Lymphedema - chronic result of BC

One of the insidious results of lymph node removal in BC treatment is lymphedema. It can be managed but not cured. It results (not well understood) from overload of the system when axillary lymph nodes are removed. In my case 12 nodes, all riddled with cancer. Fortunately I was early diagnosed and had treatment at the free standing private clinic, with 10 (can be extended) treatment costs covered by Alberta Cancer Board. Later Alberta established its own clinic, devoted to secondary lymphedema as a result of breast cancer. We have two very accomplished therapists (mine is Hahn) who can evaluate, prescribe pressure garments and perform lymphatic massage. It's still expensive, each 30-40lb pressure armband is about $90, half paid for by Alberta Aids to Daily Living (AADL). Night sleeve cost about $300 but wasn't covered then. I get a prescription for two years, three sleeves a year, which is more than adequate. One-stop shopping eliminates the need to get AADL sign off. We have achieved a reduction from 16% down to 5% differential between the left (normal) and right arm in one year. I should wear the sleeve for a few hours each day, and especially when exercising. I also have a pressure bra to work on the lymph system during exercise - $100 with no funding.
Alberta does not currrently fund all lymphedema treatment, which is ridiculous. A prominent Mayo Clininc doc was in Calgary this Monday to present a seminar on lymphedema. Some really interesting data. Sufferers have a 37% higher risk of cellulitis, an inflammation and often infection of soft tissue, which can lead in extreme to amputation of arm or leg. So we have to be vigilant, no blood pressure taken, no pinpricks, no injuries, cuts or fungi on the affected limb.

May 14/2010 - Oncology update

My six-month checkup was reduced to two, as my oncologist checked out her hunch about my left eye. Apparently malfunction of neck lymph nodes can affect the eye, with swelling around the eyelid, dilated pupils. Being super-cautious, Dr. Lisa Pickering took another look. I had the eye checked by my eye doc two months ago and my vision is really good for somebody with eyeballs shaped like eggs instead of spheres! Dr. P confirms all my blood(y) tests indicate my bone marrow has fuly recovered from the onslaughts of chemo, my VitD good (deficiency being something being associated with many cancers) and generally I am in really good shape. Yeah. I am now back on a 6 month recall.
Some good news. The Johns Hopkins hospital, a leader in health care and esp. breast cancer treatment, confirms that women who received Herceptin combined with chemo have a 25% better survival than those who had it sequentially. Good to know my docs ae on the leading edge of treatment for this horrible disease.

March 20 - Steve & Taryn Big Day

Somehow I didn't get any really good photos of the two of them together! Luckily the photographer did! We all had a wonderful time at their Deer Lodge wedding in Lake Louise. About 30 of the 120 were old farts like us and the rest the beautiful young bucks and does, all done out in their finery. A great occasion. Very romantic as the wedding party took off on a sleigh ridge around Lake Louise, bathed in sunlight and warm for the day! Who cares about a day's skiing.
Taryn's dad George put together a great AV of the two of them, their lives, their travels.
On return from their month honeymooning in Tokyo, Phillipines and Beijing, we all had dinner at a great little tapas restaurant. This May long weekend we will stay in town to attend their whole lamb roast at the Kananaskis cabin.

May 2010 Reconstruction continues..

After 6 months, ready for new nipple - or so I thought. Instead April 26th I had another 1.5 hours of surgery with micro plastic surgeon Dr. Wim DeHaas assisted by orthopedic surgeon! He removed hard fatty tissue from side of new breast. Used same incision so hardly notice it at all, except lump is gone. Biopsied, it was simply fatty tissue. He cleaned up port removal incision and lump on upper chest (easy) then moved right nipple up 2cm (not so easy.) It was an interesting surgery, he cut around nipple and removed a disk of skin, then sewed circle back smaller. Like two concentric circles, hard to describe. Very uninvasive but painful for about two days. All stitches dissolved within 3 weeks.
Now we wait 3 months for left breast to stabilize then he will decorate right breast with new nipple, exactly matched to left one. What a perfectionist!