Let's get up to date

I've been so busy writing about other things that I haven't posted anything about my status. Don't worry, I'm fine!

My scars look fantastic, to quote my surgeon. He is very pleased with how they're healing.

I have my mobility back: My arms move as well as they did before this surgery. I can even do those wacky windmill arms Miss Kim has us doing in our Thursday night jazz class! My left arm doesn't quite make it to vertical (leftover from having my lymph nodes removed in February), but it's close enough, and there's enough space between us dancers that I don't worry about whacking the girl to my left in the head (unless she's the one who squeezed me out of my spot at the end in our June recital.....no, I'm kidding. I don't carry grudges. But she did squeeze me out!)

I have my energy back, for the most part. No more falling asleep while sitting up! I'm back to being mother-of-4 tired, not post-surgery tired. That's a big milestone. I still need an occasional nap, I won't lie about that, but I'm feeling great most of the time.

I've met with 3 of my important doctors:
1) Last week, my gynecologist checked my oopharectomy scars, talked a bit about the menopausal process (this could last years), and gave me the go-ahead for everyday activities. A good thing, because I've been walking and lifting baby for weeks now.

2) Yesterday morning, John and I met with my oncologist. She wanted to see how I was doing after a month on Femara. I'm doing well with the new drug, no side effects that I've noticed. There are hot flashes, but that could be from the oopharectomy. My body is really noticing that the ovaries are AWOL.

We talked a little bit about how we'll ever really know if Femara is working. I don't think Tamoxifen worked for me, and one of the hints was the absence of side effects (mainly, no hot flashes). So, although I do have the hot flashes, I don't feel anything else out of the ordinary. So how do I know maybe the Femara isn't working?

We also talked about my checkup schedule. Looks like checkups and bloodwork every 3 months, with some sort of mammogram/scan every 6 months to a year. As for checking to see if the cancer is really "all gone", I was disappointed to learn there is no standard "feel-good, follow-up" scan after surgery. If I have a problem, such as bone pain, a headache that won't go away, chest pain, etc., then they'd order a test accordingly.

But my oncologist is very understanding. I reminded her that earlier this year, everyone told me I was cancer-free. No MRI or scan confirmed it, just a pathology report, completion of radiation, and one tumor-marker blood test. And after my doctors assured me I was fine, within 3 months I ended up with cancer again!

So she understood why I wanted proof this time. We'll talk at my next checkup about a scan, maybe a PET scan.

3) Yesterday afternoon, I met with my surgeon. He has seen me twice since my Sept 25th mastectomies, and is so pleased with how my skin is healing. Even the sickly-looking radiated side. During the previous checkup I complained that my skin looks like it has adhered right to the bone. He suggested I massage that side, with horizontal movements, to help give the skin some elasticity. Well, it worked! It's not cover model material, but it's looking healthier.

The point of yesterday's checkup was to discuss next week's "touchup" surgery. I don't think I mentioned this before. During the mastectomy, my surgeon was afraid to take too much skin. Remember, the skin on that side is still pretty tender/sickly-looking from radiation. So he took what he felt comfortable with, so as not to stretch the skin too much and risk it breaking. Now that it's healing so well, and has regained some elasticity, he'll go in next week and take a little more skin and cinch it together more. Sounds gross, I know.

This next surgery will be done with a local anesthesia, yikes! I did request a valium or something for that morning. He'll have an anesthesiologist on hand in case I need some twilight stuff. I have a feeling I will. I can be brave: I've had multiple moles removed with just a local, I've had all 8 fillings (plus 2 refillings) with no novocaine, and I love to remind everyone that I birthed 2 of my 4 babies with no drugs (even though it wasn't my choice). BUT....I'm a little anxious about this one. Go figure!

So that about wraps up where I am. I'm healthy, energetic, and loving how things are getting back to normal. Just need a little touchup and I'll be done! Until reconstruction, that is....but that can wait until next year.

P.S. Tuesday November 20th is when I go in for my touchup. It will be an outpatient surgery, so I'm told. Aside from being a little uncomfortable for a few days, supposedly I can resume lifting Jesse and other activities.