Went to the plastic surgeon this morning and everything is continuing to look really good. They took out my 2 remaining drains and even snipped all my external non-dissolving stiches and basically sent me on my way until 5 or 6 weeks when they'll check on my progress. We'll schedule the final surgery for probably 5- or 6 weeks after that. (Things look so good that there seems like there will be minimal reshaping necessary, so he'll be building a nipple and possibly doing some lifting and - drum roll please - he'll take out my mediport.) The doc is ready for me to do most things I feel up to (with the exception of exercise). I can walk and do some stretching and range of motion arm excercises but any serious activity is still 5 or 6 weeks away.
Now a brief tribute to my mediport. While I was willing to let my lovely friend be taken out earlier, Dr. N would rather avoid another procedure and, given my low blood pressure and tempermental veins, I think they'd like to have the option to access it to get some fluid in me to begin the surgery. (Once fluid gets pumped in, they'll be able to access a vein and disconnect the mediport.) It has been my favorite thing and made this process doable - that is besides my great doctors and medical team and, of course, you guys. Having the port has made this process much easier, and I can't imagine how much tougher it all would have been if they would need to have found a vein for both blood work and chemo. Indeed in the middle of chemo it seemed like getting the little bit of blood needed for blood tests was almost impossible from my veins. For those who need treatment or might know folks who need treatment, I can't stress enough how useful it's been.
In some ways I can't believe its only been a week since surgery. I feel pretty good - although worse today due to the hospital visit. Apparently having things snipped and removed is hard work. We went for a walk earlier today and yesterday. Otherwise I seem to have spent much of the week flitting between the 3 books and 4 magazines and my computer that all seem to reside in the bed with me. BTW if anyone is going in for surgery I have to suggest getting an i-phone or blackberry--e-mailing was way easier on something that weighs so little and was easy to use while in the hospital and this week.
Otherwise, I'm mainly hanging out, listening to too much npr, and trying hard to limit how many times I donate to Partners in Health or Doctors Without Borders. I've been told the narcotics make folks free and easy with the credit cards and donating to the folks in Haiti is about as good a way to spend money as I can think of.
I can't help feeling blessed and thankful for my doctors and what I have and feel so bad that folks and a country that has been struggling for so long has to deal with this on top of everything else.
My other big news is I will start wearing pants again- the drains are out so I really don't have an excuse - and quite frankly I'm way more likely to start showing up in belly shirts - also age-inappropriate but my tummy is quite the work of art.
Special thanks to Ellen for being a great caretaker this week even if I didn't need that much tending. It was great to hang out and it seems like at least a few closets or rooms will be more orderly for the visit.
Have a good weekend, be thankful for what you have and say a prayer for those facing such hardship.
Kim
Friday, January 15, 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
A draining experience
Things are still going pretty well. I had a doctor's appointment yesterday - my healing seems to be going pretty well. Dr. H. took out one of my three drains and I'm supposed to go back in Friday or next Tuesday to remove the other 2 drains. I am healing great and apparently am a rock star. So apparently if nothing else works out, I might be able to be a professional patient.
Getting up, getting dressed and going to the hospital wore me out for the rest of the day. I blame it on having to wear pants but it might be the fact that there was walking around. We'll see, the rest of you might be in some trouble if I decide a la Lady Gaga that pants are just overrated. Sunday was also apparently pantsless day on Muni, so apparently I really am just part of a bigger movement.
I spent much of the rest of the afternoon napping and then had a lovely dinner with Ellen and Rosanne. Sleeping was okay and today's exciting agenda includes showering and washing my hair and potentially getting back to the organizing of my closet and financial records. (A Monday evening activity.) Apparently a problem (side benefit?) with having great friends come take care of me and my not doing that badly, and them having excellent organizational skills, means side projects of trying to make order of the chaos of my life. Getting the guest closet organized and putting my piles of medical records into some semblance of order will be a bonus. Apparently this might be a bonus from cancer - the clearing out of 20 years of random paper.
