Re: Please help...To Carol

[Guest guest]

Wow, Carol! What an awful experience! I don't know how you have any sanity

left after that sort of " medical treatment " . I wish sometimes that doctors

would personally experience the things that they put patients through. I think

they would have a different perspective.

I haven't had chemo but according to the Bosom Buddies/Sisters on this website

it is doable. There is wealth of love, compassion, and information here.

Welcome, aboard

carol102163 ccjude@...> wrote:

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

Jan Koelsch

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