Wow! I can’t believe it’s been 14 weeks since I had the bilateral mastectomy. For the most part, recovery has been “uneventful.” I had one seroma (a collection of fluid) under the chest wound after the tubes were removed but that was attended to and drained and I continued to wrap my chest for many weeks after the surgery to prevent another. (Which worked). I want to say THANK YOU for all the thoughts and prayers!!!
I took it easy and rested, being careful to not overdo it, knowing my body had been through a major surgery. At one point I did get “bored” with my recovery so I went down YouTube rabbit holes on topics of interest. My book collection grew by more leaps and bounds. This helped to feed my curiosity and healing. I will admit to feeling delight when I was finally able to make myself soup again! A shout out of gratitude to the friend that recommended the show Doc Martin on Prime.
A good friend recommended a post-mastectomy shop and I was overjoyed to pick my “cup size” and select some new bras. Did you know that Medicare covers 3 post-mastectomy bras every quarter?! That’s a benefit I wasn’t expecting.
About a month ago my blood pressure dropped lower than my already “normal” low blood pressure. When I went in for my Phesgo injection on April 30, 2024, my blood pressure was 84/48 and this situation continued for probably almost two weeks before I found something that resolved that issue-an abdominal binder. I saw a medical provider on May 6 who ran a bunch of tests (blood work, thyroid tests, etc.) and ordered the compression garment. All of the labs and tests were normal but I discovered in the process that my thyroid is enlarged and has benign nodules on it.
The PET Scan on May 17, 2024, confirmed that there are no active tumors in my body. My axillary area lit up, but that is likely due to the surgery and my oncologist is not concerned about it. This is such a surreal place to be in, here in my fifth year, having been diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in
January 2020, and to no longer have cancer. It’s truly a blessing and a gift and each day I am grateful. Again, I want to say THANK YOU for all the thoughts and prayers!
I’ve gotten to know my body in ways I hadn’t expected, especially over the last month with the low blood pressure. I’ve been learning about POTS-Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. This is a condition where your heart beats faster than normal when you go from sitting or lying down to standing up. Turns out most people impacted by POTS are women (or people assigned female at birth) and surgery can cause an exacerbation of these symptoms (although my surgeon’s office seemed unaware that there could be a link).
Symptoms of POTS include lightheadedness, dizziness, fatigue, brain fog, shortness of breath, chest pain, feeling sick, bloating, etc. At times I had all of these symptoms and I was VERY pale because my blood pressure was so low. I had very little energy. It was quite frustrating because I was just starting to feel better, and then all of a sudden I was feeling much worse and my quality of life suddenly went down!
I won’t bore you with ALL the details, but suffice it to say I’ve found that by going back to a more reduced way of eating carbs (including fruits/berries) and hydrating like it’s my job I can modulate some/most of the symptoms. Plus, I’m now trying compression socks as an alternative to the abdominal binder. I’ve also found a salt-focused electrolyte that helps, called LMNT. If I drink 2-3 refillable water bottles of that a day along with water and tea my symptoms greatly improve. I’m also very sensitive to heat and physical exertion. So I’m learning how to manage my expectations of what I think I should do with what I can do each day.
As I write this we are up in Grand Marais. I can hear the birds, the waves of Lake Superior and the quiet sounds of this town. It’s so peaceful and calming. I am NOT missing the sounds of the city in Saint Paul! Freddy is working on digging us a ditch for the electrical line and I’m contemplating which gentle trail I want to explore (or cove along the water).
That’s my update! Oh, and I’ve added a page to this blog, Energy Medicine. Watch for programs to be offered in the upcoming fall. I’m looking forward to starting my health coaching business, offering breath work sessions and services as an energy medicine practitioner. Is there a way I can help you? Please reach out!
Thank you for reading. Please leave me a comment and let me know what is happening in your world. Also, if you have an interest in learning more about energy medicine, reach out and let me know!
I wish you many blessings. May you be happy. May you be healthy. May you be at peace. May you be free from suffering. May you be loved and love. May you breathe deeply and find that still, quiet place within you that Knows.
Sincerely,
Annette
P.S. Thank you for the prayers and thoughts! Energy goes where attention flows… These things do matter.