Otherwise - woke up to hear the news about Haiti and hope things aren't as terrible as it seems to be. A major earthquake in California is horrible, when infrastructure is shaky to begin with it just seems likely to be devastating. I just gave an additional donation to Partners In Health - a great charity that already has a sizable presence in Haiti. If you are wondering about sending me something, know I am well taken care of and would love a redirect of funds to them or another group providing support.
Yours in pantslessness
Kim
Getting up, getting dressed and going to the hospital wore me out for the rest of the day. I blame it on having to wear pants but it might be the fact that there was walking around. We'll see, the rest of you might be in some trouble if I decide a la Lady Gaga that pants are just overrated. Sunday was also apparently pantsless day on Muni, so apparently I really am just part of a bigger movement.
I spent much of the rest of the afternoon napping and then had a lovely dinner with Ellen and Rosanne. Sleeping was okay and today's exciting agenda includes showering and washing my hair and potentially getting back to the organizing of my closet and financial records. (A Monday evening activity.) Apparently a problem (side benefit?) with having great friends come take care of me and my not doing that badly, and them having excellent organizational skills, means side projects of trying to make order of the chaos of my life. Getting the guest closet organized and putting my piles of medical records into some semblance of order will be a bonus. Apparently this might be a bonus from cancer - the clearing out of 20 years of random paper.
Otherwise - woke up to hear the news about Haiti and hope things aren't as terrible as it seems to be. A major earthquake in California is horrible, when infrastructure is shaky to begin with it just seems likely to be devastating. I just gave an additional donation to Partners In Health - a great charity that already has a sizable presence in Haiti. If you are wondering about sending me something, know I am well taken care of and would love a redirect of funds to them or another group providing support.
Yours in pantslessness
Kim
Monday, January 11, 2010
Sitting upright and willing to use an actual computer
Hi, sorry for the delay in posting though I am hoping I have spoken or been in touch with most of you via phone or e-mail. E-mailing from my i-phone seemed much more doable than actually using a computer. Thanks to Melissa for giving updates, and the folks who have come by and visited and managed to take care of my laundry and luggage and transportation needs. (Melissa, Tracy, Rosanne, Sue and Cori and Eric.) I am still amazed with how good I feel. There is some discomfort but it seems totally manageable with the assorted narcotics at my disposal.
The surgery went well and I was very pleased with how the breast looked when I woke up.
The various doctors and folks who visited said the vein and artery looked good and matched up well with the connecting vein and artery in my breast. It all looks rather lovely and well shaped. In some ways the hardest part was the inability for me to eat or drink from Wednesday night through Friday morning. The reports about my inability to talk had more to do with my mouth being incredibly dry and my lips sticking to my teeth and throat being scratchy from being intubated during surgery and wasn't related to pain. I did have incredibly low blood pressure reading Friday morning but that all resolved once food and more importantly coffee was allowed to pass through my lips.
I spent Thursday night in ICU with my own nurse for most of the evening - she came in and checked the pulse in my breast every 15 minutes, then every half hour and finally every hour. In ICU I was attached to at least 6 different sets of monitoring devices including my lovely morphine pump. Pressing a button every 8 minutes is kind of fun. I didn't get much sleep Thursday night but watched a lot of the food network in case anyone has questions.
Friday they had me attached to less things and some physical therapists came by and we walked around the hall. I also lapped the floor with Cori. Getting up seemed to be okay and I was mostly just grateful that the pain seemed totally manageable. My doctors all seemed pretty pleased with how I was doing. I ended up having a free-tram flap rather than a diep flap. This means they transplanted part of my muscle. In the DIEP Flap, they excavate the vein and artery out of th muscle and follow it to the larger connecting veins and arteries. Given my tempermental veins and arteries Dr. N decided keeping the vein and artery in the muscle and taking the small portion where they sat was the more prudent move. It meant a more stable donor site I think and let him take a larger amount of fat tissue. He said the amount of muscle taken was minimal and should not affect my ability to do crunches or pilates going forward.
In any case, the strength of the connection and pulse after surgery was great and it meant the reconnection went really well despite my getting radiation. (Something that can complicate the surgery.)
