3.5 Weeks Post-Op - Systemic Considerations

This weekend we made a quick weekend escape to Vermont for an old friend's wedding.  It rained (or snowed) the whole time.  While checking into the hotel and trying to get everything in from the rain I pulled a left chest muscle.  It has been extremely painful ever since.   I also started my rehab stretches in preparation for radiation mapping later this week.  Unfortunately with the pulled muscle this is not easy.  I'm having to stretch, ice, rest, and take Advil.  Hopefully it gets more manageable by Thursday.

Today I also had my follow up with the medical oncologist (cancer doc).  I hadn't seen him since my last chemo so we got caught up on the surgeries and results.  We talked about the "faint" ER+ status, this was mainly in the breast tissue while the lymph nodes were triple negative.  Since the tumors shrunk like swiss cheese, and given the type and extent of my cancer, I have a 30% chance of recurrence in 5 years.  This reduces to 23-25% with Xeloda taken 6 months following radiation, and to 20% following 5 yrs of Tamoxifen.  Another treatment he is considering is ovary suppression injections following Xeloda.  However he indicated this is a difficult clinical decision given my tumor "faint" ER+ status and the bilateral mastectomy, the treatment needs to fit the need.  Without signs of residual cancer elsewhere in the body this may be unnecessary punishment on the body.  We still have time to sort it out.

In 2 days I go for my radiation mapping.  Hope all works out given my chest soreness so I can start that phase of treatment.  I did just get approved for 8 weeks of leave, but figure with recovery and follow up appointments behind me, and radiation underway, I can go back at 5 weeks.  So looking forward to 2017!

Happy to have my hair back but after Halloween the white has got to go