Next Steps

Thursday, August 13, 2020

Last week on Wednesday (two days after seeing the oncologist) I walked four miles in the morning with friends. It felt good to get outside and get some sunshine. Once I got home another friend brought over two goats to eat blackberries and weeds in the overgrown chicken yard. It’s been fun to feed them grain and document how fast they can clear the vegetation. They are so cute!

That was a big day with too much activity and about mid-day I noticed there was a spot on the left side under the glue where the incision didn’t look right. I took a picture and sent it to the surgeon’s office. They told me to schedule a follow up appointment but I wasn’t able to get in any sooner than Tuesday, August 11th. I didn’t have a fever so I decided to wait to see if it would get worse. Alternating Tylenol and ibuprofen was helping to keep the pain levels under control. I wasn’t sure if the pain and irritation was due to a slight infection, glue coming loose, or nerve pain. There was also fluid sloshing around under the incision that was probably contributing to the discomfort. A friend made a flax seed filled compress (below) that I can put in the freezer and then lay over my chest at bedtime to help with the nerve pain or use in the car to protect my chest from the seat belt. I also wear an ace bandage over my chest during the day to help with the discomfort.

Over the next couple of days I experienced continued discomfort and irritation. I tried to reduce the Tylenol and ibuprofen and balance activity and rest. I knew the 4 mile walk was too much for me and didn’t walk for the rest of the week. Friday and Saturday night I was in tears. It was a difficult week emotionally and physically. In addition to a cancer diagnosis, recovery from surgery, and the possibility of chemotherapy, my youngest daughter moved out to live with friends and one of my closest co-workers passed away suddenly and unexpectedly.

Saturday night I was awake for a lot of the night but was able to fall back asleep around 5 am and slept until almost noon. Those hours of sleep were such a blessing! On Sunday afternoon Chad and I watered plans in the yard, picked up the house, did a load of laundry or two and had good friends over for dinner. I am so grateful for all the friends I’ve been able to spend time with this summer.

Monday I tried walking 4 miles again. Tylenol, water, and a snack helped me meet the distance goal and I felt better than I had last Wednesday. When I got home I noticed there was some redness around the incision on the left side and again wondered if I had a slight infection.

Tuesday when I saw the doctor she told me to start taking antibiotics for the infection. She gave me a print out with the Oncotype score (11 out of 100). The report showed a 13% risk of distant recurrence over the next 9 years and that the risks associated with chemotherapy outweighed the benefit I would receive from the treatment. Therefore I will skip chemotherapy and begin Tamoxifen. I scheduled a follow up visit with Dr. Lucas for November 12th.

Today Dr. Byrd’s office called to let me know they will call in a prescription for Tamoxifen and I have a follow up visit scheduled with him on September 28th.