Since my last post, we have been pretty busy. We have had appointments to see the Oncologist, Radiation Oncologist, Cardiologist and Surgeon. The bottom line is that mom is doing great. She will be having surgery on May 29th.
Mom opted for a bi-lateral mastectomy, instead just one side. Let's say that the decision was made for peace of mind. Although the chances of getting cancer on the other side is very low, she is not taking that chance. They will try to leave as many lymph nodes as possible. Reconsturction was not a viable option and mom didn't want to have it anyway. So, no more wet t-shirt contests for her :)
Recovery from bi-lateral is not that much more than for one side. Her skin has healed amazing well from her radiation. The skin looks great. The skin that has been radiated typically does not heal as well. However, because we are couple of months after her last radiaion treatment, the skin has continued to improve. It is still getting healthier looking at every visit.
The surgery is out-patient. The procedure itself should take about 3 hours. She will spend another couple of hours in recovery and then be sent home. The recovery should be more comfortable at home anyway.
She will be off her chemo drugs for 3 weeks before surgery and 2 weeks after surgery. The chemo drugs are a long term proposition for her. The 5 week break should be good for her fingers and toes.
I know that she is feeling better, because she has been doing some yard work clean-up outside. The bushes and plants are getting trimmed and the weeding is getting done. This is a nice change from a year ago. Maybe at some point she will start doing stuff around my yard again.
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