Journal entry by Christina Mead —
Wow, after reading my last update a LOT has happened!
The final pathology report stated of the 6 lymph nodes taken 1 had cancer cells. My margin were clear but my tumor grew while doing Taxol. Remember when i told you AC shrunk my tumor from 3.something to 2.2...well when they took the tumor it was 4.9! The oncologist was very concerned so he sent my file to the Mayo clinic for consultation. So now I have to have radiation and additional chemotherapy. Instead of taking herceptin and perjeta every 3 weeks they are giving me a more potent drug that takes their place. They will have to keep an eye on everything to include liver enzymes, white blood cells and my heart. I will be doing 25 rounds of radiation therapy; 1 per day 5 days a week for 5 weeks. In the midst of all of this I had to have reconstruction surgery completed before radiation (i will develop scar tissue from it and make it harder to put in the implants).
I'm sure those of you that have been following me noticed i posted on facebook that I had boobies...that was reconstruction surgery day! Man that was rough...I believe in my heart recovery from that is worse than the DMX (double mastectomy). A week later and i am still in pain...ribs hurt, chest hurts...it's tight too. Yes i'm whining...leave me be.
On the plus side guys...my hair is growing back!! Woohoo...it looks patchy as hell but Tony looked closely yesterday and found those areas that look bald aren't it's just blonde!! Woohoo...i'm getting my hair back!!!
The final pathology report stated of the 6 lymph nodes taken 1 had cancer cells. My margin were clear but my tumor grew while doing Taxol. Remember when i told you AC shrunk my tumor from 3.something to 2.2...well when they took the tumor it was 4.9! The oncologist was very concerned so he sent my file to the Mayo clinic for consultation. So now I have to have radiation and additional chemotherapy. Instead of taking herceptin and perjeta every 3 weeks they are giving me a more potent drug that takes their place. They will have to keep an eye on everything to include liver enzymes, white blood cells and my heart. I will be doing 25 rounds of radiation therapy; 1 per day 5 days a week for 5 weeks. In the midst of all of this I had to have reconstruction surgery completed before radiation (i will develop scar tissue from it and make it harder to put in the implants).
I'm sure those of you that have been following me noticed i posted on facebook that I had boobies...that was reconstruction surgery day! Man that was rough...I believe in my heart recovery from that is worse than the DMX (double mastectomy). A week later and i am still in pain...ribs hurt, chest hurts...it's tight too. Yes i'm whining...leave me be.
On the plus side guys...my hair is growing back!! Woohoo...it looks patchy as hell but Tony looked closely yesterday and found those areas that look bald aren't it's just blonde!! Woohoo...i'm getting my hair back!!!
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