Wednesday - Let's Go!
Hi Mary and Everyone:
just back from meeting with radiologist assigned to me at the Cancer Center. She looked at my breast, and again at path and surgery reports, told me that if more surgery needed surgeon indicated in letter to her it would have to be radical mastectomy, but she felt not needed...she will give me standard 5 weeks targetting whole right breast (part of my lung will also get zapped but cant be helped) plus an additional week of targetted to lumpectomy area, so 6 weeks in total. But we wait for oncotyping from California as if I need chemo, that will be 4 sessions, each session at 3 week intervals and done before the radiation.
So still don't know what's ahead, other than 6 weeks radiation for sure, and no surgery for now, but maybe later along the line if cancer comes back (20% chance in same and/or other breast requiring mastectomy in one or both) Have to wait 2 weeks or so for chemo decision based on DNA, plus guestimate of cancer re-occurence possibility and the dosage of anti-hormonal therapy for the next 5 years, all decisions coming from California lab.
so, more waiting....
.....and Mary, already sent you message in a previous post back a few days on this site re your significant other not being supportive of your food choices now, and he will not when you have your WLS either ...he will try to sabotage you every day he is with you so good luck with your decision...Hang Tough!
Hugs to all, Jennifer
Thanks Ladies - Yes, he is blackmailing me - but it will be worth the price to get rid of him -- and I will definitely get him to sign a paper and get the locks changed, thanks for the suggestions. He feels as though I owe him; his head is twisted. He's like a Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde. But this will be resolved shortly.
Again - thanks all.
Still learning. Currently in pre-op stage.
Good Evening Mary, and OFF Family,
I've had two long days in a row. I'm exhausted, and becoming to used to these freezing temperatures. Utley's not doing to well with it though. The snow is too deep and the temps too cold for him to go out and find a spot to pee. Two nights ago, I let him go out in the garage. Tried to get him out there last night, but he didn't get it. So, I woke up to a puddle on my carpet in the living room.
Yesterday's visit to the rheumatologist took almost four hours. She said my blood work doesn't show rheumatoid arthritis, but the x-ray of my left wrist shows I may have it anyway. They took x-rays for my knees and feet, and she asked me to get the film of the x-rays of my hands. Then, they took six and a half vials of blood. She said my bone density test shows the precursors to osteoporosis. So, she's treating me for both rheumatoid arthritis and will be treating me for the osteoporosis as well. I also need to get hand braces, to support me thumbs. When I go back in a few weeks, I'll get shots, and hopefully that will help. She did mention the possibility of surgery, if the braces and shots don't work. So, in the meantime, I have the disc with the films of the x-rays of my hands to take to her, and she gave me a prescription of a mild med used to treat rheumatoid arthritis.
Today, I had an iron infusion, and it took about five hours, between the pre-meds, the pre-test of the iron, and the iron, then the flush. Fortunately, they give the chemo and infusion private rooms, with a recliner and TV. They also brought me plenty of ice water.
I then scooted to the grocery store, and grabbed the fixings for some comfort food fixings, like cheese and macaroni, stew meat, and meat loaf mix. I forgot to get no sugar added hot chocolate fixings, so I'll pick them up at the IGA tomorrow.
On the way home, I stopped at Colleen's to give the kids some books I got at the National Aviary on New Years Day, when I took Sean and Rachel there. I got Frankie a duck board book, that has a little duck puppet in it. Lincoln got a penguin picture book. And, Izzy got a very interesting book about a Bald Eagle Reserve in Alaska, that tells all about a day in the life of an eagle there. I taught nature at a ritzy day camp for ten years, so anything having to do with animals and their habitats is of huge interest to me. And, I love to share my love of nature with kids. I have a grandparent membership to the zoo here, and plan to attend a docent training on Saturday. I would love to volunteer at the zoo, with school trips, and educating the guests at the zoo. My membership here gives me discounts at other zoos around the country, so I only had to pay half price at the aviary.
Once I got home, I took some laundry down the basement, and have clean clothes that I washed in MY washer and dryer. I'm so grateful to finally have my own washer and dryer, after living here for 11 months, taking my laundry either to Colleen's or the laundromat. I bought the machines in September, and Colleen's brother-in-law delivered them in October. Trent came over one day, and tried to get everything hooked up, but had trouble. So, I had a washer, but no dryer. I did hang some stuff up in the bathroom on hangers, with the fan blowing. I don't fault Trent, since he was working long hours, staying at his brother's house. He worked at his brothers four days a week, then came home and did work locally. This week is the first week he's actually been home. Plus, the two weeks they were in Pennsylvania and Maine, over the holidays was his first vacation in over a year. He certainly had not taken one since I moved here in February.
Mary, you vent, and kick that SO to the curb as fast as you can. Whatever route you take, be prudent. If you can avoid going into debt, and not paying him blackmail money, great. If not, we're still here for you, and will listen to you vent as much as necessary.
Hugs,
Trish
Albert Schweitzer
