I AM HOME!!!!  It feels so good to be home and sleep in my own bed and SEE MY KIDS!  I really missed them.

I still have pain around my left breast and under my left arm.  I usually forget about the incision from the removal of my port on the right side.  Poor Jim has to empty my drain twice a day, clean around the tubing and tape it back up.  He's been such a trooper about it.  The drain is the worst part of all of this.  Until the drain is removed I am only allowed sponge baths!  That is almost as bad as being in the hospital.  It should be about 2 weeks before the drain is removed.  That is going to be a long 2 weeks.  I have to be very careful around the kids so the tubing doesn't get pulled out and my clothing has to be loose enough to work around it.  No bra either.  So tank tops and cami's will be my choice of clothing.  I usually wear a light jacket to cover up the drain, but the hot weather makes that uncomfortable.  Enough complaining!!!

I am just extremely pleased that I am almost considered cancer free!!!  That's a very liberating feeling.  I'm looking forward to getting the pathology reports next week.

Thank you so much for all the thoughts and prayers!  Thanks to all those who helped with the kids, especially my mother-in-law!  I've heard the food that has been shared with my family has been wonderful.  I appreciate the generosity.  I look forward to having some of those meals in the next few weeks.

I will post again after my next doctor appointments!  Till then, all you moms - HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!  I love you all!

Terrie

recovery

This will be short!  it's hard to type.  I have limited use of my left arm and my right hand has 2 iv's.  My surgery lasted for 4 hours and doctors said it went great.  I only have one drain which is good.  Since surgery went so well, the plastics doctors said I may have more options when the time comes.  

The lymph node biopsies looked good.  We just wait for the pathology report.

They have moved me a second time,  I am in room 1127 now.  I should stay here until I am released tomorrow unless something goes wrong.  

Thank you so much for the thoughts and prayers!  My family appreciates the meals and child care.  It's been a long journey and the end is near.

love,

Terrie

surgery tomorrow

Today was one of the longest days of my life.  I had to be at MD Anderson at 7:15.  I began with an EKG, blood work, and chest x-ray.  Then the really fun part - breast lymphoscintigraphy.  They gave me a local and then inserted a very large needle that sticks out.  While this needle  is sticking out about 5 inches they take mammograms to be sure of its correct location.  The local anesthesia then made me dizzy and I passed out for a few seconds.  Apparently this happens very often because they put you in this special chair that can pretty much throw your feet up and head back to help with the dizziness instantly.  Once most of it passes then they cover the needle with a styrofoam cup and tape the cup in place.  I am then wheeled (yes in a wheelchair) to nuclear medicine.  There they give me the lymphoscintigraphy dose.  That was very painful.  They take a smaller needle and basically thread it through the larger needle that is sticking out and slowly administer the drug.  All of this is to see how the fluids drain from my breast.  It will help determine which lymph nodes need to be taken out and tested.  Then I had scans to see how it's moving through the lymph nodes.  I had scans 30 minutes after the dose and then again one hour later.  In between that I met with my plastic surgeon, Dr Kronowitz.  He talked about the surgery and marked me up for tomorrow.  I also had my anesthesia assessment.  Then I met with my surgical oncologist, Dr Hunt.  I signed all the consent forms.  I will have a single mastectomy tomorrow morning at the main hospital of MD Anderson.  I need to check in at 6:30.  My surgery is scheduled for 8:30, luckily I am the first surgery for Dr Hunt.  Her part takes about 2 hours.  When she is finished then Dr Kronowitz comes in and places the spacer.  His part takes about 2 hours.  They said to plan for surgery to last 4-6 hours total.  I will most likely stay for 2 nights.  My reconstruction is scheduled for June 8th.

That's it for now!!  Wish me luck!

God bless,

Terrie

Plastic Surgeon Appt

WOW!!!   I had an appointment with my plastic surgeon today.  I thought we would be discussing my impending surgery and exactly how the reconstruction was going to happen.  I had my questions prepared for my recovery and felt content with my decision. 

Dr Kroniwitz then informed me that my surgical oncologist, Dr Hunt, has me scheduled for the mastectomy with delayed reconstruction not immediate reconstruction as we had thought and planned for.  I won't go into all the details of how upset I got and all of his explanations.  I will speak to Dr Hunt's PA tomorrow and figure out where the miscommunication happened.  

Dr Hunt feels that there is still a possibility that my lymph nodes may have some cancerous cells.  She does not want Dr Kronowitz to do reconstruction with that possibility.  If my lymph nodes come back with cancerous cells then radiation will be my next step or maybe another surgery to remove all the lymph nodes.  The radiation will have a negative effect on the reconstruction and it would basically need to be redone.  I would lose the ability to use the abdominal tissue - the DIEP procedure can only be performed once.

Soooo - it looks as though I might only be in the hospital one night with a much shorter recovery afterwards.  I should get the results from the lymph nodes in about a week after surgery unless they see something during surgery.  Next course of action could be radiation or the reconstruction.  Only time will tell!

I will know more after I talk to Dr Hunt's PA tomorrow.  I will try to post tomorrow before I head out to the relay.  I hope to see many of you out there!

Love you guys!

Terrie

Final Chemo...forever I hope!

My final day of chemo was this afternoon.  It was sort of a bitter sweet ending.  I almost broke into tears telling Dr. Popatia goodbye.  As I am leaving all the really sweet nurses and office staff, I should be bouncing off the walls with the thought of no more toxic drugs, but I will miss those guys, they are THAT sweet!