Saturday midday I was moved to a regular floor, 7Bles, which was where I recuperated after surgery number 1 (lumpectomy). I recognized a number of the nurses and they were also super helpful and nice. I had a single room and made the monumental decision to start watching the travel channel instead of the food network. I was apparently the only patient not watching the football game (Dallas, Denver maybe) which I believe made me a nurse favorite. Things were actually so slow on the floor they ended up sending my nurse home for the night. The next day I was cleared to leave by 8, took my antibiotic and had Melissa and Cori pick me up. I was home with all my meds by noon. They got me situated, stayed while I showered (yeah - being clean has some advantages) and then I just hung out at home for the afternoon/ evening.
Ellen arrived at 1 and we talked until about 2. It will be good to visit with her this week and I'm guessing I will need less tending than originally feared.
I am doing much better than I ever would have expected, in pretty good spirits, happy to have the surgery overwith and willing to officially let 2010 start. I even feel fairly lucid but you might be better judges of that.
I will try and update sporadically but will be trying to not be on the computer too much this week. (I think sitting and typing isn't totally great for me.)
I have a doctors appointment tomorrow morning and I hope I will get the drains out and will re-join the class of pants wearing people. I feel pretty good, can stand up relatively straight and not in too much pain.
Feel free to call or write.
Kim
The surgery went well and I was very pleased with how the breast looked when I woke up.
The various doctors and folks who visited said the vein and artery looked good and matched up well with the connecting vein and artery in my breast. It all looks rather lovely and well shaped. In some ways the hardest part was the inability for me to eat or drink from Wednesday night through Friday morning. The reports about my inability to talk had more to do with my mouth being incredibly dry and my lips sticking to my teeth and throat being scratchy from being intubated during surgery and wasn't related to pain. I did have incredibly low blood pressure reading Friday morning but that all resolved once food and more importantly coffee was allowed to pass through my lips.
I spent Thursday night in ICU with my own nurse for most of the evening - she came in and checked the pulse in my breast every 15 minutes, then every half hour and finally every hour. In ICU I was attached to at least 6 different sets of monitoring devices including my lovely morphine pump. Pressing a button every 8 minutes is kind of fun. I didn't get much sleep Thursday night but watched a lot of the food network in case anyone has questions.
Friday they had me attached to less things and some physical therapists came by and we walked around the hall. I also lapped the floor with Cori. Getting up seemed to be okay and I was mostly just grateful that the pain seemed totally manageable. My doctors all seemed pretty pleased with how I was doing. I ended up having a free-tram flap rather than a diep flap. This means they transplanted part of my muscle. In the DIEP Flap, they excavate the vein and artery out of th muscle and follow it to the larger connecting veins and arteries. Given my tempermental veins and arteries Dr. N decided keeping the vein and artery in the muscle and taking the small portion where they sat was the more prudent move. It meant a more stable donor site I think and let him take a larger amount of fat tissue. He said the amount of muscle taken was minimal and should not affect my ability to do crunches or pilates going forward.
In any case, the strength of the connection and pulse after surgery was great and it meant the reconnection went really well despite my getting radiation. (Something that can complicate the surgery.)
Saturday midday I was moved to a regular floor, 7Bles, which was where I recuperated after surgery number 1 (lumpectomy). I recognized a number of the nurses and they were also super helpful and nice. I had a single room and made the monumental decision to start watching the travel channel instead of the food network. I was apparently the only patient not watching the football game (Dallas, Denver maybe) which I believe made me a nurse favorite. Things were actually so slow on the floor they ended up sending my nurse home for the night. The next day I was cleared to leave by 8, took my antibiotic and had Melissa and Cori pick me up. I was home with all my meds by noon. They got me situated, stayed while I showered (yeah - being clean has some advantages) and then I just hung out at home for the afternoon/ evening.
Ellen arrived at 1 and we talked until about 2. It will be good to visit with her this week and I'm guessing I will need less tending than originally feared.
I am doing much better than I ever would have expected, in pretty good spirits, happy to have the surgery overwith and willing to officially let 2010 start. I even feel fairly lucid but you might be better judges of that.
