Re: Carol & scarring

[Guest guest]

Yup, sometimes it seems " if it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck

at all. " I am doing well dispite it all. 5 months out from

exchanging the expander for the implant and feeling good. Have pruned

some pretty hefty branches on the fruit trees and am in the process of

patching walls and ceiling and painting the bedroom. I see a PT who

is doing scar release and am using caster oil and cocoa butter to

soften the scars. Except for one spot on the sternum they are very

soft and feel like the rest of the skin. Now if the redness would

just go away, but I understant that can take up to a year. I am am

impatient son of a gun.

Ruth

PS I can't stand the pulling on the scars either and I get plenty of

that with the very physical work I insist on doing!

> > >

> > > Hello, my name is Carol, age 43, and this is my first time to write,

> > so I will introduce

> > > myself with some info about me. It may be a lengthy intro, so please

> > be patient with me. I

> > > have so much to tell.

> > > I was diagnosed with stage 3 lobular breast cancer on Sept. 8th last

> > year after my first

> > > mammogram showed 2 masses. I had a radical right side masectomy on

> > Sept. 19th.

> > > Unfortunately, my drain tubes would not drain and I had to undergo

> > another surgery on

> > > the 27th, upon where the doctor cleaned out what he said was a

> > protein build up that was

> > > clogging my tubes. When this surgery was done, the doctor(who, by

> > the way, was someone

> > > I was referred to as my insurance didn't give me any options to for

> > someone other than a

> > > 'general surgeon') took all my leftover skin from my previous

> > surgery. That was supposed

> > > to be left there for possible reconstructive options in the future.

> > What ended up happening

> > > next was what I was realizing was an even bigger nightmare than the

> > diagnosis itself. The

> > > doctor took too much skin, so much that I ripped open within 3 days

> > because I did not

> > > have enough to close the wound. What followed next was 2 more

> > surgeries within the next

> > > couple of weeks with the same doctor trying to close it, however, he

> > was not doing

> > > anything other than sewing, gluing and stapling all at the same

> > time, only to have them rip

> > > open by the next day.

> > > Whew...

> > > Sorry, I just get so angry when I recall all of this.

> > > Next was a desperate trip to a wound healing center, who I found

> > from a nurse after my

> > > last surgery.( thank God for her ) They then taught me how to care

> > for it while I was

> > > waiting to see a new surgeon. This time, it was a plastic surgeon. I

> > Love my new doc!

> > > He did a skin graft on me on Dec. 20th and I am now healed enough to

> > finally start chemo,

> > > which, by the way, is tomorrow.

> > > Fortunately for me, I am in a 3yr+ relationship with my partner,

> > Jane. She has been my

> > > rock! Without her, this would have been even more unbearable,

> > perhaps even to the point

> > > of me giving up!

> > > The stress of all of this is something I cannot describe. Besides

> > creating high blood

> > > pressure with bloody noses, it had also landed me in a 'hospital'

> > for a week of so called

> > > rest. Fortunately for now, my blood pressure has been under control

> > with medication.

> > > I have had little of nothing in the way of support other than my own

> > private therapist and

> > > our marriage counselor. I am desperate for some kind of

> > communication with anyone who

> > > is or has gone thru any of this. This is some crazy stuff and I

> > apologize for this being

> > > lengthy, however, there was a lot for me to share.

> > > Thank you for just listening and for all those who choose to repond.

> > > By the way, did I mentioned that I am scared to death of starting

> > chemo tomorrow? eek!

> > > Thanks again,...............carol

> > >

> >

>