27 September 2011

Rest is Good


I have a couple of things to report.  The oncologist called and I have my first meeting with him tomorrow, at which time I will decide whether he's my oncologist and if so, what his pseudonym will be.  I also have a follow up with Two-Drain and I will probably have one of my two remaining drains removed. The left side is still draining more, (because there was more trauma there with the sentinel node biopsy,) and I just don't think he's going to say it's cool.

Today I laid in bed most of the day.  I slept on an off, even though I slept pretty good last night, (about 8 hours!) but I was just really really tired.  I think I've been doing a little too much.  Yesterday I walked a hill (the one up to the kids' school,) and I really felt that in my core.  My legs can take it but the hills are still a little hard for me to do.  If I walk, it will have to be flat, and while I'm eager to do so, I'm not sure it's what I need to be doing right now.  I'm going to rest more in the next few days instead of pushing it and see where that gets me.  I have gone a couple of days now with no vicodin, and instead have been taking big honking 600 mg ibuprofen tablets every 6 hours or so.  I'm still somewhat uncomfortable.

The backs of my arms are killing me!  On both sides, I have hyper sensitive skin - clearly the nerves are not amused with the major surgery, and especially the left side with the necessary work Dr. Boob did in the axillary (arm pit) area.  It burns, tingles and is numb all at the same time, (if you can fathom that.) Last week when it got a little humid, I sweat a bit which was agony because my skin was sticking together and lifting my arm felt like I was flaying my armpit.  I had a fan going in the bedroom and the air brushing over it felt like pins and needles.  Washing that area with soap and water feels like sandpaper.  It is very uncomfortable and while I have found some mention of this on cancer boards, no one has a remedy or even a suggestion to lessen the discomfort and no one has any inkling how long it lasts.   Ironically I have had a friend suggest acupuncture.