I will try and update sporadically but will be trying to not be on the computer too much this week. (I think sitting and typing isn't totally great for me.)
I have a doctors appointment tomorrow morning and I hope I will get the drains out and will re-join the class of pants wearing people. I feel pretty good, can stand up relatively straight and not in too much pain.
Feel free to call or write.
Kim
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Home again!
Hello dear readers,
Cori and I have just returned Kim to her home. (Excellent safe driving, Cori!)
Kim is doing wonderfully, and happy to be back in her place, with her fancy new chair. She also is eagerly awaiting Ellen's arrival this evening.
Kim was met by a beautiful box of chocolates from her friends at the Lincoln Institute.
Many thanks to all.
Melissa (BoSoxFox)
Cori and I have just returned Kim to her home. (Excellent safe driving, Cori!)
Kim is doing wonderfully, and happy to be back in her place, with her fancy new chair. She also is eagerly awaiting Ellen's arrival this evening.
Kim was met by a beautiful box of chocolates from her friends at the Lincoln Institute.
Many thanks to all.
Melissa (BoSoxFox)
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Saturday in Georgetown
Hello dear readers,
I am just back from visting Kim. I brought her a latte and some croissants (nice to have your hospital situated next to cute little shops, bakeries, and cafes). She is doing great! We made several (walking) laps around the floor. The doctors and nurses are encouraging her to get up and down and walk several times a day to keep things loose. So far, everyone is super pleased with her progress. Kim reports that the pain is not so bad (she has switched down to percocet). The nurses will be monitoring this closely so they can be sure to stay ahead of the pain.
The current plan is for Kim to move out of ICU later today, and then hopefully return home at some point tomorrow.
We are all so grateful for her successful completion of these steps, and hopeful that the road ahead will remain smooth. The staff in ICU are awesome, as are so many friends and colleagues who have been offering well wishes and support of all kinds.
Kim and I had a nice chat with her nurse, who has had a lot of experience with other women having this same surgery, including one of her close friends. All admire Dr. N's artistry.
Be well,
Melissa (BoSoxFox)
I am just back from visting Kim. I brought her a latte and some croissants (nice to have your hospital situated next to cute little shops, bakeries, and cafes). She is doing great! We made several (walking) laps around the floor. The doctors and nurses are encouraging her to get up and down and walk several times a day to keep things loose. So far, everyone is super pleased with her progress. Kim reports that the pain is not so bad (she has switched down to percocet). The nurses will be monitoring this closely so they can be sure to stay ahead of the pain.
The current plan is for Kim to move out of ICU later today, and then hopefully return home at some point tomorrow.
We are all so grateful for her successful completion of these steps, and hopeful that the road ahead will remain smooth. The staff in ICU are awesome, as are so many friends and colleagues who have been offering well wishes and support of all kinds.
Kim and I had a nice chat with her nurse, who has had a lot of experience with other women having this same surgery, including one of her close friends. All admire Dr. N's artistry.
Be well,
Melissa (BoSoxFox)
Friday, January 8, 2010
Friday afternoon update
Hi again,
I spoke to Kim this afternoon. She's doing quite well. She's eating normally, and has even taken a walk through the halls with a friend who just visited. Kim's visitors who have been in touch with me both report that she looks great.
Happy weekend to everyone,
Melissa (BoSoxFox)
I spoke to Kim this afternoon. She's doing quite well. She's eating normally, and has even taken a walk through the halls with a friend who just visited. Kim's visitors who have been in touch with me both report that she looks great.
Happy weekend to everyone,
Melissa (BoSoxFox)
Friday morning update
Hi everyone,
I just got off the phone with Kim. She sounds great. She has already had a visit from Dr. N and others from the surgical team. They report that everything looks great. She will be able to eat breakfast (and drink coffee!) this morning. (Last night the doctors didn't want her to eat or drink in case she needed to return to surgery, so getting the go-ahead for this is another important milestone achieved.)
Talking is still a little challenging for Kim, so she probably won't be on the phone a huge amount. She hopes to rest most of this morning, but will likely be up to a small number of visitors later today.
