Saturday Night Quickie

I have lots to say and too tired to say it.  Plus I drugged up to hopefully sleep well, so skipping the foreplay and getting to the good stuff.

I'm in Boston for a conference.  I went to a concert with some friends,  I stood on the upper level of a really cool theater and looked out over the crowd and had one of those "damn I'm glad to be here" moments.  

As non routine as the past months have been, I've been so focused on the next appointment, the next thing, that I think I've missed some of those moments where you get to soak in all in.  Like Ferris Beuhler says, like moves pretty fast sometimes, if you don't take a minute to stop and look around,  you might just miss it (or something like that). 

So I stopped, more than once, tonight at this concert. To appreciate the music, the people, the ability to be there, the cool city that Boston is, and really just life.  It might be cheesy and cliche but it happened.  And I wanted to post because it's one of those moments to remember.  A lesson learned.

More to come later with pictures and links and all that good stuff that it easier to do when I'm not posting from my iPad.  

Swapout Complete!

Before getting into the swapout surgery of today (which went well!) a brief catch up from last week that I didn't get to when I updated about the trip to Indy in my last, quick post...

My hair is growing.  I had to take an awkward Passport picture (sad, 10 years since I studied abroad...and feel like an up to date passport is a good thing to have, and I'll definitely need it next summer when I "hopefully" go to Chile with UD).  It's a pretty good look at the hair growth though.  Also, I hate that you're not supposed to smile....

Also, had a great time at the UD game on Wednesday...

and on Friday and Sunday with these guys (who apparently never take pictures, so I'm posting one of them) and others at Fieldhouse...

 

Unfortunately, for those who may not know, the Flyer men lost on Sunday to Oklahoma.  They had the ability to win, but a 9+ minute scoreless streak did them in.  Such a great season by a team no one expected anything from.  As a bonus, our Women's team upset Kentucky to make it to the Sweet 16 for the first time in school history, so that made the day a bit better overall. 

 

Kevin was visiting from DC! Somehow I did not capture this in picture form but I enjoyed his company Saturday (through a dissappointing trip Fifth St Brewery) and Sunday morning (at an always pleasurable trip to Golden Nugget). 

Sunday was also Sarah's birthday!  Happy Birthday Seester!

 

Today, Monday, started out by my wonderful old roomie Andria coming over to drive me to the swap out surgery.  It wasn't at the hospital, just the outpatient clinic attached to the plastics office.  I got all prepped, after a little struggle to get an IV in...

 

My drinking over the weekend, restriction from water overnight, and the fact that my left arm with better veins is out of commission (since I had the lymph nodes removed) didn't make me an easy target. Can't really see the missed hand vein stick as well. 

 

Andria also really loved my booties.

 

Surgery went well, about an hour and a half as expected.  I woke up in recovery with no nausea (thanks to lots of drugs), to learn about how to properly wear my bandeau support to keep the implant in place.

 

And soon we were on our way out!  Apparently the plastics business is going well, as this Maserati is what my doc drives...

 

 

Since we were in Centerville, where Andria grew up, we made a stop at one of the famous local places...

 

Donuts are good post-anesthesia food, right?!  As I said to Andria, really, what's the difference between a donut and bread?  I was told not to eat spicy, greasy, hot or fried foods, and these fit most of those.  Mmmmmm.

 

I spent the rest of the day lounging, but overall feeling really great.  In the afternoon, there was a changing of the guard (I'm supposed to not be alone for 24 hours) and Nate and Maura came over the hang out for the night.  Maura made a delicious dinner!

 

And now, we are hanging out, watching TV, etc.  My plan is to go to work tomorrow as I'm feeling really good.  I can't drive, so will go in with Nate in the morning.  I'm not supposed to drive until the Tegaderm patch is "done" and I'm off narcotics.  I might be done with pain pills tomorrow...hard to say.  I'm not really in much pain/discomfort now (some incisional pain) so we will see. 

 

I can already tell the difference and the comfort associated with getting that tissue expander out! I think I will probably be much more comfortable sleeping.  That'll be good so that I can have plenty of rest for the busy week ahead! 

