So Long Drain Baby - Hello Tattoos! (Click Here)

Goodbye drain baby!

I don't know what you have heard about having a tube stuck in your armpit, but it just isn't as much fun as they make it out to be in the brochures! As I mentioned in my last post, I thought that my drain baby would be out within a week, but that was not to be.  I had it for 3.5 weeks!  So I think that I carried that darn drain baby to full term.  Do I miss it now that it is gone you might ask? Well, I do have fond memories of using a cute little zebra striped hat (that Kerryn and Jason sent me) to hold the drain baby on top of my head (I put it under the hat) while I showered (because you can't let the drain baby dangle on a tube that is attached to your body by only a few stitches).  So if you can imagine a tube coming out of my armpit, and then heading up into a nylon zebra hat (which by the way looks like it has small ears if you don't tuck the edges in), well you can't really help but laugh.  Or at least I couldn't help but laugh!  Drain baby did its job, at this point I haven't had any issues with excessive fluid build-up.

However, I do appear to have acquired a seroma in my armpit - the lymph node surgical site.  I didn't expect this, but cancer treatment likes to keep you on your toes.  A seroma is essentially a lump of built-up fluid and even though it is full of fluid, it feels more like a rock! The effect is that I feel like I have something sort of stuck in my armpit (like clothing - but it is just the seroma). The good news is that it does appear to be getting better!

Thank you Chris, Sally and Charlotte for fitting me into your California vacation!

I am now in physical therapy with the goal of regaining full mobility of my shoulder and this seems to be working a treat.  Tomorrow will be my fourth physical therapy appointment and the difference in my mobility from just 6 days ago is huge!  It is very exciting to get movement back - and to do things like: 1) put my shirt on head first instead of legs first (I stepped into my clothing - even shirts - when I had my tube in and 2) enjoy a full stretch with my hands over my head when I wake up in the morning (oh, the things we take for granted until we lose them!).  My arm mobility is especially important because I need to keep my arm over my head for an extended period of time during my upcoming radiation treatment.

My hair is growing back!

I go in for my radiotherapy prep appointment tomorrow.  They will give me a few small tattoos so that they know where to line up the radiation beams during my treatment and will put me in the machine to determine what settings they will use for me. Who would have thought that this is how I would get my first tattoo!

I have signed up for the Cancer Center of Santa Barbara Walk on October 11th! In addition to Chris joining me - Mindy, Stefani, and Yonie will be doing the walk as well! The Cancer Center provides wonderfully comprehensive treatment and I hope that my friends might make a modest donation - even $5 or $10 will help ensure that the Cancer Center can continue to provide the care that has helped me get to where I am in my treatment, to others who might need it in the future.

Anniversary flowers from Chris!

If all goes according to plan, I will be back in London in just about two months! Just in time for Winter! I think it will be the best Winter I have ever had in London.

Again all my thanks to friends and family and the medical staff who have helped me make it through my treatment thus far.  Now I just have to get through my 6.5 weeks of radiation...Then comes the party!

xo
Jodi

Drain Baby Drain (Click here)

Lunch with mom in SB (and dad who is behind the camera)!

It has been two and a half weeks since my surgery.  My recovery is going well.  Chris was here for the first three days after my surgery and then my parents came for about a week and a half.  My friend Adrianna also made it down to help me out last night.  I have been most thankful for all of the support and good spirits! 

I still need to be quite careful when using my right arm (no reaching overhead or carrying heavy items etc.).  The numbness that I had quite a lot of on the back of my upper right arm and into my armpit is mostly gone now.  The downside of this is that I can feel a bit more soreness across the surgery site, but it is not too bad.  I do still have a drain (the tube is inserted into my lower armpit) with a nice long cord that has what looks like a squeezable plastic grenade at the end (which you can see a photo of in my last blog post).  I was told that most people have it in for 1-2 weeks, but some people get it out after as little as five days.  So I figured I would have it out within a week - tops - but now two and one half weeks later I have found out that it isn't uncommon to have it for three weeks! Who knew that one woman could produce so much liquid (and some sort of perplexing gunk that is evidently normal, and managed to clog my drain at one point!).  So here I am with what my mom and I have now affectionately named, my "drain baby".  You see, it is often pinned under my clothes giving the appearance of a small baby bump.  We even drew a happy face on it, but the ink has now worn off...

I am slowly emerging from the chemo fog (hooray!).  I am feeling clearer headed and more myself.  Funny how going through chemo I prepared myself for the worst, and then when it wasn't as bad as anticipated, I felt relieved.  But now looking back, I can say wow, that was pretty intense!  It was sort of like having a low grade cold or flu, and now it is so exciting to start getting my energy back!  I am feeling very thankful for this. 

I start physical therapy next week and also have a consultation with my radiologist.  Hopefully, I will start my radiation in about two weeks.  It lasts 6.5 weeks, so I need to get this show on the road so that I make it back to London in time for Thanksgiving!  Radiation will be everyday - Monday through Friday, but the sessions are short (about 15 minutes).  Everyone says that after chemo and surgery radiation is pretty easy stuff, but I don't want to take that for granted!  You know, it is like when you go for a super long hike and you are just about to return to the trail head and you relax a bit too much and then your tired legs trip over something!  So, I still need to do some more research to figure out how to best prepare myself for this next phase of treatment.  Let me know if you have any advice...

Waverly, Amelyse and Quincy presenting my poster which they made with Harper and Phoebe!

Friends and family continue to be wonderfully supportive - as is illustrated by the beautiful get well poster Cami and Mindy's girls made for me! It is now proudly displayed in our entryway! 

I  want to extend an open invitation to anyone who would like to do the Cancer Center of Santa Barbara Walk/Run fundraiser with me on October 11th.  Chris will even be here that weekend to walk the 5K with me!  More info is here: http://www.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=1124081.

My other exciting news is that my hair is starting to grow back! In a few more weeks I should be rocking the GI Jane buzz cut look...I will do my best to provide a photo!

Sending all of my thanks for everyone's continuing love and support during my treatment!

xx
Jodi

My wonderful husband in California. 

My mentor, Ph.D. advisor, friend and cancer patient compatriot - the divine Dr. Lena Astin!

Please send Lena healing wishes...