As always, this will be tailored for multi-site postings.
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Dear Family & Friends,
Many of you did not know that I was going out to Salt Lake for another appointment on
Nov 12 2019 with Dr Panucci. This visit was at University Hospital as it was the first available for him, as opposed to Huntsman Cancer Institute where the rest of my cancer appts. have been previously.
Because I had seen reddening on the undersides of my breasts just 1 day after my chemo treatment, Dr Panucci felt that I should come in and get checked over.
He said everything looks like it is healing good, that my incisions look to be completely healed. I was released to have baths!!!
But he also said to check with Dr Ward to make sure baths are a good thing with my chemo. (Dr Ward says it is fine with him as long as it is fine with Dr Panucci.)
I’d mentioned redness--there was none when we got there. I also told him about the soreness that cropped up afresh with chemo, I hadn't felt any pain for 2-3 weeks then after chemo it came back. He said it was normal, and to expect those kind of painful flareups all during chemo. Then he said, “You have mastectomy & lymph node removal scars under your right arm and across the tops of your breasts even if you don't see them. It is Very Normal to be bothered by them for weeks & months after surgery (some women are sensitive in that region for Years).”
He also said that due to the chemo, my body will be healing Much Slower, and while he might normally release me to full activity at 10 weeks, he is going to recommend (to his co-Plastic surgeon who will be taking over my care) that I stay at 4-5 pounds lifting limit for 12-16 weeks, Until My Chemo is Complete, OR Possibly not until 1 MONTH AFTER CHEMO ENDS.
He says also that I need to make sure I’m not engaging my core muscles, as that will keep my inner belly incisions from healing properly (he emphasized this repeatedly). Well actually my whole body's functions are slowing and breaking down, and healing time is reduced drastically by the Chemotherapy.
I am to keep walking, but to keep babying my body which means I should continue to sleep elevated, keep my feet up, avoid standing or sitting upright for more than 15-20 minutes as it will continue to aggravate my belly. No other exercises are allowed, as any additional exercises could slow down the healing of my chest & abdominal muscles, tissues, and grafts.
He examined (by touching the scars & skin) my belly incisions, and abdominal wall to make sure the inner muscles were healing. They are still very tender, and I kept sucking in my breath as he was doing his gentle examination.
He says that he recommends that I continue my post-surgery care with Dr Isaac Goodwin as he did my breast reconstructive surgery with Dr Panucci on Sept 23. We will see; if I don't get good feeling/vibe from him then we’ll try to get in to see Dr Kwak or Dr Angwahl (or however his name is spelled).
As for me, well my body continues to fight against the chemo but it is also breaking down too. Newest on this list is disintegration of my mouth & tongue, with gosh-awful sores along the edges of my tongue, and a strange bumpy feeling on the roof of my mouth—and I have thrush now too. So Dr Ward’s team contacted me this morning (Tuesday) and sent new Prescriptions (To my pharmacy) to combat the thrush, and a mouth-pain-numbing combination that is Soo nasty that it makes the Nystatin for the thrush taste delicious!
I’m hoping nothing new crops up for a day or two, as I feel like I’m keeping our pharmacy in business. However, I’ll continue to keep monitoring my body and let Dr Ward's team know about new issues.
Nothing has really changed for me other than I can take baths now. I’m still restricted in all major ways (NO lifting, reaching, twisting, cooking, stirring, driving, etc.), am still to keep babying my body for good healing, and for those several who have asked, there is No Physical Therapy that I can do to heal faster/better. Physical Therapy is not recommended for Microvascular Breast Reconstructive Surgeries, as we want to encourage healing and good grafting—which won't happen if you're using your muscles.
I still plan to cut my hair short, probably on Sunday Nov 17th in the evening. I plan to have my girls trim at first, then I will have hubby use his clippers with the 1/2 inch guard to cut it shorter. I plan to have one of my older boys video both portions of my hair cutting, as I feel that will be useful and helpful in my healing process. I also plan to keep 2 braids of hair, one of my natural dark brown, and one of my gray hair (which I have noticed has gotten A LOT more white/gray hair in past 2 weeks)--I think that being able to hold some of my own hair on the hardest days might actually help me.
As for Monday November 11th 2019, I was 7 weeks post-surgery, and November 13th 2019 marks 1 week since I started my TC Chemotherapy treatments.
Thank you all for your prayers, I really felt them last week especially on the days that I felt soo ill from the effects of the chemo. Thank you also to everyone who has called me, visited, texted, sent cards or gifts, brought dinner, or whomever has helped my children.
With all of my sincere love and deepest appreciation,
Gayle Peel Jackson