Warning, some of this may be TMI -- so, if you are squemish, look away....
- Edited to add -- they tell me that I am more than likely to lose my hair --- which will be a new experience.... and that when your hair comes back, it is often different than the hair you had before... So, I'm hoping that it will be straight and blond.
- Getting a complete cancer diagnosis takes a long time and many, many tests. The first test came back as cancer May 22, and the oncologist finally gave me my level on June 25 .
- In case you are interested, I'm a level IIb, which means that my lump was larger than 2 CM total (lump and arms...) and I had one lymph node involved, but nothing metastitcized.
- When you lose a breast, it is actually concave where your breast was.
- From now on I can only have IVs and blood pressure taken on my right side.
- Mamograms don't really hurt --- but bone scans involving your head are very claustrophobic.
- If you get at all motion sick, make sure you tell your anesthesiologist, they can give you things to help with nausea.
- Bring your own pajama pants to wear in the hospital -- it prevents all kinds of embarrassing gown gaps.
- Bring your ipod if you have to stay overnight -- because you won't sleep and the hospital only has 6 TV stations.
- Some radiological scans and radiology treatments also earn you a card to show to the Airport Security guys.... because their equipment will pick up your radioactivity and they'll think you have a dirty bomb on your person.
6 comments:
Not squeamish enough not to ask why the IV and b/p thing. Inquiring minds want to know!
Just spent a night at a house with DirecTV and there was STILL nothing on I wanted to watch, so I feel you on the six channels thing. :-)
They told me that I need to avoid putting pressure on the arm - because they took lymph nodes, so that tends to upset the flow of fluid in my arm. The real concern is that I get what they call lymphodemia, which is permanent swelling in the arm.
I'm also not supposed to wear tight jewelery, get manicures or a whole bunch of other things that could increase the risk of infection or change circulation...
Yeah like the lady with the cancer scars is a huge terrorist threat!
Sounds like you're doing great!
At least you're learning alot from this experience.
(Looking on the bright side)
MAY 22?!?!! You are a good secret-keeper. I'm going to remember that.
If you need to wear a compression sleeve, either temporarily or longer-term, there is fashion hope: http://www.lymphedivas.com/catalog/.
Sadly, I've become kind of a font of fun mastectomy fashion advice thanks to the experiences of too many friends who've had surgery in the past year :(
And straight blonde hair sounds like fun - you should experiment with a wig if you do lose yours. My Other Half has always been entertained by the idea of me as a blonde; perhaps Hubby could also enjoy a little excursion into fantasy?
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