Thoughts from the T-Shirt Lady

When I started my blog, I mentioned that I had been diagnosed with breast cancer, right after my husband and I retired from the federal government. I was thinking about that last nite, and wanted to write something about cancer, and how it affects our lives.

About 8 months before I retired, I had a very dear friend at the office who went through treatment for breast cancer, and I was very concerned about all the surgery and treatments that she had to go through. Everything turned out ok for her, but it wasn’t until I found out I had it too and I started with treatments, that I really understood what she went through.

I feel like I belong to a sisterhood. Since I retired, I found out that another friend from work had breast cancer too! And now when I’m out and about – and since my hair is just now starting to come in – I hear more stories about a sister, an aunt, a friend, and others who have been through what I went through.

Not to make light of the situation – but it brought back the story of when you buy a new car – all of a sudden you see more and more of them on the road. Now that I have been through treatment for breast cancer, I am finding out about more and more women who are going through it, or had it several years ago, or have just finished their treatments like me.

Besides my husband taking care of me, as I went through the worst of it, my friends and relatives have been a big support system for me. A few days after each chemotherapy treatment, I would email them all as to how I was doing – with all the aches and pains and fatigue that I was going through. And each time, with their positive attitudes and concern for me – I was able to get through another round knowing that I had a tremendous group of ladies and gentlemen who were ‘holding my hand’.

I probably went through the same procedures as many women with breast cancer. I had surgery to take out the lump – which was about 1 – 2 cm. Then I had some very unique type of radiation. A balloon was inserted into the cavity where the lump had been – and for 1 week, twice a day, I went to the radiation center where they checked to make sure that the balloon was inflated correctly, and while I lay on a table a machine inserted a radioactive isotope into the balloon and I received ‘radiation’ for 10 minutes. It was a very unique situation, but I’m glad I didn’t have to have radiation every week for 5-6 weeks.

My chemotherapy consisted of 8 treatments, 1 every 2 weeks. I would receive a shot of Neulasta the day after each treament. The first 4 treatments were really bad. I was extremely exhausted the entire 2 weeks between the treaments. My white blood count was so low, that the doctor had to put me on strong anti-biotics for several days before the next treatment. And the doctor kept reassuring me that the last 4 treatments, which were a different set of chemicals would be a lot easier to get thru.

In a way, the last 4 treatments were a lot easier. I didn’t feel like I wanted to sleep all the time. However, I had extreme leg and joint pain that at times I couldn’t sleep at nite, and had to take strong medication to help. (let’s get real here – I had to take drugs – grin). I even had my feet swell up really bad from one of the last 4 treatments. That was a strange site!

One thought keeps going through my mind after all the treatments. And that has been that I thank God for his timing. I’m 60 years old, live an hour away from where I used to work, had a very stressful job and I know that I could not have continued going to work and stay healthy enough to continue the treatments. In his wisdom, he told me that it was time to retire!

Sandi