The Anchor 💗⚓️💗 – Edition 11

5/12/17

Dear Friends and Family,

As you know, my port surgery was a success.  My neck was sore and I had limited movement for a few days due to small stiches that needed to be made to make sure that the catheter was in the proper place.  According to Dr. B, I was given a “petite” sized port.  😊  The port area is still a little sore and I was told that I could lift no more than 20 pounds.  Guess I won’t be lifting weights at the gym this week, ha, ha.  

On Sunday, my throat was very sore and my glands were swollen, my throat had been hurting during the week too.  I went to the Redi Clinic to make sure that I did not have strep throat since I had it a few months ago.  I tested negative for strep, which was good news.  As a person being diagnosed with cancer, I find myself being overly cautious and paranoid about everything going on with my body…

As far as Taxol side effects, FATIGUE has been the one that I have noticed the most.  I have been sleeping fine at night, but still find myself needing to take a nap in the afternoon or after an activity.  On Tuesday, I felt achy, but took my dog for a walk and that seemed to help.  Walking my 8 pound Chihuahua is one of my accomplishments for this week!  I made sure to use my left arm since I have the port on my right side and that area is still tender.  I did notice that my left arm did feel a little funny though since that is where the lymph nodes had been removed, so who knows.  We didn’t walk very far and SHE turned around when SHE was ready to come home.  On Wednesday and Thursday, I had cramping in my stomach area, so I used a heating pad and that seemed to help.

This week I went bra shopping for a regular bra.  I purchased a few wireless bras that seem to fit ok.  I am used to wearing post-surgical bras and sports bras, so any regular bra is definitely not going to feel as comfortable.  The sales lady wanted to see how the bra looked and I told her that I “was good”.  Bra shopping was an emotional experience for me and the scars are constant reminders of my surgery.  Regardless of the scars on my body and how I felt, I will count bra shopping as an accomplishment for this week!  My friend and breast cancer survivor calls the scars “battle scars”, which makes perfect sense because I am battling breast cancer and will “WIN 💪🏻 the battle” when my treatments are complete!

Today was my second chemo treatment AND it is National Nutty Fudge Day!  My Chemo Anchors were my in-laws, MW and TJW .  MW prepared my port with the numbing cream and placed Press and Seal over it so that the ointment would stay in place.  My appointment was at 10:00, but I went for treatment early around 9:00.   The nurse had to access my port and by that time my skin was numb so it did not hurt.  My port area is still tender and will stay that way for a little while since surgery was performed last week.  I was given Taxol for an hour and during that time MW and I enjoyed eating the fudge!  

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Anchored in HOPE,

JW

Pictured above in the collage:

• MW and I enjoying our fudge on National Nutty Fudge Day!
• My second chemo treatment complete!
• TJW and MW and I wearing our Team Jen-Anchored in Hope shirts in front of the Tree Sculpture at the Lowry and Peggy Mays Clinic!  I spend a lot of time at Mays!