Cancer has faded into the background, and work has come crashing into the foreground. I started this blog partly as a communication tool, but more so as an outlet for me; a way to keep a record of my thoughts while I dealt with all this. So it’s a good thing – a GREAT thing… Continue reading The Official End of the Cancer Era
Last week I spent the week relaxing at home, recovering from my reconstructive surgery. When I got home I noticed some tiny, weird cuts on my right arm, and on my abdomen. At the post-op visit with the nurse the next day, she didn’t know what caused them – she guessed that they draped me… Continue reading No more drains!
Since I have not talked about my surgeries in a while on this blog, I thought I’d give things a recap and an update with how things have turned out. Monday’s surgery was my first of two reconstructive surgeries, this one being the most major (although less major than the mastectomy itself, which was not… Continue reading Surgery Details
Yesterday’s surgery went fine. The surgery was scheduled for 3pm, which meant that I could not eat or drink anything (including water) from midnight onward. Actually I could have something at 6am, but if the surgery got pulled to earlier in the day, which apparently happens sometimes, I wouldn’t be able to take advantage of… Continue reading Good Morning
After my April follow-up visit with Dr. FixIt, my reconstructive surgery was scheduled for September 11. Turns out that date was just as inauspicious as it seems, and my surgery has been pulled in to TOMORROW! And I’m finally getting around to blogging about it. Here is what happened. About two weeks after that April… Continue reading Schedule Change – Tomorrow’s the Day!
Hm, it looks like I have not blogged in a while. I suppose that’s not a bad thing; this is a cancer and cancer-stuff blog, and there has been blissfully little to say in the cancer department lately. My plan is to keep this blog going until I’m done done – not just cancer done,… Continue reading If Only There Were A Pill For This…
So here is a story that is tangentially related to cancer/lymphedema … In late December I fell and banged my elbow. Yes, my RIGHT elbow. It was bruised for a while but I really didn’t think about it too much. It did not even occur to me to mention it to my lymphedema therapist when… Continue reading Siri Knows Everything
Yesterday I had my first visit with Dr. FixIt since midway through chemo, when he did my final breast expander fill. If you’ll recall, Dr. FixIt is my plastic surgeon – i.e., the guy ultimately responsible for cleaning up everyone else’s mess, and helping me to realize my goal of getting a perky rack out… Continue reading Getting Closer to Perkiness
Last week, FINALLY, after nearly four months, my pump arrived. One of the “prongs” of the three-pronged lymphedema treatment approach is the use of a compression pump – lymphatic drainage massage and wrapping are the other two prongs. After working with Ms. Lymph twice a week in January to bring my swelling down, she ordered… Continue reading Our New Appliance
Today I had an appointment with my third lymphedema therapist. She is a massage therapist who is trained in lymphatic drainage massage. She actually works at the hospital, for some reason in the cardiovascular wing. She is insanely inexpensive for a massage therapist, so that’s nice, since this is not covered by insurance. She spent… Continue reading Lymphedema Therapist #3
