Tuesday was my last chemotherapy and I am so relieved that step is behind me. I cried from relief as I left the chemo room and one of the nurses hugged me and I cried some more, thanked her and all the chemo nurses for saving my life and being so kind and patient throughout that part of my journey. Nurses are truly unique as they possess the same qualities as angels. TeeTee and I hugged each other tightly and I thanked her for once again being by my side. Knowing there is no further curative chemotherapy for me should my breast cancer metastasize, which is why I was hit with such big doses over such a concentrated period of time, I am determined not to live the rest of my life worrying about spread or recurrence. The doctors and I are doing everything we can to make sure that doesn't happen. Last night marked the end of the chemo drugs and I had stomach injection number 11 out of 15. So many milestones are being shot down and I'm very happy about that.
What I face next is reconstructive surgery. This starts with a day surgery procedure on March 30th to insert a tissue expander, which is a fancy term for an empty bag, into the hole in my chest where my breast used to be. Inside the expander is a port. The surgeon will use a magnet from the outside of my breast to locate the port, it will come to the surface and it will be injected with saline through my skin and into the empty bag which will slowly stretch my skin. Once that first step is completed, I will be able to have my original port surgically removed, the one that fed the chemotherapy into my system, and hopefully will be used for the expander surgery as well so as to avoid the anesthetist's needle going through my hand.
About six weeks after the expander is inserted, and after I heal from the surgery, I will start five weeks of daily radiation therapy (excluding weekends). This will help to lower the chance of the cancer returning to the original tumour site in my chest wall in the future, just as chemotherapy has lowered the chance of spread to other organs. The numbers were explained to me to be less than a 5% chance of return to the chest wall post-radiation therapy and a 24.5% chance of spread to other organs post-chemotherapy.
In approximately six months, after radiation and weekly saline injections to stretch my skin slowly, then the permanent implant is inserted, followed of course by recovery and healing time. This will mean I will have the ability to wear normal bras and clothes rather than a prosthetic and all the complications and inconvenience that would involve. I was warned it will be a fairly painful journey but the outcome will be worth it for the rest of my life.
The doctors are hopeful, as am I, that I may regain my concentration and be fully recovered from the chemotherapy by September. It may take an additional three months or so to recover from the radiation and reconstructive surgery. I can't wait to get back to normal life, work and exercising but I know I need to continue to be patient, which has always been a challenge for me. In the meantime, I will carry on, one day at a time, hopeful that everything will go well and I will heal and get stronger every day.
I still pinch myself when I think of all the support I have received and continue to receive from so many people. It will take me the rest of my life to pay you all back...but I plan to be here for a really long time so I'll get 'er done!
I Love You
Zero - The Number of Chemotherapy Sessions Left!
The Final Time Exiting the Chemotherapy Room!