Be well,
Melissa (aka BoSoxFox)
I just got off the phone with Kim. She sounds great. She has already had a visit from Dr. N and others from the surgical team. They report that everything looks great. She will be able to eat breakfast (and drink coffee!) this morning. (Last night the doctors didn't want her to eat or drink in case she needed to return to surgery, so getting the go-ahead for this is another important milestone achieved.)
Talking is still a little challenging for Kim, so she probably won't be on the phone a huge amount. She hopes to rest most of this morning, but will likely be up to a small number of visitors later today.
Be well,
Melissa (aka BoSoxFox)
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Updates from surgery, part 2
Hi again everyone,
I am just back from visiting Kim in the Georgetown ICU. She looks great, and is being well cared for by an amazing team. They are monitoring her very carefully and trying their best to manage her pain and discomfort.
Tracy, Rosanne, Sue, and I were all able to swing by and chat with her for a bit. She was already asking Tracy work questions, which we tried to discourage. Tracy was able to fill us in a bit more about what the doctors said. Yay, Tracy, for being there and asking such great questions and generally staying on top of everything! Kim could leave the ICU as early as tomorrow afternoon if her progress continues to be smooth and a room becomes available.
She enjoyed seeing the wonderful recovery clothes that her Mom and Dad had sent along. They arrived just in time!
I'll post more as I learn more, but, like all of you, look forward to reading how Kim describes this latest step in her own words.
Take care and be well,
Melissa (BoSoxFox)
P.S. Kim is not allowed to eat or drink yet, so her mouth is dry and talking is not really comfortable. So it may be a few days before she will be in phone touch.
I am just back from visiting Kim in the Georgetown ICU. She looks great, and is being well cared for by an amazing team. They are monitoring her very carefully and trying their best to manage her pain and discomfort.
Tracy, Rosanne, Sue, and I were all able to swing by and chat with her for a bit. She was already asking Tracy work questions, which we tried to discourage. Tracy was able to fill us in a bit more about what the doctors said. Yay, Tracy, for being there and asking such great questions and generally staying on top of everything! Kim could leave the ICU as early as tomorrow afternoon if her progress continues to be smooth and a room becomes available.
She enjoyed seeing the wonderful recovery clothes that her Mom and Dad had sent along. They arrived just in time!
I'll post more as I learn more, but, like all of you, look forward to reading how Kim describes this latest step in her own words.
Take care and be well,
Melissa (BoSoxFox)
P.S. Kim is not allowed to eat or drink yet, so her mouth is dry and talking is not really comfortable. So it may be a few days before she will be in phone touch.
Updates from surgery
Dear Family and Friends of Kim,
This is guest blogger Melissa (aka BoSoxFox) checking in. I just received word from the fabulous Tracy that she has spoken to Dr. N, who reports that everything looks good for Kim at this point. Tracy also spoke to the nurses, who report that all is well but that Kim may not be brought to her room until after their shift change (7-7:30ish Eastern time).
I hope to report more later this afternoon/evening as I learn it from Tracy (and hopefully in person if Kim feels up to another visitor).
Keep those positive, healing wishes coming toward DC!
Best,
Melissa
This is guest blogger Melissa (aka BoSoxFox) checking in. I just received word from the fabulous Tracy that she has spoken to Dr. N, who reports that everything looks good for Kim at this point. Tracy also spoke to the nurses, who report that all is well but that Kim may not be brought to her room until after their shift change (7-7:30ish Eastern time).
I hope to report more later this afternoon/evening as I learn it from Tracy (and hopefully in person if Kim feels up to another visitor).
Keep those positive, healing wishes coming toward DC!
Best,
Melissa
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Surgery Tomorrow
Hi just checking in. Thank you all for your good wishes and prayers. I am okay and while a little apprehensive will be happy when surgery is over. As you keep me in your thoughts, I hope you can also say a prayer for Rani and her family. She passed away earlier this week and was unable to get home to see her kids. It still makes me incredibly sad and angry to think about her outcome and if it could have been prevented. Be aware of your own bodies and encourage those around you to be proactive.
Kim
Kim
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