PT

I went to physical therapy today. The therapist massaged my lymph drainage areas (neck, abdomen, groin, arms) then she wrapped the hand/arm. I'm supposed to keep it wrapped until morning. I can tell that it has loosened some so I'm hoping that's because the swelling is going down. Tomorrow she's going to wrap it again and maybe have me try it. If it keeps the lymphedema under control I'm all for wrapping every night.

Below: wrapped arm and night "nurse"...

Infection

I saw the PS on Friday. I have an infection on the skin of my right "breast". I noticed it was getting red a couple of weeks ago and on Thurs night it was itching a bit near where the incision was. PS put me on Cipro and Doxy antibiotics. She said if it doesn't improve I may need IV antibiotics. Worst case scenario would be removal of the expander. I see her again on Tues. She drew around the reddened area with a marker so I could see if the redness was spreading.
She removed 60mls of saline from the expander and relieved some of the pressure.
The pain on the left side is getting better. Now it comes and goes but hasn't bothered me in a couple of nights. I've decided it's a muscle spasm because it feels like a cramp and when I lay on my back it goes away instantly.

Velocity Girl

Whenever I have a PET scan I sing these lyrics in my head because:

1. I love the song!

2. It lasts around 90 seconds.

3. Each segment of the scan is 2 minutes long so this helps me keep track of the time instead of counting.

Velocity Girl by Primal Scream

• Here she comes again
  With vodka in her veins
  Been playing with a spike
  She couldn't get it right
  
  Splendour in silver dress
  Velocity possessed
  The world was hers again
  It fell apart again
  
  I don't need anyone to help me
  No, not anyone at all
  `Cause my so-called friends have left me
  And I don't care at all
  
  Leave me alone
  Leave me alone
  Leave me alone
  
• 
  

http://youtu.be/3WDUgdGPNcw

Lat Dorsi muscle

Really bizarre thing: when I touch the skin on my left "breast" in a certain spot I feel the sensation in/on my back. Crazy feeling! The muscle is still attached back there so it makes since that I'd feel something.

Self diagnosis or hypochondria

I'm still having pain just below my left expander (almost said breast--ha ha). I'm still trying to figure it out. It feels like one of those "snake bite" things we did as kids where you twist the skin on someone's arm and it burns. Super painful! So I've been reading that it could be the expander pressing on a nerve; it could be fractured ribs from the expander; it could be infection; it could be pulling on the sutures holding the expander in place...

It hurts worse at some times more than others. Sleeping is difficult. I think it might have been a bit better today. 

My other issue is redness on the left breast (don't know how else to explain). It is red in the area below the nipple and hot to the touch. I think it may be swollen but can't tell for sure. I'm thinking it looks to be about where the alloderm was placed. The alloderm is usually placed to make sort of a hammock to cradle the expander. The body usually doesn't reject the alloderm but I guess it can happen. Infection is my concern. I don't have fever and I'm sure feeling worn down is from the sleep problems. I was looking at the breast cancer forums and some of the women had horrible pain from the expanders so I'm glad mine is never any worse than about an 8 on the pain scale.

Hospitals and magazines

When I'm waiting at a hospital or doctors office I usually don't read the magazines they have. Because every single time I do I get interrupted in the middle of reading an article. In the beginning I would tear through the magazine and speed read articles so I could finished before being summoned by the nurse/tech.

Well, today I went to the hospital with my grandma for her cardiac stress test. I saw a magazine with Adam Levine on the cover and was flipping pages like mad when I realized I was not the patient! I could take my time! Ahh!

Typical night reading in bed

This kind of cracks me up! So I get ready for bed and I'm usually cold. On goes the socks & sweatshirt. I start reading. Whew, hot! Take off socks & sweatshirt, turn on fan and point it towards me. Reading...Cold! Put sweatshirt back on & turn fan away from me. Reading...Hot! Annnnddd repeat. It's a good thing that I only share my bed with cats! 

OUCH!

I was attempting to arrange my little pillows around my painful post-fill breasts in preparation for my afternoon nap when...holy mother of god! Some possible 8 on-the-pain-scale pain! It's painful if it causes me to gasp. I flashed back to the nurse explaining the expander and showing me what it looks like. There are tabs on the thing that get sutured onto the chest wall or the muscle (can't remember). She said sometimes the sutures tear and it can cause some pain. I hope that's not what happened. I carried a heavy bag of library books yesterday so I hope that I just over did things again. It's super painful to sleep anyway and now this...
I'm a side sleeper and I splay my legs out so I'm not quite on my side but not quite on my stomach either. I stuck one of the pillows in my armpit last night so that my boob didn't touch the bed. Might just have to suck it up and sleep on my back. 🌛
Still happy that things are going well though!! 😸

PS appointment and fill

Plastic surgeon says things look great! She filled both expanders. The right is still larger than the left but it should even out with the implants. So my "side boob" got larger. I asked how long the expanders have to stay in and she said 6 months so after my last fill I'll wait 4 months for the implants so the skin can heal completely. She joked that the "triangle" of skin from my back kind of looks like a sail. 
My last drain was at 30mls for about 8 days so they pulled it. If I develop a seroma (fluid under the skin) on my back I'll have to go in and have it drained (with a needle and syringe).
Feels great to be free of the camisole and pockets! Woohoo!
I can start wearing my normal shirts if I can figure out which bra best contains the side boob. ;-)

New oncologist

I met my new oncologist on Wed. I liked him! He sat down with me and went over my cancer history and asked me questions. He was easy to talk to and listened to my questions & concerns. He scheduled me for a PET scan in Oct. so we can check the residual cancer in my left armpit and the tiny nodule in my lung.