Doctor Visits!

Hello Friends and Family!

I went to Dr. Ferg's again on Feb. 19th, his PAC, Travis, took out the last drain! Yippee! I hate those things. I have so much anxiety when I have them attached to me. I watched as he pulled it out and it was really quite disgusting. I was amazed that there was about 18" of tubing in my stomach. He had to remove a few stitches that didn't dissolve from the incision in my stomach, as well as the steri-strips that were on my new belly button. I must admit that I love my new button. It is really a cute little thing! Everything is healing really well, except the radiated breast. This is normal it can take twice as long to heal compared to the left breast. It is still bruised all over and the incision still has some scabbing and stitches. It will heal and look just as good as the other side.

I can now start stretching and doing my arm exercises that I had to do back when I had my mastectomy. I need to do these in order to get my range of motion back. I still can really feel the scar tissue under my right arm. It is super tight and hurts when I do my stretches, but I need to keep doing them...I remind myself that at times like this that I gave cancer the finger and if I have a few lingering pains I can get over them because I won!!!!

I won't have total range of motion back again but I'll be close. I can also start to try and stand up straight and lay down flat. This is not as easy that tummy scar hurts, I mean it really hurts to stand straight. I don't think the hunched over granny look is really that bad, maybe I'll keep that look? Just kidding, I hope I eventually stand tall and I will it is just going to take a little longer. I still have trouble standing for any length of time and that too will get better with time. Cody and Brett are both taller than me now so I am trying to stretch taller so Dusty and Matt won't pass me sooner than when they are really suppose to. I am still doing my daily walks and that always feels good to get out and get some fresh air and stretch my legs.

I am off all pain meds and I usually am pain free unless I am up and about for a long period of time. I can feel the internal stitches that are still healing. These will take a few more weeks to heal completely. My next doctor appt is at my 6 weeks post surgery the middle of March.

I had an appt with Dr. Nibley, my oncologist this past Wednesday. I don't sleep well the night before this appt. I am always nervous he is going to want me to get additional cancer tests because of something suspicious he finds during my check up. Thankfully the check up went well. I did have to get another infusion of Zometa. This is the bone cancer drug that scientists have linked to stopping the recurrence of breast cancer. I get the infusion twice a year for 5 years. It's not to bad it takes about 20 minutes. However this time I went back to the chemo room to get it, they couldn't find a good vein in my left arm. Two different nurses tried to find one. They poked me several times and each time they fish the needle around my arm trying to get the vein. Ouch! Yes I had to try to keep myself calm. I have never been a big fan of needles, who is, and my poor left arm is just getting poked to death. The more you use a vein the harder it is to use that vein the next time. The nurse thought it was so hard this time because I had surgery and sometimes when you lose a lot of blood it can take several weeks to get back to a normal blood supply pumping through your veins. It took a half an hour to find the vein! In the end they found one and I got the infusion. I will feel tired and my bones will ache for a few days and I'll be fine.

On Thursday night my left arm started to bother me. I couldn't move it and I my fingers were going numb. I didn't sleep well that night, but by the next morning it felt a lot better. G thinks that they probably nicked a nerve while they were fishing for a vein. Hope so I don't need any more complications.

I was watching a tv show about 9/11 and an interesting comment was made. This man said that out of the horrible and devastating tragedy, came the best thing he ever saw. He saw and witnessed the love, compassion and hundreds of selfless acts from so many people. He met people who didn't even know him that were willing to give him anything he needed because he was in need. That describes so well the way I feel about my cancer. It has been so scary and devastating. I have felt that fear and endless worry about what is going to happen. But on the other end of the spectrum I have witnessed so many things that I don't know I would have if I never was diagnosed. I really believe that most human beings are Christ like. You might not see that Christ like love and service until you are in a crisis. I think this is why we are given trials in our lives. Not only to learn ourselves but for others to give of themselves to those who are in need. Whether you are in a crisis or know someone who is, there is always something you can do to help out and better those who are around you. That is what Jesus Christ would want us to do.

I love you all and will never forget the so many wonderful things you have done for me and my family! Hugs and kisses....Chandy