core needle biopsy. 


So two days ago I had another core needle biopsy, but it was different from the one I had in December that resulted in the diagnosis of my malignant tumor. I was on my back for that one and it was guided by ultrasound and was mostly painless. This time I was on my stomach, which was uncomfortable, and the procedure was guided by mammography. The numbing shots didn't work very well, so this procedure was painful and I bled excessively. I don't think that's how it usually goes, though. By the time I was cleaned up, taped up and bandaged, I was no longer in pain and went home to await the results. 


Today I was notified by phone that the biopsy showed no new cancer. The calcifications were due to normal tissue damage from my treatments. Needless to say, I'm relieved and thanking God for that good news. 


Monday I had my biopsy, yesterday I saw my oncologist, and next week I have a followup with my surgeon. I guess breast cancer will be in my rear view mirror for awhile longer and objects in the mirror are, after all, closer than they appear.


For now, I'm happily back to looking forward to meeting my sixth grandchild, who's due to make her appearance next month.

Looking Forward, Looking Back

Here at our house, we didn't exactly ease into the new year. As we entered 2013, we already had our dog, Zoe's orthopedic surgery date on our January calendar, as well as Rick's consultation with a surgeon for hernia repair, and we were waiting for results of a breast biopsy I'd had two days after Christmas. 

I got my breast cancer diagnosis on January 2, Rick had his surgery on January 11 and we took Zoe for hers on January 16.

Zoe the day after her "femoral head ostectectomy"

On January 24, one of our cats, who we adopted from the shelter a year ago, went missing. We've plastered the neighborhood with flyers, posted her picture on lost pet websites and contacted the shelters, but still no sign of Sasha.
 

Last week, which was the last week of January, Rick had his followup with his surgeon on Tuesday and got a good report after two weeks of trying to remember not to lift anything over ten pounds and laying off running, which was making him stir crazy.

The next day, Wednesday, I had lumpectomy surgery. 

Friday, Rick and our son, Paul, took Zoe for her followup and to get her 21 surgical staples removed. She is doing well, but still needs a lot of rehab, mostly in the form of daily walks. It will probably be another 5-6 weeks before she's fully recovered and we can consider surgery on her other hip.

Also on Friday, I got a call with the best news possible from my pathology report. The margins of tissue around my tumor were free of cancer, as were my lymph nodes. It was such a relief to know I wouldn't be going back for a second surgery.
 

Me with Kelly and my dad on Saturday after my surgery

Our daughter, Kelly, has come and gone. We had a wonderful weekend with her and look forward to our younger daughter, Erika, arriving late tomorrow night from Iowa. 

I've also enjoyed visits from my dad and from my friend, Jennifer, a breast cancer survivor twice over.

It was wonderful to go to church yesterday to worship the Lord with dear friends, who've been praying for me.

We're having gorgeous weather, perfect for taking Zoe out for walks and for Rick to gradually resume running.

I am driving again and going on short outings and errands, resting a lot, and using over the counter ibuprofen and acetaminophen as needed for pain. I have prescription pain medication, but haven't taken that, or felt I needed to, since my first night home.

Next Tuesday I'll have my two week followup with my surgeon where I expect to get more detail from the pathology report and a referral to a radiology oncologist. I plan to return to work Wednesday of next week, so my appointment with the oncologist will be sometime after that. 

I can't start radiation treatments until I'm completely healed from surgery, which probably won't be before the end of February. I think I'll most likely have radiation treatments five days a week for five to seven weeks. At some point, probably after radiation is finished, I'll be starting on the anti-estrogen, drug, Tamoxifen.

But for now, I'm just looking forward to a week of enjoying Erika's company and, if the forecast is correct, more beautiful weather. 

Flowers from my employer

Resting, Recovering and Rejoicing in Good News

Beautiful flowers from my brother & sister-in-law & family in Nebraska

It's been just two days since my lumpectomy surgery and I think I'm doing great. I felt like I received excellent care from everyone involved, well except maybe the nurse who started the IV, but that's a small detail compared to the rest of it. 

I checked into the hospital Wednesday morning and went to nuclear medicine to have the radioactive isotope injected, which would help the surgeon locate the sentinel lymph node. That was an injection into the breast and it did hurt, but was over quickly.

Next up was a chest x-ray, nothing remarkable about that. 

Then I went to mammography for the "wire localization" and bracketing of the tumor, which was necessary because my tumor was located so deep in the breast that it could not be detected from the surface. That was a long involved process and, I gathered, not an easy one for the mammography technician and radiologist. It required a lot of  precision on their part and it was humbling for me to realize how seriously they took it and how they viewed me as an individual and as a person, not just another job. The mammography technician told me that she had prayed "that God will help me do this right for you." 

The radiologist came in, introduced himself and said, "You wouldn't know this, but I've been thinking about you for the past three days and thinking about how to do this right. I want you to know that I'm going to do my very best for you." Wow! They explained to me that their goal was to give the surgeon the best chance possible of removing just the right amount of tissue to get clear margins around the tumor, without having to remove too much. This procedure was uncomfortable at times, but I was more than willing to cooperate, because I certainly wanted them to achieve their goal.

Finally I was taken into the pre-op area, where my surgeon and anesthesiologist  came in and talked to me. Our pastor got there in time to pray with us just as I was getting loopy and then he stayed with Rick in the waiting room for awhile after I was taken into surgery. Surgery took a little under the ninety minutes that had been estimated. I spent some time in the recovery room, was reunited with Rick and was home by about seven in the evening. I slept in a recliner that first night, because that was where I was most comfortable.

Yesterday was a restful day at home. About the most ambitious thing I did was to take a shower. My incision is about three inches long and is closed with "steri-strips," not stitches. Because the tumor was on the side of the breast near my underarm, the surgeon was able to access and remove the sentinel lymph node from that same incision. The pain really hasn't been too bad.

My oldest daughter, Kelly, arrived from Dallas late last night. It is so good to have her here. Today she took me out to run an errand and to have lunch, which we ate outside since it was such a beautiful day. While Kelly and I were out, my doctor's office called my cell phone to tell me that the pathology report showed that my margins and lymph nodes were clear: wonderful news and sooner than I expected it!

After we got home, my friend, Jennifer came by to visit, which was a treat. She has had two experiences with breast cancer, one fairly recent and pretty rough, but is doing well now. She has been a great encouragement and source of information for me. 

Tonight Kelly made a delicious dinner and dessert and we've had a good time talking and catching up.

God has blessed me graciously throughout this experience. I'm so thankful to Him and grateful for the prayers of my family and friends and even caring people I don't even know.