Hello everyone,
Thank you once again for reading my blog. Your ongoing support has been dearly appreciated and I am honoured at the suggestion to start a diary of my treatment in order to share my story!
Well, this has been one rough week for me. Although on Mother's Day I completed an 8km walk (with the assistance of a wheelchair of course) to raise money for Breast Cancer Research, by that evening I was feeling quite ill. My stubborness did not allow me to get myself to the nearest hospital, rather ignoring the instructions of my trusted oncologist to do so and did I learn my lesson!!
By Monday, the pain in my stomach from the nausea and vomiting was excruciating to the point where I couldn't stomach water, I was dehydrated, agitated and also exhausted from lack of sleep.
Off to hospital I went!!!!
Let me tell you, next time I have a side effect from chemo, off to a hospital I go IMMEDIATELY...
The diagnosis is that I had severe gastritis which is a result not only from the chemo drugs but also from the dexamethasone (prescribed as an anti-emetic) that I was popping in the hope to relieve my vomiting and I was admitted to hospital for monitoring.
Now, since I had my mastectomy 4 weeks ago, my veins in my right arm have relapsed and unfortunately I can't have any IV, bloods etc in my left arm anymore so I was scheduled to have a PICC inserted on Tuesday (for those that are unsure what a PICC is please visit http://www.cancerbackup.org.uk/QAs/569). Everything went as planned with the PICC insertion but at 11pm on Tuesday night, while the nurse was changing my IV drip, she noticed that 1 litre of fluid was sitting in my arm!! After consulting the on-call doctor, the IV was stopped until further investigation.
The following day it was confirmed that I had several blood clots in my arm including a deep vein thrombosis!! Now my treatment also includes twice daily injections of Clexane to my stomach for the entire duration of my treatment. My next chemotherapy date has also been postponed as I will be admitted again to hospital on the 28th with a "portacath" insertion (once again for those unsure http://www.uhc.com.au/healthwise/index2....) scheduled for the 29th May.
Here is hoping that everything will run smoothly and my next chemo treatment will occur shortly after. I will keep you all posted!!. I have to run now as I have been allowed out of hospital on "day leave" and I have to be back by 8pm for my next shot!!! Fingers crossed that I am discharged tomorrow...
Have a fantastic weekend...
P.s. I hope you like my updated photo of Tony (my partner) and I....
Vicki
Boy, you are going through a lot right now and you seem to keep your spirits up better than some of us with not a darn thing going on! Good for you!
I'm sorry to see you had had deep vein thrombosis (nothing to mess around with) and other problems associated with your chemo treatments. I hope they are resolved soon.
I am really glad to read your blogs here. Please continue.
I have a quick question - did you have a single or double mastectomy? Was it (or is it) very painful? I know there is a lot of talk about the procedure being made as an out-patient one and I'm wondering if you could fill us in on how your mastectomy surgery went. I'd like to know a little more about the process.
Keep up your tremendous attitude, we're proud of you!
Oh and yes, very cute pic!
Posted: Sat., May 17, 2008, 05:31 am
Hello Susan
I hope you are well!!
In answer to your question, I had a single mastectomy (left breast) and 14 lymph nodes removed. I did not find the procedure painful but it was very confronting. Movement in my arm was limited. Eventually, I can expect full movement. I also had two drains inserted. One under my arm and under my incision and upon removal were not painful either. My scar is still numb and with time I may or may not get all sensation back but really that is no problem for me.
"Breast Screen Australia" provides a kidney shaped pillow for women after a mastectomy to aid in the comfort under the arm. This pillow helped me immensely by providing padding between my arm and the incision. I am unsure if the same is offered in the USA???
In Australia, mastectomy is not available as an outpatient. I stayed in hospital for 4 days and upon discharge, a home nurse visited me twice a day for two weeks to change my dressing.
In comparison, my mastectomy seemed very easy compared to chemo but I guess each individual is different. BUT......at the first dressing of my incision I found this quite uncomfortable and confronting and I did nearly faint/vomit from shock.
Anyway, I did get discharged from hospital today and I am very, very happy to be finally home!!!!
Thank you for liking my picture and I will keep you posted!!!
Cheers,
Vicki
Posted: Sun., May 18, 2008, 12:32 am
Your treatment
Vicki, We'll be here for you and the stories you share here will help other women. And another question for you -- are portacaths typically removed following the completion of treatment? How long does it stay with you?
Yes! Love the updated photo. And we also have our fingers crossed that moving forward everything runs smoothly.
Posted: Sat., May 17, 2008, 10:37 am
Hello Tina,
Thank you very much for your support!!!
In answer to your question, the portacath can be left in for up to five years although a nurse mentioned that patients she has seen have had older portacaths in for 10 years.
I am unsure how long my portacath will be in for. I guess I may opt to leave it in in case I have any metastasies before the 5 year mark and require more chemo.
Anyway, I did get discharged from hospital today and I am very, very happy.
Thanks for liking the photo and I promise to keep you posted.
Cheers,
Posted: Sun., May 18, 2008, 12:41 am
Vicki - What city are you in?
Vicki,
I'm so happy that you keep on sharing with us your story.
Together we can learn a lot from your experiences.
Email me, I'm interested in knowing where you're located.
Maybe we can interview you.
Best to you and your health.
You're in our thoughts.
-Todd
Posted: Sat., May 17, 2008, 03:42 pm
Hello Todd
Thank you for your ongoing support with my blog.
I am located in Brisbane, Australia and just an update - I have been discharged from hospital and I am extremely happy to be home.
Have a fantastic day!!!
Vicki
Posted: Sun., May 18, 2008, 05:39 am
Glad you are back home-Hang in there
Vicki:
I have just gone back re-read your blogs. I can tell from your blogs you are a courageous and strong women and you WILL make it through this. I have shared your blog with many I know and we are all pulling for you. Please keep updating your blog as we are all closing following your progress. If there is any thing we can do to help or a medical question you may have please ask us and if we don't know the answer we will research it for you.
Posted: Sun., May 18, 2008, 03:04 pm
Hello
Hi Vicki. I am also a breast cancer survivor. I was diagnosed with Stage 2A invasive breast cancer in April of 2006. I did not have lymph node involvement but my tumor was 3.1 cm. I went through bilateral mastectomy (the cancer was only in my right breast) as well as 6 rounds of Adriamycin, Cytoxan, Taxotere chemotherapy. The chemo was awful but I made it through. I was really nauseous throughout but I wouldn't let myself get sick. I kind of had to stay inside most of the time during my treatment because I live in Arizona and it was around 110 degrees every day. I was glad to be done with it. I had my port removed about 2 months after chemo ended because it wasn't working very well anymore anyway. My hair has grown back and is at around neck length in the back. I had kept about half of my eyebrows and eyelashes throughtout chemo but they all fell out a month after I finished! I was so mad. No one told me this could happen. They are all back now and thick as ever though. You sound like you are a very strong determined woman and that is more than half the battle. Try to keep yourself well as you go through the chemo treatments. I found that watching funny movies helped me keep a good attitude. Laughter truly is the best medicine! Thanks for your blog. Please keep us posted on how you are doing! God bless you and your family as you go through this incredibly trying time. It will get better. Take care.
Margaret
Posted: Wed., June 11, 2008, 09:00 pm
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