In the last few weeks I have been super-sensitive to smells.  All of sudden I catch of whiff of something and I get extremely nauseous.  Today during my treatment it happened - all because of the intense smell of alcohol.  Even writing about it now makes my mouth start watering with the thought of vomiting.  So needless to say, my treatment today was not that great.  I felt horrible the entire time.

I am VERY excited with the anticipation of never having to have chemotherapy again.  I am so ready for this to be over... there is light at the end of the tunnel.  Only a few more items to check off the list before I consider myself to be cancer free.

My last treatment went fairly well with the addition of the steroid.  I'm hoping this last one follows suit.  I have many Easter celebrations to attend so I don't have time to be sick.  

I was very pleased that my hair was starting to grow back - short lived pleasure.  A couple of days ago it began to fall out again.  My hair right now is about an inch long and when I wash it or towel dry it - it's coming out in clumps.  So I guess Jim will shave it one more time so I won't have hair all over the house.

What's next???  Well, I get a few weeks off and then surgery.  I check into the hospital on May 6th.  During those few weeks I will be finishing up all of the fundraising for my Relay for Life team.  We are selling raffle tickets right now - awesome prizes (marriot gift pack, spa, guided fishing trip, handmade wooden glider, Wii, John Deere riding lawn mower, teeth whitening).  Let me know if you want some!!!  Our Bunko fundraiser was a HUGE success - we raised $3,370 that night.  A special thank you goes out to Polly Andrews, Don & Lisa Barcak, Anne Barcak, Steve & Gail Wendtland, Walt & Karen Wendtland, Elizabeth Fairfield, Lauren Beheler, Jole Holachak, Liz Stain and countless more for all their hard work to make the night a success.  Oh yes and my husband for all the nights he took care of the kids while I worked on this.

Please join me and my Terrie's Top Guns team at the night of the Relay it will be a fun family activity (we will have a train ride for the kids and all sorts of goodies).  Visit the website listed on the right for information about the relay or email me!

Once again, I continue to be surrounded by awesome supporters - thanks for all the food, child care, rides, and mental support.  It's been a rough ride and it's starting to wear on me.

One special note, please keep Walt Wendtland in your prayers.  He is in the hospital with some intestinal issues.  He was ill the night of my Bunko and still tried to support me.  They took him to the emergency room the next morning.  He needs my support now.  Get well soon Walt!

I love you all!  Have a blessed Easter!

Terrie

Surgeon's Appointment

I spent the morning at MD Anderson with an ultrasound and surgical oncologist appointment.  There is no change in the tumor since my last ultrasound in January.  That's good because it is not growing.  There was a small part that actually thought maybe they won't force me to take my last chemo treatment.  Ugh - no luck!  I must endure one last chemotherapy.  I'll be honest just the thought of it makes me sick to my stomach!!!!!

Dr. Hunt, her nurse practitioner, Jim, and I made the final decision in surgery choice.  We have decided to go with the single mastectomy with the DIEP reconstruction.  Hopefully this will mean no radiation and in the long run less surgeries.  

I have pre-op tests and such at MD Anderson on Tuesday, May 5, 2009.  They will do a breast needle localization procedure, then lymphoscintigraphy dose, and then breast lymphoscintigraphy.  This will tell Dr Hunt which lymph nodes my tumor drains (it could be the ones under the arm or the mammary glands in the middle of the chest).  They will take those particular lymph nodes out during surgery (sentinel lobe biopsy) to determine if there are any cancerous cells in the lymph node system.  They will do a quick diagnosis of the removed nodes.  If they look clean then no other lymph nodes are removed.  If they find any cancerous cells then they might have to remove all of them.  This could determine a change in my course of treatment.  Cancer is so tricky - never a clear path to travel.  It will take 7-10 days to get the full report on the removed lymph nodes.  

I check in at the hospital on Wednesday, May 6th.  I have another breast needle localization and then surgery.  The plan is to have reconstruction immediately following the mastectomy.   They will use my abdomen tissue and skin to reconstruct.  There is not a set time of surgery as of yet.  Surgery is expected to last about 10 hours.  The average stay for this type of surgery is 5 days.  They say six week recovery time.

My next chemotherapy treatment is scheduled for April 9th.  I HOPE this is the last one!!!  As many of you know this last set of treatments have been really tough.  I cannot wait to be done!!  

Thanks so much for all the thoughts and prayers, the meals, the child care, the rides!  It is such a blessing to have such a wonderful support group!

I love you all,

Terrie

Chemo #3 FAC

It's seem so long ago since I've posted anything.  I've been so lucky that there has not been anything to complain about.  After I got over the nausea of the second treatment, I had a great 2 weeks!

Today's treatment was okay.  I was very anxious about the whole thing.  It's really hard knowing that you are going to be sick.  There were a few moments I wanted to yank out all the tubes and just cry because I didn't want to go through it again.  Deep breaths and happy thoughts saved me. They gave some "queasy pops" to see if they would help with my stomach.  I think it just diverted my attention, which was helpful.  

I came home ate lunch and napped.  It's been about 3 hours and I'm feeling okay.  It feels as though the nausea is on it's way.  I have this yucky taste in my mouth and my head feels a little shaky.  They talked me into having the steroid again, they said it could help with the nausea.  I hope it makes a difference.  

I am so grateful for all the supportive thoughts and prayers!!  I pray for all you too!  The meals, childcare, and rides are so much more than I ever could ask for!  I honestly have the most giving and self-sacrificing family and friends.

I love all of you!

Terrie