That's right - I have hair again! It's slowly growing in, and I have the tiniest hint of eyebrows and eyelashes - which to me, is even better than hair!
So, I got one drain out 2 weeks after surgery, but the other one was still producing too much fluid to remove... that one stayed in another two weeks, at which point my body decided "enough is enough" and started to push it out... which pulled on the stitch and caused pain/pus... so I got permission, clipped the stitch, and pulled that bad boy out by myself!! Woo hoo!! Drain free! I can sleep again!!
At my next infusion, my oncologist FINALLY realized the extent of my neuropathy. It had gotten to the point that the last few months, I could only stand/walk for about 10 minutes per day before extreme pain set in... to the point that nothing helped for the rest of the day and I couldn't function... he set me up with Cymbalta and the first couple days the side effects were HORRIBLE. Extreme nausea and exhaustion. I was useless. Thankfully, it slowly got better after the first couple days and now I can function normally, and, THE PAIN IS GONE!!!!! I am still numb from the neuropathy, but no longer have the pain associated with it! So, so happy!
The first week after I pulled the drain, I got a huge seroma (a fluid filled pocket in my chest). My surgeon used a needle/syringe to drain it multiple times. That was the weirdest feeling!! I couldn't feel the needle AT ALL, just a tugging feeling of the fluid being extracted. So bizarre! One week later (today) and she did it again, but this time, no fluid!! Woo hoo!! I am officially cleared for radiation!!
Now, radiation.... ugh... radiation.... to be honest, I am more nervous for this than I was for chemo or surgery. The burn pictures I have seen are down right scary. I am a sun burn baby (bc I almost never burn), when I do, I am a huge wuss about it. The current plan is to radiate both the mediastinal node and my breast/axial lymph nodes at the same time. The good thing is I will be done sooner (because they don't want me working until I am done), the bad news is the side effects may be worse (burns, exhaustion, nausea).
Thursday night was weird... I went to bed normally. I woke up at 2am unable to breathe. I tried a neb treatment and it didn't work. Took benedryl, woke up Logan for help, and took two more nebs... nothing was helping. I was gasping/hyperventilating... I sat up after laying on the couch for my last neb and Logan was like "your arm is red"... I was thinking "duh, I was just laying on that arm" but he was insistent that it was really red... so I took off my shirt... both arms, my chest, neck, and face were all splotchy tomato red like an allergic reaction... so off to the ER I went! I was there from 3am-7am... blood work, ativan, CAT scan, and finally a potassium drink and an IV infusion of potassium... that is all they could find wrong... low potassium... so, no clue what or why... hopefully it just doesn't happen again!
So right now, I am waiting to start radiation. The approval was sent to my insurance company, then I have to go in for a simulation to create my bean bag mold and figure out machine calibrations, then once everything is ready, I will start 6 weeks (30 rounds) of radiation...
The good news is................ drum roll please ...................... my pet scan showed NO INCREASED METABOLIC ACTIVITY!!! AkA - all tumors are gone!!! Of course, since I am stage 4, there is always a chance that rogue cells are in my system and could create a tumor anywhere, but this is awesome news!! So between the next months of infusions, radiation, hormone therapy, and shots to put my ovaries asleep for the next 5 years.... there is a much smaller risk of recurrence! That being said.... the risk is still between 15-25% since I am stage 4, but that is still fabulous and I will take it!
For now, I am going to enjoy a couple more weeks of "normal" before radiation kicks in, and look forward to the Myrtle Beach trip my mom and sister are taking us on! 😍 
Thank you all for being so supportive! This has been such a long road, but I am praying it will just be another part of the crazy year of 2020 and I can go back to normal life. Love you all!!!