Forum Discussion
Newbie
Hi there everyone 👋 this is my first time posting my journey so far,
it has taken me awhile to do this, so apologize in advance for such a long post.
First I must say how wonderful it has been reading people's posts and how lovely and caring you all are 💞 such an inspiration
I was diagnosed 10/2/20 with ILC stage 2 grade 2 hormone + her2- 11mm right breast. Appointment with Breast Surgeon the next evening he suggested lumpectomy but going for a MRI 20/2/20. Results back 27/2/20 that uncovered a few small lesions so more biopsies they came back cancerous 4/3/20.
So now have chosen to have a skin & nipple sparing mastectomy with tissue expander & sentinel node biopsy. Boy how things change. BS is hoping for clear margins and clear under nipple and clear nodes then no need for chemo or rads just 5 year hormones. Op booked for 9/3/20 Private Hospital. Awoke to so much pain in top of breast where the tissue expander seemed to be up to high (under my muscle). Heaps of pain killers, even the self administrating pump thingy, eventually taken to my private room (that was nice). Had one drain in, IV, oxygen, then the usual obs, pain killers & antibiotics through out the night & day. 10/3/20 still very painful like nothing was really working. Nurse took me off the IV, oxygen & self administration thingy and gave me 2 endos but even they didn't help the pressure feeling. Feeling pretty bummed. Pathology results should be back by Fri week. 12/3/20 saw physio start level 1 exercises and walking the corridors.
6/3/20 Yay going home today after 1 week. Results in 20/3/20 good margins, main tumor was actually 16mm, 3 smaller lesions, unfortunately 1 out of 4 sentinel nodes had a 4mm cancer, bugger now I'm told it's going to be chemo, rads & hormones. Being referred to the Alan Walker Centre. 31/3/20 appointments with chemo oncologist & radiologist, off for blood tests and an echo test on heart before I start chemo. 8/4/20 1st chemo cycle booked. Treatment plan is 4 cycles of AC dose dense every fortnightly then 4 cycles of Paclitaxel dose dense every fortnight, then radiotherapy 5 days a week for 5 weeks. Then hormones for 5 years. 7/4/20
Appointment with BS put 100ml in TE. 8/4/20 chemo went well, went home with a bag of medication, was waiting to feel sick or nausea but I didn't. Cycle 2 booked for 22/4/20 went well again. 28/4/20 unfortunately I had an accident this afternoon cut my shin open on some tin, rushed to emergncy ended up with a 8cm long cut and 9 stitches and had a tetnus shot. Discharged at 10.30pm with having 1 antibiotic & a script for more. 30/4/20 leg was painful getting red and had a fever 38.7 so back to emergency and was admitted straight on to IV antibiotics and lots of tests, transferred me to RDH more tests. 2/5/20 Chemo oncologist came and saw me said chemo cycle 3 booked for 6/5/20 is cancelled. 5/5/20 discharged. 7/5/20 community nurse house visit to change dressing, leg still throbbing when unelevating.
8/5/20 Appointment with BS put 75ml in TE only 75ml to go then no more GREAT! as it is such an uncomfortable process and feels like a rock. 9/5/20 concerned about leg still sore. 11/5/20 nurse came to change dressing said wound was looking ok but warmth & redness not good so went my gp and changed my antibiotics, contacted my BC nurse & she filled in my chemo oncologist he said go for your usual pre blood test & come into tomorrow for chemo depending on wound. 12/5/20 well he took one look and sent me straight to emergency RDH after they took a wound swab (to find out which bacteria bug to treat for which takes 3 days to grow). So once again admitted put on IV antibiotics, wound cleaned and packed, more tests. This is really turning into a nightmare😣. 14/4/20 finally got the swab results, so on the right antibiotic now YAY YAY.
