Finished with part of radiation therapy

Today I finished session 28 of the general radiation sessions they had planned. Tomorrow starts 8-10 sessions targeted at some problem areas, including the scar area from surgery. I'm glad they are done with the general sessions because I've got a pretty good burn area on my shoulder, believe it or not, right where a bra strap goes and right where your collar rubs your neck. That's from radiating the lymph nodes up above your chest (didn't even know you HAD lymph nodes there), just to be on the safe side, they haven't found anything in lymph nodes yet, and because you don't have much tissue behind that part of your chest it burns fast. It's pretty sore, though I've got several different types of medicine to slather on it, and its getting more difficult to find clothes to wear that don't rub at all the wrong places, but at least they are done radiating that part now, so it will only get better.

Also have almost two weeks back at work under my belt. Can't complain, since I leave at 2:00 every day to get to radiation. I also celebrated 30 years with P&G on May 16, the day I returned to work - seemed fitting to go back that day.

Next big milestone I'm looking forward to is when I have enough hair back to go wigless to work - been running around outside of work that way, but just not quite comfortable going to work that way yet. But I'm noticing the wig is a lot hotter on these warm days we've been having sometimes, so it's only a matter of when I give it up and go real short instead!

Love and continued thanks for all the support,
Teri

Half Way Through

Finished up my third week of radiation this past week - starting to get a nice "sunburn" to show for it. :) Radiation is pretty easy compared to chemo - other than the fact that my burn is starting to itch, it's not uncomfortable, just a daily trip to Jewish Hospital for about 30 minutes. They get me in and out right away. Two weeks ago I found myself getting pretty fatigued at night, though last week didn't seem quite as bad. I have one more week off before I go back to work, and we're busy getting ready for Stephen's high school graduation, so it will be nice to have the flexibility to take a little rest if I need it. I've also been lucky to be able to catch up with friends at lunch a couple times, and do a little shopping to make some "wardrobe adjustments". Best news of all - Jim starts a new job as a project manager in a week!! He has been working as sort of a project clerk since last July, but this is a real project manager job, he'll be doing the kind of work (and making the kind of salary :) that he used to before the bottom fell out of things in early 2009. Thanks so much to King and his electrical services company for all the support they have given him the last 7 months, keeping him busy and employed until he could land a "real" job - we are blessed by everything King and Lou have done for us the last year! Things are looking better and better every day, praise God!

After the dust settles....

It's been a crazy couple weeks, which is why I've been slow blogging since the surgery. Jenny was quite right, although I was not looking forward to this surgery, it wasn't bad. Not too much pain, since I'd been worked on there before. I took the first week pretty easy and got very re-acquainted with my Lazy Boy chair. Last week was a very different story. Lots of doctor's appointments. Started off with the surgeon and a post-op visit. She had the pathology report to share. Good news, not so good news. There was another tumor behind the reconstruction, and so it really did need to come off, no second guessing there. Not so good news - they didn't get a clean margin at one point, meaning the cancer had progressed right up to where they cut. It was microscopic at that point, so the surgeon doesn't know when she's cutting to cut a little deeper, and she said if she had cut any deeper in that region shw would have had to cut into my pec muscle. She also got me set with my first "padded bra" so I can stop stuffing that side with a sock (only kidding about the sock!) Next day I go see the Radiation oncologist. While still optimistic, she was a bit more guarded than the surgeon - course she's the one expected to successful in the next phase, so I get that. She marks me up and says lets get on with radiation next week. Next up is the medical oncologist (aka chemo doctor, who I still see because I take a hormoe drug every 3 weeks). She was "very concerned" about the pathology report. That did not leaving me feeling very good, as she is normally the most optimistic of the team. She said a lot of things but what stuck with me is that even after radiation and the hormone drug, they won't know if they got everything - it will be a wait and see game for the rest of my life. After a "pick me up" lunch with my good friend Nancy, I got a phone call from the oncologist. Once she had a chance to study the 7 page pathology report in more detail, she was more optimistic that the chemo hit the one tumor the way it was supposed to, the other tumor is of a different type and not expected to respond to chemo, but the good news is the type of cancer that was right up to that boundary is one that SHOULD react to radiation and the hormone therapy they will start me on after radiation. That left me feeling a little more upbeat, but still bummed that they can't say they got it all, and I'm just hoping that "wait and see game" is one I play for a real long time.

So its on to the next phase - radiation starts tomorrow. 5 days a week, at least 5 weeks but the radiation doctor wants to give some extra shots to the margin area, if my skin isn't burned to a crisp by then. So I guess even with all the rain we're getting, I'm starting on my "sun tan" tomorrow!

I can't say thanks enough for all the meals - people have really been generous and we've been eating much better than usual (all those brownies and chocolate chip cookies are making it hard to keep loosing weight though!). I really appreciate the time away from work, as I'm still finding a need a nap every day, and as always, really appreciate everyone's prayers and good wishes - I'm sure that contributed to making this surgery better than what I dreaded!

Love to all,
Teri

Almost a week after surgery...

Mom is doing a lot better than I think any of us expected. Still in some pain, which the medication is helping, but mentally, she's as tough as rocks. She says that her pec muscle is a little tight/sore, so hopefully that pain will diminish in the next few weeks and she will be back to normal...well as normal as anyone with only half a rack! Anyway, we would like to thank everyone that has been so supportive through meals, prayers, rides, everything. This process has been made a lot easier for us through our caring family friends. So thank you so much again, and we'll update when something new occurs!

Surgery Update

From Dad,

"Our of surgery and in recovery. Dr. said all went well and found no visible cancer. Said tissue was very healthy and she should have an excellent recovery."

The King of Pop and a surgery update

Mom's in surgery at the moment. Estimated to be about 2 hours. Dad's with her and said quote "She loved the Michael Jackson meds they gave her".

Food planning

For those of you who so helpfully offering to bring meals and such to the house, someone recommended a great site, and was kind enough to set it up for us, so we can do this 21st century style (Thanks, Mrs. Elsass!). This web page shows when people have already scheduled to bring something. Please feel free to use it to find an open time to do a dinner, if you were planning on doing so, which is so very much appreciated.

http://www.foodtidings.com/SignUp.aspx?ScheduleGuid=90eb267b-bfc0-4739-8460-b2298f0dd17a

If you were looking to do that and don't want to deal with the site, go ahead and email me at jadean12@aol.com.

And if you brought a dinner 7 years ago for the last time we did this and never got your dish back, guess now's a good time to go ahead and ask!

And finally, in celebration of almost the last teeny bit of cancer leaving mom tomorrow (though the radiation will get any bits left behind) here's a little tune.