In recognition of October Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I thought I would share eight plus and minus experiences during my breast cancer journey.
In 2015 I was diagnosed with Breast cancer. Just the right breast. Went through 5 months of chemo followed by six weeks of radiation. And, of course, a mastectomy came first. I have been clean and healthy ever since. And do I appreciate life? You better believe it. That experience was a game-changer, for sure.
Here is my list of the eight plus and minus breast cancer experiences
Plus Breast Cancer Experiences:
1) Getting PICC (peripherally inserted central catheter line)
Tired of getting stabbed 4-5 times each week while the nurse tried to locate a vein in my arm, my oncologist finally approved a PICC line. What a saving grace that was!
A PICC is a long, thin tube that’s inserted through a vein in your arm and passed through to the larger veins near your heart. With a PICC line, blood draws, and chemo drips were no longer a problem. I often had no idea either was taking place.
2) The Benadryl drips
My weekly chemo drips included a Benadryl drip before the chemo. Man, I loved that Benadryl drip.
The Benadryl was so incredibly soothing and relaxing to my body. I would often fall asleep and sleep through the rest of the visit. That’s nice.
3) The Steroid drips
The steroids helped me feel like a superwoman the day after infusion. So then, my buddy and I would take a photo trip somewhere to take advantage of this one-day miracle throughout the journey (except for the last four drips, which were different chemo and procedure).
4) Water Infusion
One of the minus experiences explained below was dehydration. With the PICC line, the doctor prescribed saline bags so I could stay hydrated right from home. Each bag took about 3 hours to drain fully – but the difference in my overall sense of well-being was a welcomed relief.
5) An appetite
For many weeks I could hardly eat more than a couple of crackers. What a happy day when my buddy brought me some homemade chicken soup. I was able to enjoy it and keep it down! That was bliss. Shortly after that, I was able to enjoy bacon-lettuce and tomato sandwiches. Imagine that! I was pretty happy with myself.
6) Weight Loss
Over five months, I lost 21 pounds. Nice. But that was temporary. Within 15 months, I resumed the weight I lost. (Weight and eating have been a central issue my entire life.)
7) Laptop and all the TV shows I missed
Shortly after my mastectomy, I invested in a new powerful laptop to enjoy streaming shows while in bed. Oh man, as a person who hardly watched any TV for three decades, I had a lot to catch up on. And catch up, I did. Among the shows I watched and enjoyed were:
- Sex and the City
- Glee
- Frasier
- Cheers
And so many more shows and movies. What a wonderful distraction that provided for me.
8) Removal of the PICC line
By the time I completed the chemo leg of the breast cancer journey, I was on friendly terms with the staff. All came to congratulate me when it was finally time to remove the PICC line.
MINUS Breast Cancer Experiences
1) Inability to eat
As mentioned above, I had little appetite for weeks on end. My inability to eat freaked my husband out until a nurse assured him that just 1/2 can of Ensure is enough for the body to sustain itself. In addition, I was weak, constipated, and overall felt pretty icky.
2) Smells
Fragrances, especially room fresheners, perfumes, and food, would stir up my nausea.
3) Hearing
My hearing got worse all during the chemo treatment. Thankfully, what hearing I do have returned when done with it all.
4) Body Itch
OMG. There was a short period where my entire body itched. It was a nightmare. It was because I was too dehydrated. I drank lots of water, but it wasn’t until I had saline drips that the itching went away. And went away FAST!
5) Infected toe
The nail bed of my big toe on the right foot got infected, and the nail had to be removed. This was quite a way into the cancer journey. The foot doctor was young and, well, I believe, inexperienced. He did a shoddy job wrapping my toe in gauge – so it was virtually impossible to remove without excruciating pain. So he had to numb my poor toe to remove the bandaging. Yes, the shot hurt.
As a result of the toe infection, I developed a high fever. It went undetected until dangerously high. I was rushed to the hospital and stayed for three days receiving blood transfusions. Scary to think I could have died from a stupid toe infection!
6) Losing my hair
Ugh. A nightmare half hour while my buddy shaved all the hair off my head. It was too painful just to let it fall out on its own—a downer.
7) Afraid to be alone
I am not sure why this happened, but I just could NOT be alone. Not necessarily next to me. But within the townhome. I was terrified to be alone. So between my best buddy and my husband, I was rarely alone. It took weeks once my journey was over to function in my home, alone, with no one around.
8) The second and final phase of chemo
My chemo was in two phases. Phase one was six weeks of a single chemo. Phase two involved an especially toxic chemo that required chewing on ice to avoid blisters developing in my mouth. All the while, the nurse sat next to me slowly injected this blood-red substance into my arm through the PICC line. It was chemo that caused extreme nausea. And it was so toxic it wasn’t a good idea for anyone to use the same bathroom until my urine stopped appearing red or pink. This was an infusion every two weeks for four installments.
In Conclusion
I salute all those who have survived this dreaded disease and those still in the battle. Don’t give up.
