Right!?

Scars are cool!😄

Journal entry Sept. 17, 2012

My "I got this" T-shirt was waiting for me after my first chemo tx. Awesome! I'm wearing it to the next one!

10am-blood draw then back into the room with all the recliners & people. Katie came over & checked my numbing cream area over the port. I had anxiety about not putting it on right with the saran wrap. I saw the needle as she was about to poke--ugly sucker! Didn't feel it though. Did feel it coming out & worst of all, heard it make a sucking noise when it came out of the port. Eww!
Felt pretty much OK the rest of the day.

First written journal entry. First chemo.

Nice story

http://www.indystar.com/story/sports/2015/09/16/what-peyton-manning-did-for-my-friend-who-is-dying-of-breast-cancer/72283084/

September 2012

Three years ago I was terrified. I had had met with a surgeon who wanted to do a mastectomy within days; was bullied by his office staff over money; saw an oncologist; was diagnosed with IDC; had an  MRI of my brain, a bone scan, and a port placed. This all took place from 9/5/12 to 9/13/12.
I had my first chemo on 9/17.

What To do when your friend has BC

http://www.healthline.com/health/breast-cancer/what-to-do-when-your-friend-has-breast-cancer

I liked this comment:

When I was going through this 12 yrs ago, my bff would call from Ct to Ca and say did you have chemo today? I said yes and you are alive right? I said hell yea I am talking to you, then she would say Good By and hang up on me. I thought that was the funnist thing she ever did. Also had freinds send my lollypops adressed to Kojak, I loved it, Every once in a while I have a chnace to pay to forward so to say, and I make someone feel better.😄

My nights

With lymphedema I have to either wrap my arms or wear a bandage liner. I use short stretch bandages when I wrap along with a wrap for hand & fingers plus padding under the bandages. I can wear the bandage liner and wrap the short stretch bandages around it. I alternate. In the photos I have my right arm wrapped with the bandages and my left with just a bandage liner. I find it's too difficult to have both wrapped.

Three years

Well, here I am 3 years later. Doing OK but still waiting for reconstruction. I worry, but not like I did before. Scans are cause for anxiety because of the waiting. I wasn't to have my port removed but I'm afraid to jinx things. Then I think they can just put another in if chemo is required again. My biggest issue right now is fatigue. I'm dealing OK with wearing the compression sleeves for my lymphedema which is now in both arms. I don't feel as self conscious with the sleeves on as I would with a huge arm just hanging out there for everyone to see. My niece laughed when I told her my scars from the PICC reminded me of the shape of a UFO.

Like this:

Gotta have the humor!

This week

Had appointment with infectious disease doctor on Wed. She sent me to have lab work done. I see her next on Oct. 14, the day before my antibiotics are done. Went there with BOTH arms wrapped as I had come from PT. Doc didn't even remark on it because she knows the PICC caused it in right arm!!
Had a call from oncology about a missed port flush appointment on Wed. Rescheduled for Thurs. They like to draw my blood a week before my doctor appointment (appt is on the 9th).
Went for inf dz blood draw on Fri. They couldn't find my vein at first. Sheesh!
Hemoglobin is either 10 or 11.3 depending on the lab. RBC, WBC, & hematocrit are still low. Neutrophil absolute was low this time.

Faces (of) pain rating scale