My Radiation Consultation...

Today I had 2 appointments, one with the Oncologist and one with the Radiologist.

My oncologist just basically did a follow up from my surgery. You know checked my incision, and my blood pressure, my blood count etc. A pretty simple visit. I tried to get out of going to Radiation but she wasn't having it. I just didn't understand if all the cancer was removed during surgery, why radiation?

Now on to the Radiation consultation. First we (my husband and I) checked in with Michelle, she took down general information, like name, addy, phone, emergency contact etc. Then we talked with nurse Donnie, well I should say we met with Nurse Donnie, because she did most of the talking. She first went over how I found the lump, and all the procedures I had up to this point. She also went over my medical background, past surgeries and stuff.

Then she proceeded to tell us what to expect during radiation. Like how it's kinda like an X-Ray, and I won't feel anything in the beginning, I won't be sick or constipated. I may be a little tired, but not like chemo tired. She said I will get burned like a sun burn, and my skin may peel and become irritated, and that I need to stay moisturized... but it will clear up about a month or so after the treatments........She also said they will build a mode of my body, and oh yeah they will tattoo small marks on my body, (yeah I said tattoos)...and she said a whole bunch of other stuff. I mean she talked and talked and talked. I can say she was very informative and she knew her stuff.

Then after Nurse Donnie, the Radiologist came in (I can't spell or pronounce his name). He kinda reiterated everything that Nurse Donnie went over. He did add, that there is a small 2% risk that the radiation itself could cause cancer. And a small very small sliver of my heart will get radiated, and in about 3 or 4 years I will need a stress test on my heart to make sure it's ok he did assure me that the risk of it not being ok is also small...... A part of my lung will get radiated, and apparently that shouldn't effect me either because it's only a small piece...... So I am still in need of prayer.

He also let me know why I still needed to have radiation. When I was first diagnosed, and had a pet scan the scan showed that I had some abnormalities at the base of my neck that my be cancerous..and even though the pathology report showed the cancer were removed, I could still have some cells behind my muscles, and the radiation will kill those left over cells if any are there.

After talking to the radiologist, I went to have a cat scan, and to get the mode made...the mode is so I will lay exactly the same way every time. Ok before the cat scan, the sticker lady came and put about 20 stickers on my chest area. Why? They didn't tell me. I'm pretty sure they were to mark something. What? I don't know.......So for the cat scan I had to lay there and not move for what seemed like an hour...but I think it was more like 15 mins or so...And as soon as the scan was over, the nurses came and tatted me up. granted the tats are only about as big as a pin head. none the less they are still tattoos and permanent... Now the tattoos are so they can radiate the same spot every time...like markers.

After all this...I go back to talk with Michelle to get my free parking pass...yeah I get to park free at the hospital during my radiation. Because I have to go everyday Monday thru Friday for about 30 mins a day. Do you know how much that would be...let's just say a lot. (I should just go and park just because...lol)

Ok so I start Radiation on Monday 9/14/09, and my last treatment is 10/31/09. So hopefully my skin won't be to irritated that I don't want to put clothes on and I can go back to work in Nov. We'll see...and I will keep you posted as I go thru my radiation treatments....


Miko..

Women please do your self exams, and/or get your mammograms on time. Breast Cancer is not prejudice.....If you are a woman you are at risk.

P.S. Men can get Breast Cancer too...

First Day of School!

Yesterday was my daughter's first day of School, at her new school. The school she went to last year, had mostly brown people. The new school only has a sprinkle of brown people. But it's all good. She really enjoyed her first day. I went to school with her and stayed for about 2 1/2 hours, and all I can say is Teacher's are special people. The morning started out kinda quiet, but when the teacher decided to go thru school supplies, and asked me to help. OMG...the kids were so loud, and when they needed help all you heard was Mrs House, Ms Tamiko, Teacher...a little boy even said to me Hey lady what's your name. WOW...Teachers are special people and should be paid more. But all in all I did enjoy myself, because it's not like they were bad, just talkative really loud. (and I'm glad I could go home when I wanted too...lol)

She also enjoyed herself today, but the real test will be tomorrow when they have Phy Ed. At her last school they didn't have Phy Ed. so we'll see...

While we're waiting here are some pics from the first day..

Awwww The Princess!

Last Night was kinda rough...

.... for me, I had this fluid in my chest where my breast use to be. Since I don't have the drain tubes in, the fluid is sitting there. The Dr warned me this might happen, and that if it gets to full I will have to get it drained out with a needle. And trust me when I say it was too full, it almost looked like I was growing a boob. And it was sore, and hard, and uncomfortable. And it seemed like it flared up over night. Well more like on Friday, and of course it would do it then, knowing my Dr. wouldn't be in the office until today because of he holiday UGH!, so I just suffered thru it all weekend it. And I slept just fine up until last night. I tossed and turned, woke the hubs up and everything. And he's so sweet he didn't complain one bit.

So I went into see Barb, the Dr's asst. And she hooked me up. She seen what was going on and said, "Oh I can handle that".

Man when I tell you the needle she pulled out was big as hell. But then she said, "I'm gonna stick in where it's numb, where the incision is"..... Now mind you she never asked me if I was numb. But baby I felt it when she stuck that bad boy in. I didn't scream but I jumped and she "oh did you feel that". I'm thinking hell yeah I felt that. Then she proceeded to move the needle around under my skin until she reached the pocket as she called it. And then OMG! there was so much fluid, and as the fluid was coming out I could see my chest deflate. And it started to feel so much better. Now hopefully I will get some sleep tonight.

Barb said that I will prob be back, because she belives more fluid will get trapped. Go figure!

Happy Labor Day...Early

We grilled on Sunday after church, because my mom was going a back home on Monday, and Since school was starting on Tuesday, I needed to get the Princess prepared on Monday.

My wonderful husband grilled and I mean he hooked it up. I love it when he grills. He grilled chicken, pork chops, steaks, a roast and corn on the cob. We had some mac and cheese, and my girl made a 7 up cake. We didn't do it to big, but it was good. We had couple of friends over and just had a good time.

I hope everybody had a good and safe Labor Day Weekend!

I got a crock pot

I've always wanted one, but never purchased one, why I really don't' have a reason....

but anyways I have one now thanks to my home girl Belinda. Apparently she bought it for a wedding gift, but never attended the wedding and it was just sitting in her closet. We were suppose to go to a different wedding, and she was going to us that same gift..(shhhh don't tell nobody). But we didn't go to that wedding either. So I asked could I have it, I mean it is the end of wedding season, and I doubt if we are invited to any more this year. And being the great person she is she gave me the gift.

and what's funny is she called it my wedding gift...(um 10yrs late) but better late than never...

Thanks a bunch B!

Another Survivor...

Let me tell you about this girl I met thru my cousin/sister on Facebook. Her name is Terri Davis. My cousin Sandra Rush introduced her. (I wrote about my cousin a wile back). Anyways she wanted to us to talk because we kinda have the same situation. We both are young black women who has had breast cancer. So the friendship started off kind of slow, and then it progressed. I won't go all into detail about her situation, because she is not as open as I am about it. But what I will say is that we are fighting this battle together. We both have had our surgeries, (hers was before mine). And we both will be getting new boobs. (of course she will get her first...damn you Terri...lol). And we both are SURVIVORS!

Before I end this post, I would like to tell Terri Thank you, because when I have a cancer related issue I want to talk about. She is there to listen and or talk and it nice because she understands what I'm going thru. I thank my cousin/sister for introducing us. And I'm looking forward to this friendship, even though we are miles apart...

From on survivor to the next
Thanks Girl...