reconstruction questions

[AliciaB]

leah- I was told I had to do radiation. Since I had one positive lymph node and some cancer was escaping from it AND the fact that I am young (who knew 38 was young) they are "throwing the kitchen sink at me" (my surgeon's exact words). I just got my start date today- August 6.

How is surgery recovery going? how is you child handling the change?
aliciab

[LeahM]

Hi Alecia,

My surgery went well. 2 weeks post op today. Feeling better each day and cutting back on pain meds. I had no idea how immobile I would be. I am still sleeping in a recliner because I can't get comfy in bed. My daughter is doing well. She spent the majority of the past 2 weeks with my parents. I am so lucky they are local! She has been home since Sunday but goes to day camp daily 9 to 4 all this week. So next week life will get back to being "real". Today I meet with Med. Onc. and I believe chemo will start somewhere around July 1.

I asked about the rads b/c my final path came back with a 0.35mm cancerous spot in my sentinel lymph node. Rads is now on the table but to be honest I don't know if I want to do it. Will meet with rad onc, then get 2nd opinion, then 3rd. My biggest fear is they will want "proof" that there is more nodal involvement and I really don't want to lose more nodes.

I know I should also throw the kitchen sink at this cancer but I really just want to be done.

And if I didn't have rads i could be "done" by the end of the year.

I know, I know, that is a whiney way to look at it. But someone recently told me "feelings aren't wrong, they just are". And that is how I feel today. Could feel different tomorrow.

Hope you make the right decision for you re: reconstruction. I think the DIEP is a good idea. It wasn't an option for me, had it been I would have done it.