Weekend recap

This was a fairly normal weekend, except that it had a feeling of "THE LAST NORMAL WEEKEND". Tomorrow, Monday, I am supposed to get the port installed and things are going to start rolling from there. We did a lot of lounging this weekend. We went to a Star Party at Moody Gardens, where a lot of people had telescopes set up - we saw Saturn and a number of stars. We went out to eat a couple of times, seems Mom's missed good Mexican food and can't really get it at home in Bradenton. Mom's also been doing some cooking - nobody's going hungry here! We did a Sam's and Target field trip, got the car serviced, the bunnies' houses got cleaned, they got a mani/pedi and a brushing and we all took a few naps. Chris set up the new cable receiver; we now get more stations than I can keep straight. Watched Norbit on HBO - bad movie, but we just got HBO! I am still trying to get over the cough/chest thing that seems to want to stick with me. Yes, I'm taking my "buried treasure" and antibiotics and mucinex AND was given a great big dose of antibiotics last Wednesday but that doesn't seem to have kicked it out. Maybe the mega dose of antibiotics I'll get tomorrow will help. I'm concerned that Dr. Markowitz won't want to start chemo until I'm healthy... and when will that be? I have an appointment with Markowitz on Wednesday to plan the treatment. The "Tumor Board" where the doctors get together and discuss cases (mine is on the short list) is tomorrow and Chris has permission to sit in. Mom will go with me to Port Placement: part 3 -the real deal?

Port placement: part 2

Today, Friday, Chris went with me to get my port. We dutifully showed up early and there was a long line in radiology, so by the time we got to the counter we were late! By now I have the routine down and we get escorted to the pre/post op area where I greet the nurses: Chris, Donna, Cindy - we're old friends now. Donna finds me a bed and makes it and they start hooking me up. A new nurse, Richard, decides to put today's IV in my right hand, cause that's the spot that was "last in rotation" and we are ready to roll. Blood pressure, temperature etc... Chris is sweating like a stuck pig, partly cause its hot and partly because he has an awful headache - poor baby.
Side note: Chris has been having some swelling in his feet. They are puffing up like fat sausages and are really painful, so he is trying to adjust medications - yes, on doctor's recommendations.
Back to me. We sit. Well, Chris sits and I sort of lay for about 2 hours. Waiting. Stomach growling. Thirsty. New Dr. comes in who works with Dr. Kathurian (Unpronounceable from yesterday) and they have been consulting. I can have a port installed today BUT he recommends that because of my mutancy (see previous post) and weight and size of breasts and possibility of complications... I should have the port put in my arm instead. Sounds like a plan, except that Jackie (the only person I should trust to do this arm-version) is out. I am now scheduled for Monday at 11:15 for Port placement: part 3!
Good things have come of this. I have gotten to know the nurses a bit. Donna had colon cancer (stage 3) and survived 17 years so far, so she has had a few nice hints to share. She also took off the bandage from Wednesday and there are no stitches or anything. But it appears I might be allergic to the tape they use after surgery at UTMB (University of Texas Medical Branch). I got itchy and red after my biopsy too. Well, I get to have a pain-free weekend. We have plans to go to the beach before I can't. Mom forgot to bring a swimsuit so I guess we'll do some shopping too.

Port placement: part 1

So, bright and early yesterday(6:45) Mom and I go to the radiology department to get my port-o-catheter installed. For those not in the know, it is a thing that they install under your skin that allows them to inject stuff (like chemo) directly into your blood stream without having to "stick you" every time. Mom explained it as a "sort of tap". Anyway, we go to my new favorite place , the radiology department, and get guided to a little pre/post op area and they start hooking me up and let me pee. They give me a gown that is size GIGANTICUS and is falling off even my generous shoulders - I'm thrilled that a hospital gown is too big - that never happens! I meet the nurses and they ask all the pertinent questions and take all the vitals... I get wheeled into the OR and there I lie watching people prep for the surgery, unwrapping stuff, squeezing stuff, putting tape on me and stuff.
Of course I get an itch right below my nose when I have my arms bound down by my sides and everything is taped and the oxygen thing falls out of my nose from all the twitching I'm doing. The nurse tries to help, but you know how that is - someone else can never find the right spot! So, they give me the joy juice and I'm pretty happy and sleepy until I hear the hushed tones of concern. Damn. They inject my neck vein with some dye and I can see it on the monitor spreading out like a fan. Is it supposed to do that? I can guess from the murmurs -NO! They murmur a little more. Try it again and then cancel the party! Turns out I don't get a port today. Turns out I'm a mutant. They try to explain why to me but I'm kind of doped up. Mom is with me and Dr. Unpronounceable tries to explain to her and ... Later on Chris calls him and gets the low down: I have a "double superior vena cava" and my subclavian leads into the great cardiac vein instead of the top of the heart where it is supposed to. So, now all the experts are meeting/researching to decide if it is OK for chemo to be done this way with someone who has a heart like mine. There just aren't many mutants who have had chemo. Tentatively, I have a second-try appointment on Friday at 9:00 a.m. to install the port if they don't come up with a reason why not.