15/4/20 one of the treating Dr's came and said the xray of your leg showed a shadow on your bone which could be that the infection could have spread to it, so off for a CT scan (just what I don't need) thankfully results came be negative 😊😊.Got discharged 4pm with take home antibiotics.16/5/20 the best sleep for the year marvelous I've been so exhausted. Nurses coming daily, finally everyday seeing improvement. So chemo cycle 3 booked for 26/5/20 depending on wound. Usual blood tests day before. YAY they decided to go ahead finally can get back on track. Feeling so much better now. 29/5/20 nurse coming out this morning. Appointment this afternoon with BS only going to go for half the fill to my TE. Chemo cycle 4 last AC booked 9/6/20.
Once again sorry for the long story but thought it best to put it all out there.
xx❤❤xx
it has taken me awhile to do this, so apologize in advance for such a long post.
First I must say how wonderful it has been reading people's posts and how lovely and caring you all are 💞 such an inspiration
I was diagnosed 10/2/20 with ILC stage 2 grade 2 hormone + her2- 11mm right breast. Appointment with Breast Surgeon the next evening he suggested lumpectomy but going for a MRI 20/2/20. Results back 27/2/20 that uncovered a few small lesions so more biopsies they came back cancerous 4/3/20.
So now have chosen to have a skin & nipple sparing mastectomy with tissue expander & sentinel node biopsy. Boy how things change. BS is hoping for clear margins and clear under nipple and clear nodes then no need for chemo or rads just 5 year hormones. Op booked for 9/3/20 Private Hospital. Awoke to so much pain in top of breast where the tissue expander seemed to be up to high (under my muscle). Heaps of pain killers, even the self administrating pump thingy, eventually taken to my private room (that was nice). Had one drain in, IV, oxygen, then the usual obs, pain killers & antibiotics through out the night & day. 10/3/20 still very painful like nothing was really working. Nurse took me off the IV, oxygen & self administration thingy and gave me 2 endos but even they didn't help the pressure feeling. Feeling pretty bummed. Pathology results should be back by Fri week. 12/3/20 saw physio start level 1 exercises and walking the corridors.
6/3/20 Yay going home today after 1 week. Results in 20/3/20 good margins, main tumor was actually 16mm, 3 smaller lesions, unfortunately 1 out of 4 sentinel nodes had a 4mm cancer, bugger now I'm told it's going to be chemo, rads & hormones. Being referred to the Alan Walker Centre. 31/3/20 appointments with chemo oncologist & radiologist, off for blood tests and an echo test on heart before I start chemo. 8/4/20 1st chemo cycle booked. Treatment plan is 4 cycles of AC dose dense every fortnightly then 4 cycles of Paclitaxel dose dense every fortnight, then radiotherapy 5 days a week for 5 weeks. Then hormones for 5 years. 7/4/20
Appointment with BS put 100ml in TE. 8/4/20 chemo went well, went home with a bag of medication, was waiting to feel sick or nausea but I didn't. Cycle 2 booked for 22/4/20 went well again. 28/4/20 unfortunately I had an accident this afternoon cut my shin open on some tin, rushed to emergncy ended up with a 8cm long cut and 9 stitches and had a tetnus shot. Discharged at 10.30pm with having 1 antibiotic & a script for more. 30/4/20 leg was painful getting red and had a fever 38.7 so back to emergency and was admitted straight on to IV antibiotics and lots of tests, transferred me to RDH more tests. 2/5/20 Chemo oncologist came and saw me said chemo cycle 3 booked for 6/5/20 is cancelled. 5/5/20 discharged. 7/5/20 community nurse house visit to change dressing, leg still throbbing when unelevating.
8/5/20 Appointment with BS put 75ml in TE only 75ml to go then no more GREAT! as it is such an uncomfortable process and feels like a rock. 9/5/20 concerned about leg still sore. 11/5/20 nurse came to change dressing said wound was looking ok but warmth & redness not good so went my gp and changed my antibiotics, contacted my BC nurse & she filled in my chemo oncologist he said go for your usual pre blood test & come into tomorrow for chemo depending on wound. 12/5/20 well he took one look and sent me straight to emergency RDH after they took a wound swab (to find out which bacteria bug to treat for which takes 3 days to grow). So once again admitted put on IV antibiotics, wound cleaned and packed, more tests. This is really turning into a nightmare😣. 14/4/20 finally got the swab results, so on the right antibiotic now YAY YAY.
