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| New Boobies = New Beginnings = No More Cancer (hopefully)
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The last two rounds of chemo left me with Neuropathy in my hands and feet. My hands continue to get numb, tight and stiff throughout the day and night. I loose sensation in my fingers where it is hard to feel things as you normally would. (It's hard to explain. I can feel that it's there, but the sensation is different.) Sometimes my hands also are super cold as well. The pain often extends up through my arm. I have a hard time bending my fingers. These symptoms are worse in the morning and when I wake up. It really helps when I either massage my hands, have someone else massage my hands or I use a squeeze/ stress ball. My feet also get numb, sensation is also lost in my feet (much like when your feet falls asleep from sitting on it too long), also it feels like my feet get super hot and super cold, even though the temperature of them has not changed, pain extends up my legs as well. My ankles crack and toes are sore.
I also am retaining water. My ankles, legs, face, and body is slightly bloated. I have been unable to wear my shoes at times. For one week I had to wear slippers. I bought Dr. Scholls For Her Fast Flats. (They look like ballet shoes, but are a little more sturdy.) Now I can wear shoes again for most of the day, but by the end of the day my feet are swollen again and burning.
I have been given meds for both....but it is going to take a while for them to help, more so the meds for the Neuropothy. I was told that rebuilding the nerve cells takes time. It could be 4 months to a year. UGH!!! Not Fun!!
My first treatment as you remember I started to loose my hair....well, it has started to grow back!! Yay!! Slowly...but it is growing back. It is so soft. I love touching it. I think it is like 1/4th of an inch. A few strands may be a bit longer. I am so ready for it to be longer. I am still wearing my wigs.
Now let's get to the fun stuff!! I have gone to my plastic surgeon (at Georgetown), my oncologist, my original breast surgeon, a new breast surgeon (at Georgetown), a hematologist and had a pre-op for surgery. I had to schedule and meet a new breast surgeon because I wanted to have my plastic surgeon do my reconstructive surgery, and he only practices at Georgetown. My Breast Surgeon only practices at Fairfax. I like my new Breast Surgeon. My Plastic Surgeon (Dr. Scott Spear) recommended my breast surgeon (Eleani Tousimis), also at Georgetown (she was also just on CBS talking about the #MissUSA who is also going to have a double mastectomy. I am also scheduled to have an MRI on Sunday at 8:45am.
So the big day is December 16th. I have to be at Georgetown at 10:30am and my surgery starts at 12:30pm. I am having a bilateral nipple sparing mastectomy with immediate reconstruction using allerderm (tissue expansion.) I will have to be in the hospital that night at the minimum; one night more if I need it. The 18th, in the afternoon, I have a herceptin treatment. UGH!! I was told it would take at least a week for me to have tubes which need to have tubes which need to be drained. Depending on how well I heal, I will try to go back to work after a week, otherwise I will take off more time. I really can't take off more than a week due to 1.) Needing the money to pay all the bills. 2.) My clients needing me. I don't want to take more than a week not seeing them.
While I am laid up for a week or more, my wonderful co-worker/ boss and office manager are giving me movies (Twilight and several Romantic comedies) and some great full TV series to watch (Big Love and Sex and the City). Hopefully my girlfriend Denise will be able to come up and take care of me, otherwise my mom will be taking care of me. I hope to be able to stay at my place, as I want to sleep in my own bed. It would be so much better!!! While I am laid up, please feel free to contact me, e-mail me or call!! I would love to hear from you!!
So all of the doctors appointments, the herceptin treatments and the surgery will probably max out my deductible and out of pocket payment for my health insurance right at the start of January. My deductible is $2,500 and my out of pocket is $5,000. Each Herceptin treatment alone is close to $9,000. I have no idea how much each doctors visit is going to be, how much the MRI will be on the Sunday before the surgery, how much the pre-op appointment will be, nor how much the surgery will be. But I do know that when I stayed in the hospital last January for my migraine in the ER, the bill was over $8,000. I am sure this surgery will be way more than that.
I will have to pay for my bills up to the first $2500 (my deductible), then I pay 30% of the fees until I reach my out of pocket maximum ($5000). By the end of January 18th, I think I am going to reach that, and I have NO idea how I am going to pay it!! I surely do not have that kind of money. I am still trying to pay back my medical bills from last year, despite all of everyone's help. I still have several thousands of dollars left to each one. AYE!! Also I am going to have to start paying my student loans, which I have been lucky to defer for a long time. My deferment period is going to end in March and I have no extension time left. I just want to get out of debt so that I can enjoy life and do fun things. I want to be able to go on vacation. I want to be able to not feel guilty for eating out. I want to not feel guilty if I buy anything that is not a necessity. I feel like I have to work consistently 
