MedPage today has an article about a non-hormonal drug for hot flashes that is apparently just Paxil renamed. FDA and others worry about misinformation and danger. Such news catches my eye of course, since my DCIS is hormone-dependent.
Now a review, if I get my calendar straight:
Lumpectomy was November 19.
Dec. 4 Two week follow up with surgeon, Dr. Hubbard. My scar looks good. Very little pain; just for an occasional minute or when trying to get to sleep. Red dot at end of steri-strip - Doctor thinks it may be blood?
December 5 Steri strips off. The red dot is fading. Don't know what it is. Horizontal scar visible. Vertical scar seems puckery. I tend to refer to the scars as stitches, but the stitches are actually under the skin and will dissolve.
December 11 Met radiation oncologist, Dr. Sands, who said she likes to start radiation within 6 weeks of lumpectomy. Got much information and statistics; agreed to radiation. My deodorant stopped working, a sure sign that I'm more stressed than I know. Got a gown, and was staged and scanned.
December 16 Day 1 of Radiation. Deodorant stop working again. Not quite like the video. No pain except in my tendinitis upper arm from its position above the shoulder. Breast not often sore.
December 18 Does the right breast look a little different? Nipple color? Any swelling? Allow for my imagination and some poor lighting. A spell of the images I get from migraine; turned off the light and moved away from the laptop. I'm sure stress is a factor; the situation after diagnosis is often stressful.
December 20 Friday of week one. They put more marks on me yesterday; they're still a bit visible. Fifteen more days of radiation after today. Breast still sore occasionally. As I told the nurse earlier, the pain seems to travel the route of the biopsy and then stop. Is this my imagination?
Even though I research questions for the medical oncologist (and the future) I have to focus on the now.
And remember that mood swings don't count as exercise.
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