CT Scan results

I swear, PVH doesn't have anything together!

I had my CT scan on Friday...
Because of the type of surgery and risks with getting IVs in my arm it was a mess to get the right team of nurses to 'tap' my port. Then to get it all of the crap out after the scan.

This was an interesting experience, they sterilize the area just as much as if I was getting surgery. I can't even watch them put the needle in because I might breathe on it and it won't be sterile anymore. So they make me look away and put a paper on my face.

CT Scan came back great, no cancer! No pneumonia! No blood clots!

Chemo starts Monday... dun dun dun.

Got another wig today.

Fills, chemo training and CT Scan

Whew! This Linda lady is going to drive me crazy!

Now backing up, I see Linda tomorrow to do 'chemo training'.
I'm thrilled if you can't tell :)
I have yet to know if she will be part of my whole chemo routine or not.

Friday I have a CT scan on my lungs. This is mostly precautionary, I pushed for it, they weren't sure it was necessary. However they did say, if it's in your lungs we'll find out eventually. I haven't been sleeping and I've been Google-ing WAY too much so I pushed to have peace of mind now instead of just waiting. I should have just done this sooner, like when I had the brain MRI done. I don't know why I put myself through the waiting. Stupid idea!

Yesterday I had my first "fill". 50cc on each side.
This is an instant gratification moment, hahaha!!
One of the strangest feelings in the world at the moment is watching a needle stick in my skin and not feel it. As far as I'm told I won't have feeling ever again. I think I'm young enough that eventually maybe nerves will repair over time. Only time will tell. The body does amazing things.
Speaking of which it's currently pissed off again though. More stretching muscle, feels almost the same as the days right after surgery.

My first chemo session is from 10-1 on Monday, June 2nd.
Thank you to those that have offered to take me. I need to make a decision soon.
Please don't take offense if you've offered and I haven't said anything...
This is going to be one of the hardest sessions I think. It's going to be new, scary and I don't know what to expect. Everyone feels different so they can't tell me what to expect really either. I may have side-effects right away or not until Thursday, another time will tell moment.

Tomorrow I will have the full chemo schedule and will post details this weekend.

See the "Universal Fill Kit" below.
I felt like it was a car part :)

New shirt

My new shirt from Nick.

Its awesome!

Thank you!

Updates and more decisions

I've been informed it's been too long since I last posted so I'll try to make sure I include all the updates. :)

Well I got out of the hospital late Thursday night after surgery. (The 8th)
Friday I got the pathology results and posted those.

Last Wednesday I got my drain tubes out... I no longer look like a science experiment and Eric says I'm "wireless" now.

Since then I've been recovering at home, working some starting last week and this week.
Glad to have something to keep my mind busy and very grateful to be able to work from home.

I've had some visitors, thank you, it's been helpful so I don't get so much cabin fever.
Eric, Mom and Laure have helped around the house a bunch.
I can't lift more than 10lbs for about another month or so. That part is hard, 10lbs isn't that much!
My laptop is 5lbs for example.

I'm quickly learning what motions use chest muscles that I didn't realize or didn't think they used that much of the chest muscle.
Turning the wheel in a car stretches most of the muscle quite tight, esp if you go 360º. (Or in my case TRY to do it).

Saw the oncologist yesterday... the negative margin on one of the tumors was only 0.5mm.
(This means that the cancer cells were only 0.5mm away from the edge of what was cut out, the 0.5mm cells were healthy/normal).
She discussed this with the Tumor Board of CO and it's unclear if radiation will be of any benefit.
I will meet with a specialist to talk about pros and cons... I have to decide by October roughly.
There isn't anything suggested at this point and this decision is up to me, I don't know how to decide.
On one hand radiation is SERIOUS STUFF! On the other hand do I ever want something to come back and have to think 'what if I had done radiation?'.

Next week I will have a chemo training class... can't wait!
I will also have a CT scan of my chest to ease my brain about my wheezing. I'm sure it's allergies or stress but will be nice to have a clear brain that it's not cancer.

Chemo starts June 2nd.

Hair will fall out around the second treatment, June 16th.
I bought 2 wigs today.
One has a bit of purple on the bottom, the other is more natural and quite long. So far I love it!

I'll have a full chemo schedule soon, the short of it;
4 treatments in 8 weeks
2 weeks off
12 treatments in 12 weeks
9 months of treatments, every 3rd week.

Second surgery early 2015 likely.
All will be said and done and getting the port out around September 2015.

The above is set until at least November, after that things might change depending on the radiation decision.

Hope everyone enjoyed the rain we just had in CO.
Also hope no one was in the way of the really bad parts.

Interior Garden

The flowers keep coming.

Who's more creative than me to help make some collage or something with these?

They are gorgeous, smell amazing and keep me smiling!

Thank you again everyone.

Pathology is back, all great news.

Short but sweet...

Really glad I didn't have to wait until next week for all of this.

No surprises in the pathology reports from the surgery.
Many small tumors that matched the small one from the first biopsy.
1 27mm tumor and 1 12mm tumor (both invasive, also matched the original biopsy).

2 lymph nodes were taken, one from each side, both came back negative, NO SPREADING and NO RADIATION!

Clear margins, also means NO SPREADING!!

No PET scan needed either.

Drain tubes are still in and still gross. The color is changing though, really hoping to get them out Monday.

Looked in the mirror... didn't cry, yet.
Nurses and Docs say I look great... I think they're blind. :)

Thanks for all the support and checking in on me!

Hospital, Flowers, and Fresh Air

My pretty flowers and my OPEN window.
I've gotten so much love at the hospital it's been amazing.
The flowers are gorgeous and I love how many people wonder how the window got open :)
Nothing like having a man by your side that installs glass for a living and makes the hospital stay that much better with the fresh air and being able to hear the thunderstorms we've been having.
It's the little things in life that add up to be the best parts of the big picture, if anyone tells you any different they are missing the best parts of life.

We promised the nurses not to tell the 'crazies' how to open the window.
Fresh air and lots of laughter is great medicine.

Going home in a few hours.

The pain buster (yes that's what the label said) came out today, the tape hurt more than pulling 12" of tubing out each side.

Drains are still in, probably until at least Monday.

Thank you to everyone for everything so far. It's helped more than anyone probably knows.

The real beginning.

Well up until now this has all been easy tests, annoying needles and being told scary things.

Now comes the real stuff.
Hopefully I get some nurses with decent bedside manner.

Gonna keep the post short as there are way more important things going on.

Thank you to everyone for the support.

Every woman should feel pretty before surgery!!

Thank you to Katie and Balayage Salon for the amazing pre-surgery hair!

Balayage Salon and Spa 

This boosted my spirits more than I thought it would!
(PS. Eric said he 'likes what I did to my head') LOL
(PSS. Thanx for reminding me I have cried when you've cut my hair and that I made the right choice to not cut it short to 'get used to it')

What caused the cancer and my recent donation

While the docs aren't sure what caused the cancer there are many guesses.

My BRCA1 and BRCA 2 tests came back today, no messed up genes.
Great news! They don't want to take my ovaries now!!

The plastic surgeon tried to make me a vegetarian, he says no more store bought animal protein.
Too many hormones and antibiotics given to the animals that we eat.
This makes them bigger and so they don't get sick in the terrible conditions they are raised in.

Tonight I was given 12 frozen chickens, some bacon, pork chops and beef.
All organic, no hormones or antibiotics.

I'm so very thankful for this gift. This will get me off to a great start at being able to eat animal protein still and trust the food isn't full of shit. (Sometimes you just have to cuss) :)

Thank you again!
Donation from JT, Laporte, CO.