The Merits of the Case

Battery of tests? Check!
Surgery? Check!
Radiation? Check!

Radiation is over and I am celebrating with a glass of champagne this evening. (The nurse told me I could only have a little bit. The doctor said I could go for it, as long as I was sitting down. Guess whose advice I’m taking?)

My last treatment went quickly and once I was done the nurse practitioner removed the catheter. She had given me a topical anesthetic in the morning and told me to apply it to the skin around the catheter and to take some Vicodin before I left the house on my way to the afternoon treatment. These suggestions were supposed to help with the pain of the removal. Since “removal” consisted of pulling the entire length of the catheter and balloon out a 1/4 inch hole in the bottom of my breast, I kind of think that general anesthesia would have been more effective.

In reality, it sounds much worse than it actually was. It was mildly uncomfortable, but the only time it really hurt was when the catheter and balloon passed through the hole near the surface of my skin and that only lasted for a few seconds. Then it was over. The nurse closed up the little incision with couple of steri-strips and I was on my way out the door. As I left the office, many of the nurses came out to hug me and congratulate me on being finished. It was very touching. Although I won’t miss the radiation treatments, I will miss seeing the nurses in that office—they were all incredible and I got to know many of them as the week progressed.

Before I left, the nurse practitioner also presented me with the catheter as a souvenir. I will post a photo of it soon so that you can see how big the darn thing is. I can’t quite believe I walked around with it (mostly) inside of me for a week and a half!

I am still scheduled to start chemo on July 26th although there is some question as to whether I will actually start that day. The radiation oncologist wants me to wait another half a week to make sure I’m as healed as possible, but my oncologist says it’s okay to start as planned. Today I asked nurses in both of their offices to have the two of them talk about it and to make sure it’s really okay that I start that day.

While I’m waiting to hear the final verdict on the start date, I will be visiting my friend/neighbor/hairdresser tomorrow to have my hair cut yet a little shorter. Later this week she is going to accompany me to a local wig store to shop for a wig. She has been so helpful; she even called the shop to discuss my situation with the owner, to get information about the selection available, and to make an appointment for me. She is truly watching out for the aesthetic issues involved in my treatment and I am so grateful for her help. I will post a picture of the new haircut as soon as I have one to post.

But right now I’m going to open a bottle of champagne and celebrate the victory of passing another milestone on my journey through and beyond breast cancer. Salut!