Thursday, October 18, 2012

Been a rough week around here. Every day has seemed like Monday, two maybe three doctor appointments before week's end and Molly's allergies are out of control. She looks like the dog from Little Rascals because she is loosing hair around one eye. Poor baby.

Saw my oncologist yesterday for my six month follow-up.  She wanted to examine my reconstruction progress. As I took my jacket off I told her I still had drains. She flipped out at my discovery!  As I mentioned Columbia fleece and some jogging suits have pockets open on the inside. It's a much more stylish way to carry your drains around than in a fanny pack or pinned under your shirt and it's  less bulky than wearing the cami's made to hold them. She kept checking out my jacket and out of the blue said "If you blogged you would have to share this!"  I was cracking up and said, "As a matter of fact I do and I did!"  She then asked about blogging and said she felt it was likely a very empowering and therapeutic thing to do. That's when I explained that I was inspired by a good friend and that I so appreciate other women sharing their stories that I had to share mine and try to help others. She was soooo incredibly positive about it all. Anyway once we got past that all looked good and I got the all clear to come back in 6 months.

While waiting the gal who tracked me down at the plastic surgeon awhile back was leaving. Funny how regularly some of us cross paths. She sat and visited and I told her I was not able to find the group she told me to join on Facebook. Together we got it figured out. I will be hooked. Talk about amazing women! Most of them tested positive for one of the BRCA genes. A great deal have family members who have had female cancers so these women are doing extreme prophylactic surgeries to prevent cancer-complete hysterectomies and bilateral mastectomies most without ever having cancer yet themselves. I will learns tons from them especially in regards to reconstruction!

While on that subject I will share information hanging in my doctor's office on that very topic. If you want even more info the number to call is 1-866-BRAC-NOW. Sorry I forgot to write down what group provided this info so we will just say my oncologist. I like to at least mention where I get things I post.

BRAC testing is suggested for women:
-having breast cancer before 45
-if you have two or more relatives with breast cancer
-having a male in your family with breast cancer
-if you have had cancer in both breasts or twice in the same breast
-if you are of Jewish descent
-if there is ovarian cancer at any age

This testing is really a big deal!  It's very traumatic to learn you carry the gene and just as traumatic to learn that your loved ones carry one or both of the genes. Should you be a candidate your doctor or their staff has to provide you with information and do some counseling with you before they will even draw your blood. My doctor's office was wonderful explaining it to me!

So late last night when I was suffering profound insomnia (last time I looked at the clock it was 3:40am) I emptied my drains. The one on the right had a noticeable odor. GRRRR! The insert site still looks fine and the oncologist checked out the insert sites thoroughly yesterday as did my plastic surgeon on Tues. I went ahead and called the office. Told them I was going to call to reschedule for next week as my outputs are consistently 30cc per side but I wanted to report the odor. I understand that these have been in a month and nastiness, for lack of a better word, collects inside the bulb of the drain. I am truly hoping it's just that that is causing the odor. She will report that to the doctor and call me if he wants to change anything otherwise see him next Tues. She was relatively certain it's nothing to worry about. For now sitting tight keeping my fingers crossed!