Ouch
Think it's 3 weeks post bilateral mastectomy - it's all a blur - and I am finding it a bit hard now to keep up the happy smiling face for everyone, including myself. My arm is sore, feels like a burn but I know it's the nerves all reconnecting and it might last a while, but it hurts and is annoying all the time. I've also got cording and i think today it's gone down towards my wrist. My chest is sore too, and feels tight. I'm doing my physio exercises religiously and giving myself lots of massage but I feel like it's getting nowhere. I have another physio appt on Tuesday, hopefully she will tell me I've improved in the week, cos it feels like I've gone backwards. I've been lucky enough to have been pretty healthy my whole life, and only surgery I ever had a c-section for my twins, so I'm new to all this and not at all patient,(or a good patient) so i don't think I'm handling it too well.
And the coming week is full of scans before my chemo starts next Monday. 4 bouts 3 weeks apart of AC, then 12 weekly sessions of Paclitaxel - sounds like its a popular treatment. I'm nervous about it, I know everyone handles it differently so I'll just have to see how I go with it. I've got some tummy troubles, and get easily constipated, so goodness knows what's going to happen there. I want to get started with it, cos the sooner I start the sooner it finishes, and I'll also learn how it's going to affect me but still worried and scared and still can't believe it's all happening.
Chemo was always talked about for me - I'm low risk but had one tumor of a reasonable size and cancer in 2 lymph nodes, so it's been recommended to catch any microscopic bits of the crap that may have possibly gotten through. The technology isn't really there yet, is it - one day there will be a machine that will do a full body scan that will pick up any of these microscopic bits and then we will know whether we need to do chemo or not. But till then, it's like "There may not be any more cancer in you, but just in case, lets pretend there is and blast it." One raduim oncologist has now also recommended radium after chemo, but I'm getting advice from others that it won't be necessary, so I'll be getting more opinions on that. If I don't get raduim, chemo will finish in November so I'll be good for Christmas, I'm sure!
It just gets yucky sometimes..... I'm sure I'll feel better tomorrow - or the next day....
Sending very positive vibes and healthy wishes out to everyone. Hope you had a great weekend. Donnax