 

 

 

 

 

The Road to Indy

I'm sure the NCAA probably has that title trademarked, but oh well. It's applicable. 

First off, go Flyers!!  What a game last night. I enjoyed it from the Arena, in impulsively bought tickets that I really enjoyed. While we didn't play great, we managed the win and continue on to the "second" round tomorrow. 

I don't think the Flyers will actually make it all the way to the Final Four in Indianapolis, but that's where I found myself today. 

The IU Cancer Center is along the lines of other major University Hospitals and quite nice. Though I must say I think I have developed a fondness for my "small town" doctors offices. 

I killed some time checking scores and reading up on different treatments. The appointment was fine, a nice lengthy discussion. I'm a bit too tired to go into too much depth, so here are the highlights. 

-I'll be switching the hormone therapy I'm currently on. I currently take tamoxifen (blocks estrogen receptors) and instead will take two different drugs, one to suppress my ovaries (from producing estrogen) and one to inhibit the precursor to estrogen. Essentially to limit estrogen, the fuel for the growth of my Cancer cells. Hopefully, by taking this more aggressive approach, and cells that might be floating around will die rather than grow and become a tumor deposit, likely in bone, possibly in other breast or other areas. The lack of a response to chemo, tumor size, characteristics, etc are concerning enough that this approach is needed. Infertility isn't assumed, though may be more likely. However, the improvement/reduction in recurrence rates with this therapy merits trying it. And importantly, like my doctor said, there's multiple ways to bring a child into your family. 

-At least three weeks after I finish radiation, I'll most likely join a clinical trial. In this trial, I'll either get a drug to go along with my hormone therapy that may help even more (targets another part of this signaling), or the placebo. Make a few visits early on, less throughout he year of taking it and then participate in follow up for a good while. 

Maybe not such a short version. I just figured I would quickly update since I have a friend in town over the weekend and will bewatching lots of hoops :)

Implant swap out surgery is Monday, something I sometimes forget! Too much on the brain.  Had I been thinking I would have scheduled on opening weekend, of as some say, the best two days in sports!  

Hope your brackets are less busted than mine...

March Madness

It has begun...

This month is going to be a little crazy.  Fortunately, the craziness started off in a good way with a wonderful trip to Arizona with a few of my greatest friends!

 

We went to a baseball game...

 

 

"Lolled" and sat around in bed...

 

 

Modeled potential wedding dresses for Sarah...

 

and spent all day Saturday enjoying the pool.

 

The trip was shorter than I would have liked, but so much fun.  I feel so very lucky to have such good and long-lasting friendships, in addition to a mom who is truly the hostess with the mostess!

 

I took a redeye flight back Sunday night (sporting my sleeve...no lymphedema problems!), which combined with the time change (here, not in AZ, crazy people), made for a pretty terrible feeling yesterday.  My sleep is pretty screwed up and I probably haven't helped it by taking naps!

 

It was also nice to see some of my mom's friends while I was down at her place.  They all have been so generous with me and supportive of her, it's nice to be able to say thank you to them in person.  And, since many of them follow the blog, I'll thank them again here.  You guys are great! 

 

I always say that visiting the retirees is good motivation to keep contributing to the retirement plan...the way they are able to enjoy life, and take advantage of it, is really inspiring.

 



Since being back, the whirlwind of advising appointments, meetings, classes, and projects has begun.  I had my second to last "fill" at the plastic surgeon's office and my nurse's appointment to go through consent forms, and what not ahead of my swap out for implant procedure on the 23rd.  As we are in the final "stretch" (literally and figuratively) with the expansion, it does seem to cause a bit more discomfort. 

 

I also got my patient packet of forms for the appointment at Indiana (which is actually in Indianapolis, not Bloomington, hooray for less driving!) that will happen on the 19th. 

 

Life continues to progress along, hair continues to grow...so much so that people don't know it isn't a "choice".  I've had a couple of awkward conversations about why I cut my hair..."oh, um, yeah, I have cancer".  You know me, to the point.

 

Finally, while it may not be like the beautiful sunny and 75 degree days we enjoyed in Phoenix, it looks like spring has finally sprung.

 



 

Here's to warming weather!