Bone Scan Fun

Today was bone scan fun! I went in this morning and got shot up with some radioactive goo and then got to go back home and eat. I was ecstatic about this since I hadn't eaten or drunk anything since midnight last night. Lori and Emily (sister in law and niece) were also still at the house having come to visit and help get the house ready for the arrival of mum (Donna) and I wanted a chance to visit a little longer. So, I took my radioactive self home for some biscuits and coffee and chit chat. Lori and Emily are so kind and loving - I can't tell you what it means to me to have this kind of support. I'm getting a little verclempt here... (translation: teary) Anyway, I got back to the Radiology department, with which I have become intimate recently, and retraced my steps to the "nuclear medicine" lab. I only got turned around once. If you've ever been there you will be seriously impressed!! I obediently emptied my bladder in the appropriate facility and began what I was told would be a 45 minute picture taking session. They masking taped my feet together! At one point, I guess I couldn't be trusted to keep my arms on the table, so they taped my arms to my sides like a burrito. Anyway, after the test was finished I was told that they would run the test by the doctor, and "would I like to sit up?" I decided I was comfy enough. A couple minutes later I heard them talking in concerned voices, a woman I hadn't met came and asked me questions about my cancer. It was obvious they were seeing something they didn't like! Isn't there something more emphatic than an exclamation mark?!!! It was in my chest area. They took two more chest pictures from a more diagonal POV. I won't keep you in suspense. I was pretty freaked out until tonight when we verified (doublequadruplechecked!!) that there was a weird area that didn't radioactivley dye right where I had once broken a rib (yeah - didn't know about that either) BUT there is NO SIGN OF CANCER in my bones. Now we just have to deal with the pesky breast cancer...

A little history

June has been a whirlwind month. Breast-wise and test-wise here's the reader's digest version.
May 30: Went to Dr. I had found a large lump and was concerned. 1. It is a lump. 2. It hurt.
June 2: Mammogram and Ultrasound (of lump I had found) They found another lump and a large lymph node.
June 5: Biopsy of both lumps and a fine needle aspiration of a lymph node. Yes, it hurt! Yes, I was black blue and purple and still can't wear a regular bra... Chris went with me and was with me the whole time. I really could have done without the drug reps who were in the room the whole time coaching Dr. Leonard on how to use a new "gun".
June 9: Well-woman exam (guess what? I'm not well.) Dr. Elsaid told me the results show cancer in the lymph node. I cried, which was weird because I expected it to be cancer. I guess just hearing it out loud... Dr. Elsaid put in the orders for some of the tests I would need. I went and got my blood drawn - yes, I cried the whole time. Pitiful. I went and got Chris who was doing his pediatric rotation in the same building. He was dismissed for the rest of the day so we sat in the lobby and cried for a while and then we went for a drive.
June 11: Finally got the diagnosis Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. Upset. Oddly a little relieved to finally hear the words after waiting so many days. Went for a massage but was not able to really concentrate/enjoy. Brain racing with what ifs. Not only that, I had a cold AND I was supposed to go to Austin for a theatre conference over the weekend. Oh yeah, and I have breast cancer.
June 12: Dr. Leonard had pulled some strings. He is the radiologist who did my biopsy. He also taught Chris and he had gotten me in to see Dr. Silva the surgeon Friday at 11:00! So, I'm not going to Austin - but I'm still really snotty!! I called Dr. Duncan, the Director of Fine Arts for Galveston Independent School District and told him what's up. He was very understanding, but somehow he thinks I'm quitting my job! It was nice having him try to persuade me to stay...
June 13: Dr.Silva is really nice. She tells me lots of things I don't want to hear including that I will need a mastectomy, since I have 2 lumps. Chris went with me and took notes and asked lots of good questions. Because Chris is part of this medical community I know I am getting treated especially well, and I am thankful for it. Dr. Silva made a few calls on my behalf and I have appointments set up for all sorts of stuff!

First day of Blogging

Hi,

This is the first entry in my wife's blog about her journey with Breast Cancer. She was diagnosed on June 9 with adenocarcinoma in an axillary(arm pit) lymph node and then given the definitive diagnoses of Invasive Ductal Carcinoma two days later on June 11. She and I will be entering information about what is going on with her on this blog. In the next post we will give the entire history of how we discovered the tumors and the path to diagnosis.

Chris Mitchell