Well, it took about three weeks, post-radiation, to heal
enough to feel comfortable in normal clothes and return to work at the office.
I was so blessed to have the ability to work from home as I healed. I saw Dr.
Prasad two weeks after I had finished and he “scolded” me (as if that gentle
man could ever be mean) about powering through my treatments without a break.
But he prescribed a burn cream that did its job well and it didn’t take long
after that. Most of the area is back to normal completely, but the crease under
my breast and my armpit can still feel irritated if I wear something that is
tight or rubs. It is a minor annoyance and all-in-all, I feel great!
It's really interesting to me that during chemo I didn't have many symptoms besides fatigue. Although I read that it can tear up your nails and skin, I didn't have much, if any, reaction at all. However, months later, I get these strange stains on my nails (which don't last long) and the doctors tell me it is chemo. Even though one thinks they are through, there are constant reminders that there are still poisons in the body trying to get out.
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| Chemo nail |
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| Normal nail |
It's really interesting to me that during chemo I didn't have many symptoms besides fatigue. Although I read that it can tear up your nails and skin, I didn't have much, if any, reaction at all. However, months later, I get these strange stains on my nails (which don't last long) and the doctors tell me it is chemo. Even though one thinks they are through, there are constant reminders that there are still poisons in the body trying to get out.
Last weekend, the whole family decided to walk in the Impact
the Cure breast cancer fund raiser in Abilene. We decided we needed matching
shirts to look like a real team and had fun trying to come up with a name.
We
finally decided on Tuma-nators (cue Arnold Schwarzenegger)! It was great fun, even though we were some of
the last to finish. We got off to a slow start when Kinley, who is potty
training, needed to go just as we were starting, and the stroller tires were
nearly flat (also noticed as the race was starting), so we stopped at the fire
station where they kindly filled them up! They made me run to catch up… I don’t
run! 😝 Ha!
We took in the Chisolm Trail Days Festival later that
afternoon and a pumpkin patch
in Manhattan on Sunday afternoon. Scott and I traveled on to Kansas City and went to the Alison Krauss and David Gray concert at the Starlight Theatre, which is an outdoor venue, if you didn’t know. The weather was beautiful and the concert was amazing.
in Manhattan on Sunday afternoon. Scott and I traveled on to Kansas City and went to the Alison Krauss and David Gray concert at the Starlight Theatre, which is an outdoor venue, if you didn’t know. The weather was beautiful and the concert was amazing.
We had an appointment with my plastic surgeon in Kansas City
on Monday. He was very pleased with the healing from surgery and radiation. My
reconstruction surgery is scheduled for
January 18th! We will have to
go back sometime soon to get a CT scan of my stomach to help them plan the surgery. If all checks out, I will be having a DIEP procedure, which uses tissue from my stomach to
rebuild the breast rather than an implant. I’m anxious to get that behind me as
well, but at the same time, I’m looking forward to a break from it all.
To celebrate, we are taking the family to Great Wolf Lodge
in KC in November. We are all looking forward to that too!
I appreciate all my prayer warriors! We have several friends
who are currently in need of healing prayers too. If you could add a prayer for
them too; I know He knows who they are. God is GOOD!
Love you all!
