Fill Ups
Chemo has consumed my thoughts (and also my blog) lately, but I have also been getting "fill ups" in my expanders every two weeks. The expanders were put in at the time of my mastectomies, behind my pectoral muscles to stretch them enough that a silicone implant can be placed behind them, recreating my chest. So far this process has been painless. I just pop over to the plastic surgeon's office every two weeks, which is just one building over from my office. They use a needle and syringe to inject the saline, and since I have no feeling in my "breasts," I don't even feel the needle go in.
Last week we hit a snag, though. I developed something called a stitch abscess and didn't even know it. It's just a little spot where the skin has worn away and some infection has set in. Apparently it's caused by a stitch that makes its way to the surface of the skin and irritates it. Not everyone's skin reacts to stitches this way, but mine does. So I didn't get my "fill up" because the doctor didn't want to stretch my skin any further and exacerbate the problem.
When I saw my surgical oncologist yesterday, he noticed some additional spots that had developed since I saw the plastic surgeon. I guess it's back to gauze and Neosporin if I want to continue with my expansion. Thankfully, there's no rush. I can keep the expanders in for as long as I need. My brother asked if I was going to take progression photos so you could see me each step of the way, like women sometimes do with their pregnant bellies. LOL Don't worry, I didn't entertain that thought for a second.
Tomorrow it's back for more chemo. I have to say the weeks are flying by. Maybe it's because I feel pretty sick for a full week following the chemo and the days kind of blur by in a cloud of nausea meds and saltine crackers. I am very thankful, though, that I do get a week of feeling good before I head back for more drugs. I'm able to hit the gym, eat healthy foods, and enjoy life again. That being said, I can definitely use encouragement in the days immediately following treatment. Feeling sick has a way of dampening one's spirits. My birthday is on Monday and I don't even know if cake is going to taste good to me. (And for those of you who know me well, not liking sweets is unheard of for me - a sad day in Katherineville, to be sure!) Your continued prayers are much appreciated.
Thanks, friends!
Last week we hit a snag, though. I developed something called a stitch abscess and didn't even know it. It's just a little spot where the skin has worn away and some infection has set in. Apparently it's caused by a stitch that makes its way to the surface of the skin and irritates it. Not everyone's skin reacts to stitches this way, but mine does. So I didn't get my "fill up" because the doctor didn't want to stretch my skin any further and exacerbate the problem.
When I saw my surgical oncologist yesterday, he noticed some additional spots that had developed since I saw the plastic surgeon. I guess it's back to gauze and Neosporin if I want to continue with my expansion. Thankfully, there's no rush. I can keep the expanders in for as long as I need. My brother asked if I was going to take progression photos so you could see me each step of the way, like women sometimes do with their pregnant bellies. LOL Don't worry, I didn't entertain that thought for a second.
Tomorrow it's back for more chemo. I have to say the weeks are flying by. Maybe it's because I feel pretty sick for a full week following the chemo and the days kind of blur by in a cloud of nausea meds and saltine crackers. I am very thankful, though, that I do get a week of feeling good before I head back for more drugs. I'm able to hit the gym, eat healthy foods, and enjoy life again. That being said, I can definitely use encouragement in the days immediately following treatment. Feeling sick has a way of dampening one's spirits. My birthday is on Monday and I don't even know if cake is going to taste good to me. (And for those of you who know me well, not liking sweets is unheard of for me - a sad day in Katherineville, to be sure!) Your continued prayers are much appreciated.
Thanks, friends!
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