15/4/20 one of the treating Dr's came and said the xray of your leg showed a shadow on your bone which could be that the infection could have spread to it, so off for a CT scan (just what I don't need) thankfully results came be negative 😊😊.Got discharged 4pm with take home antibiotics.16/5/20 the best sleep for the year marvelous I've been so exhausted. Nurses coming daily, finally everyday seeing improvement. So chemo cycle 3 booked for 26/5/20 depending on wound. Usual blood tests day before. YAY they decided to go ahead finally can get back on track. Feeling so much better now. 29/5/20 nurse coming out this morning. Appointment this afternoon with BS only going to go for half the fill to my TE. Chemo cycle 4 last AC booked 9/6/20.
Once again sorry for the long story but thought it best to put it all out there.
xx❤❤xx
26 Replies
- Oh my GOSH, @Fern88 - you have truly been thru the mill - and come out the other side in high spirits & still got your sense of humour. Well done xx
I am so glad all your scans came back clear after the leg injury! You don't do things by half, do you! ;) When you come off the antibiotics, just keep testing how 'warm' it is (compare it with the same spot on the other leg) and jump on it if it doesn't cool down inside of a week ... My hubby is diabetic & has had a few lots of cellulitis from fairly simple cuts. :( It is a real bugger!
I love Darwin - my brother has a place there (along with his partner, they used to be the dentists at Nhulunbuy/Gove for the best part of 20 years) & I visited last July, meeting up with @"Annie C" from WA for a week of fun! I look forward to getting back again!
Take care, look after yourself & stay away from stray bits of tin! ;) xx - @Fern88 , I’ve just been back to the surgeon today for another aspiration :| Finishing antibiotics tomorrow after 3 weeks tomorrow, it’s a little bit scary but fingers crossed it doesn’t flare up ( heart in mouth )..still pink and inflamed. Don’t want to go back to hospital!!!
Cant start oral chemo until all healed either :#
Good luck tomorrow!
Caz x - Hi @Cath62
Yes I did unfortunately, but I'm glad to have that complication just about behind me so I can get on with my journey. Thank you xo - Hi @Caz1
Wow! Similar stories hay, my cellulitis was really awful looking & got me very upset, but now it's nearly healed, I have the nurse coming out again tomorrow. Now I'm thinking I have my follow up appointment for my leg at the RDH this Tues which is 7 days since chemo getting pariniod about germs etc. 😞 antibiotics and everything else seem to throw me into a spin YUK!
xo - Wow @Fern88 you went all out didn't you!😉. I thought I was bad. I have been in hospital so many times in my 57yr. I seem to have a flare for the dramatic stuff. All the antibiotics take a bit to get over but I hope everything goes well for you and everything gets back on track.
- Hi @Fern88 I have a similar story, mastectomy in April then two weeks later a severe cellulitis infection that put me back in hospital for 12 days. Have been home just over a week sitting in my pjs and mooching and snoozing with home nurse visits too. Finally mine is looking a little better too. Antibiotics take it out of you don’t they?
Caz xx - No it hasn't & pretty distressing, but so glad it's nearly healed then I can start moving around a lot more, it's been so boring sitting around with my leg elevated most of the day and night.
Thank you primek🌼 - Not an easy ride for you. Glad it's all back on track and you are healing well now.
- Hi Jennyss
I'm always trying to look on the good side of things to get me through I think, but probably do keep a lot bottled up also. Thank you xo - Hi Tinks
Yes a bit of a set back, but back on track now, being so much more careful, It's great your on the end side of your treatment. Thank you hugsxo
