Did you know you can get lymphedema in your Breast and chest? I didn't but I do now, I have it! The radiation has caused a lot of inflammation and aggravation. My breast is so inflamed, burnt, hot to the touch and just pissed off, my lymphatic system is struggling to drain.
I had an axillary lymphnode dissection on the right arm (14 lymphnodes removed), 3 sentinel nodes from my left side and 1 from my internal mammory gland. This is where they had to crack open my chest during surgery in order to remove this node to test it. Now I know how my dad felt when they cracked open his chest, pain. Lymphnodes are thinner than your hair strands and because of all the lymphnodes I had removed in my right arm, it's causing a traffic jam for my fluid to drain out of the right side. I don't have lymphedema in my right arm but this does increase my risk since we know my breast is not draining well. In order to help with draining, I need physical therapy (PT) to help move the fluid to the healthy lymphatic areas like my left arm and right groin. Unfortunately the radiation has caused so much aggravation, PT would actually make it worse right now. The area I'm having radiated also needs 6 weeks to heal before PT can start. The area that is being radiated is quite large. Basically the entire top right front side and back side from below my breast to the top of my neck and from my neck to my shoulder. Yea...big area! In the meantime, I wear a compression bra to hopefully stop it from getting any worse. I do stretches throughout the day and I rub my arm all day. I think this has helped keep my arm draining. If I knew about the Breast I would have been doing things in that area too. In 7 weeks I'll start PT to assist moving the fluid out of the breast and unclog the traffic jam. Learning to others, start physical therapy at the beginning of radiation!!! Have your radiologist put in the orders well before radiation starts so you don't have to wait 4 weeks before you can start like I did. And rub all areas being radiated and your arm along with stretches. It's interesting to hear other people's opinions. I always listen to anyone talking to me knowing I'll learn something from everyone. February 4th is World Cancer Day. Be sure to say a pray for all cancer fighters, thrivers, caregivers and to those and their families who have lost their loved ones to this horrible disease. #worldcancerday I have 7 treatments left of radiation. This fatigue is NO joke. I guess one good thing is I actually get some sleep but at the the same time I never feel like I sleep, lol The fatigue from chemo and radiation are very different. Chemo fatigue, I was always tired but could never sleep. Radiation fatigue, by 6pm I'm soo tired like I ran all day with no sleep the night before. A week ago I couldn't sleep. And if I fell asleep, I couldn't stay asleep for more than 2 hours. I was taking sleep aids whether it be western medicine or natural sleep aids. Right now, I only need to take the natural sleep aids. I'm hoping this gets me back on a sleep schedule. Wow, a sleep schedule would be incredible! I miss sleeping. Before cancer, I could sleep like a champ!! I was sleeping too much because I had cancer. But finding out I had cancer and cancer treatments have ruined that for me these past 10 months. Let's pray and stay positive this a turn for the better....cheers to sleep!!! I knew going into the clinical trial there was an increased risk of heart damage. It was a decision I made based on research and listening to my own heart. The first 8 months my heart did well. We had 3 eco's done and my last one in October my heart was perfect. I started back up on the Herceptin January 2nd. Herceptin fights the her2 gene and is taken for a year. Ever since that January 2nd, I have been having heart palpitations. Many times throughout the day my heart feels like it's pounding out of my chest and starts racing. This has caused concern for heart damage so I have to have it tested again and then monitored for 24 hours. |
AuthorLisa Mangiafico Archives
February 2018
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