Thursday was a big day of follow-up appointments with Dr. Chui (the oncologist), Dr. Naik (the breast surgeon) & Dr. Hansen (the plastic surgeon).
As far as those appointments went, I learned the source of my gastrointestinal distress is a little something called C-Diff. While my situation is nowhere near as bad as it was when I posted last week, I am still experiencing some of the effects of c-diff (which I was told to expect....) at least a few times a day. I have to say, it is frustrating to be trying to recover and get my strength up when it seems like nothing I eat stays in my system for very long. On Thursday night, in fact, I even threw up my dinner...but I haven't thrown up again (knock on wood for me!) so that is at least some consolation in the stomach department.
I also learned the results of the pathology exam from my surgery. We all knew that the left breast had cancer and that was certainly confirmed. Likewise, my sentinel node had cancer and that was confirmed. 12 other lymph nodes were removed and they were all cancer-free which is certainly cause for celebration.
However, despite that, I met Dr. Marquez on Thursday as well, who says that my pathology, along with my age, require radiation treatments now too. I was really disappointed to learn this. First off, I just had in my mind that I'd get my implants after the first of the year and this was all going to be over with, so psychologically it's a let down to know that's not the case. But more than that, the side effects of and time commitment to radiation are nothing to thumb your nose at.
Radiation is a daily treatment for six-and-a-half weeks. (Full disclosure: I think I get weekends off...but I am not 100% sure). Because of the location that will be radiated (specifically the proximity to my heart) they do a slower, shallower kind of radiation that takes about a half-an-hour as opposed to the more common radiation that takes about 5 minutes. The radiation will scar about 20% of my lungs, so my career as a marathoner is over (ha ha). It will also effect the elasticity of my skin in a way that will make my implant on the left side never sit naturally or as well as it would have otherwise. And, finally, there will be fatigue. A fatigue, according the radiologist, that is different than the chemo fatigue and in many ways more profound. She said that the fatigue is worse at the end of each week and of course cumulatively worse throughout the treatment as well.
I cannot help but think of my co-workers--this whole time we've all been thinking I'd be back 100% by mid-December and this throws a total wrench in the works. ESPECIALLY because right now, I can't even tell anyone when the treatments will start and stop, what time of day they will be, etc.
All that aside, the physical recovery from the surgery is slow but sure. My drain tubes were removed on Thursday as well which was a HUGE relief. As you might imagine, those added a great deal of discomfort and maintenance. If I were to describe how I felt physically, it would be: very limited in movement and range, I feel a decent amount of pain though that is managed well with painkillers, and I feel like I'm wearing the world's tightest sports bra or ace bandage or something--it's just so, so tight around my chest it's almost indescribable. I was told to expect it, so I'm not surprised, but it's difficult to put into words.
Tomorrow I hope to start really doing my physical therapy in an effort to loosen things up. We'll see how it goes!
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