Pathology 12.5.07

Hello

Dan and I went to the Breast Care Center this morning at 0900 to see Dr. Sanchez about the pathology and treatment. We were called back and placed into an exam room. This room had the privacy curtain that pulls over in front of the door, a bookshelf with lots of different brochures about breast cancer, treatment, surgery, radiation, geneology, and other general information about services and providers. A round table with 2 chairs, a white sheet covered exam table, and of course, the adjustable height rolling stool (it's pink), along with the counter, sink, and cabinets. There was a thing for dirty linens, and probably a trash can, too.

The nice lady, whose face I recognized but whose name I had forgotten, (now I remember it's Charlene, the pre-op procedure lady) showed us into the room, and verified that I was there for a post-op visit. She had me change into a patient gown, saying the Dr. would be right with us.

I was changed, and standing near Daniel looking at the various brochures and chatting about the various offerings, when Dr. Sanchez came in.

She stood inside the room and closed the door behind her. She was smiling, and shook both our hands, then was talking and referring to her 5 x 7 legal-type pad that she had notes on. She went on to talk about the meeting this morning, which happens every other Wednesday, with all the team members present. The discussions are about each positive case of breast cancer, where the patients are in the process, and what comes next. Dr went on to tell us about Dr. Amy Bolmer, a medication oncologist, who has been present while my case has been discussed, and who has expressed interest in my case. Dr offered that there are other oncologists available, and if I/we don't "hit it off", it's not a problem to change. She thought our personalities would blend, and Dan and I were nodding our heads in agreement. She also mentioned the radiation oncologist, Dr. David DeBiosi, who was right here across the hall.... I had to interject...

So, Dr, you come in smiling, shake our hands, and go right into a discussion about the oncologists...??? So the pathology is clear?? She smiles-- laughs, actually, and says, oh, yes, the pathology is clear, you are really blessed. I know, I say, I have an incredible support system. We go off on a tangent about blessings, and prayer, and that Dan and I will be married 2 years come January. She is surprised by this, and says that she thought we were long-timers... Nope, I prayed for a good man, and God sent me Daniel. I didn't know that I needed THAT good of a man... She laughs, she tells us that she is learning about prayer, too, and hopes to have babies, with a husband, first. She asks me if I prayed for Daniel, and how long it took? About 4 years, and I told God I thought I was ready for a mate, and that He knows my heart, but if His will was for me to be single, let me be ok with that. She smiled and nodded, knowingly, and directed me to get over onto the exam table.

I did, and raised my arm to show her my third breast; she says Oh, a seroma. (a collection of serous fluid) She turns her back to me to get into the cabinets and get her supplies out. "We'll drain it". I make eye contact with Dan--Yes!--I ask the Dr, "With a syringe?", and she says yes. She tells me she thinks she'll use a local first, I tell her it's numb, I don't think I'll feel it. She cleans the skin with a betadine swab, then brings the needle on a 10 ml syringe over to the table. (I think there's WAY more than 10 ml in there....) She says, Can you feel this sharp? No, I ask her if she's touching the skin. I think she's surprised, and she touches the skin again, You don't feel this?? And she jumps back as the thing bursts open, and a steady stream of clear yellow fluid streams forth from the wound. The stuff runs out for at least 2 minutes, saturating the gown she had wadded up and pushed under my back. Dan's eyes are wide open. I brought my right hand over and massaged up in the armpit, and the stream flowed again. She turned around and grabbed another gown to help absorb the fluid. Boy, did that feel better. Almost as soon as it burst. She and I spent another several minutes massaging around the area and moving the fluid out. She had poked in the center of the incision; I had seen this morning that it had widened there and looked ominous to me. She put a couple of gauze sponges, folded, over the site; I held it while she wrapped my upper chest with a 8 inch wide ace wrap. Whew. Glad that happened. I pull my shirt on.

Ok, back to what comes next. She re-states that I'll be seeing Dr Amy Bolmer for chemotherapy, and Dr David DeBiosi for radiation, and she'll have someone come in to talk about scheduling those appointments. She smiles and hugs me, a nice hug, and said she would "do my port" when that time comes. Ok. She smiles at Dan, he stands, they shake hands. (go ahead, Dan, hug her...)

We wait several minutes and Charlene comes back in, saying she has scheduled an appointment with Radialogy for December 17. Hm, I think that's a work day for me. She said she will walk us over and introduce us, and we can reschedule if need be. Ok, thanks. As for Chemotherapy, she will call them to have them call me, instead of being a go-between. And off we go, out into the hall, through a couple of doors, and magically appear in Radiology.

Charlene introduces us to Vicky, who is the lady at the desk, then takes her leave. Thank you, Charlene. Vicky hands over an envelope that has forms to fill out before the first appointment, then we talk schedule. We are able to make this appointment time for Thursday December 20, 1:45 pm, which is an initial interview type appointment and may take up to 1 1/2 hours. Thank you, Vicky, see you again in a couple of weeks.

We are done there, and head off to Meijer for groceries. I haven't been to the grocery store since before the first surgery. Dan's been doing a good job of it... We do our thing, get home, and after the groceries are put away, I realize my shirt feels damp. Hm. What to do??

I consider this--the amount and consistency of the drainage, location of proposed absorber, comfort necessity of said absorber, and how to secure it in desired location. I look in my stash of "feminine products". Oh yeah, good ol' Always, with wings. Yep. I take a maxi pad (you know they are not very thick), trim the peel away paper instead of pulling it off and leaving the sticky exposed, and ask Dan to come help me please. He looks and says, "what are you doing?" After I explain, he thinks that's a pretty clever idea, and he pulls the ace wrap away from my body. EWW--those sponges are soaked, and he says he can see the stuff draining out. Ok, lay this on here just so, and pull the ace wrap back up over to hold it in place. Ta Da!!! Hey, that might work pretty good! We wash our hands and get our lunch.

A few hours go by, and it's time for me to leave for Jackson. I check the pad--it's saturated. Dan helps me change it, and I head out. I massaged the armpit and side of the breast most of the evening. (mom was wide awake tonight, and made vocal responses when I told her of the Dr visit) I got home around 9:30--that pad was wet and itchy against the incision. But only about half saturated, that surprised me. Dan helped me put another one on about that time. We'll see if it needs changed during the night.

Thank you all for your love and support, and for reading, and commenting. Below is a picture of my Chinese - Binding treatment, with the Always wing flapping over. I see there is a shadow of drainage that happened within the first hour that we were home. Love to all.