I got a talking-to from my super-nurse, Jane, at my last Oncology appointment about paying attention to abnormal symptoms. Yep! Sure! No problem! But then real life sets in again and my attention (rightfully so) is on three bundles of energy that tear around our house and a husband with whom I love spending time with. And errands that need running. And meals that need cooking. And laundry, and naps, and watching Survivor, and cleaning. And another run to the grocery store because I forgot the thing I actually went in for. And playing games, and reading children's books, and the million other things that make up our life.
It took Brad's parents concernedly asking me how I was when they noticed me grimacing last week, for me to pay some more focused attention. I had been having some pain for a couple of days that I assumed was my expander moving around. I had a few dry-coughing spells. And after a couple of days of that, a deep, stabbing pain emerged in my left chest. I couldn't sleep Friday night because I couldn't lay flat or inhale without pain, so I spent the night in the good ol' Lazyboy, trying to find a comfortable position (and Brad didn't get any sleep either, from manning the kids who woke several times that night, and from coming to check on me. And from worrying.)
I struggled with the thought of going to the doctor. Normally, I would just power through the pain and give myself a couple days more to see if I improved (and, no, I'm not a martyr...just someone who gets easily distracted and doesn't like taking medicine.) But a call to my Oncologist's office, followed by a call to my ER to double-check the opinion of my Oncologist's office, prompted me to get my butt into the Emergency Room. There are too many scary things it could be.
One visit with the ER doctor and a chest x-ray later confirmed that I had pleurisy (an inflammation of the lining of the lungs.) Even though it's very painful, and something to keep an eye on, it's good news to me, because then it isn't one of those scarier things that sit in the back of Brad and I's minds. Also good news was that I was surrounded by a doctor and nurses who took me and my health history very seriously, so I didn't feel like too much of a fool for sitting there with, ultimately, not much wrong with me.
On a funnier note, my favorite experience of the whole trip was when I had my chest x-ray, and the Rad Tech (a male about the age of 28) came back into the room and proclaimed that he could see the metal in my expanders and could I please take them out? "How I wish, buddy!" was all I thought, as I explained that they're under my skin. His discomfort had me smiling to myself about how comfortable I've gotten in the past year about talking about anything breast-related.
I look down at the ibuprofen sitting in my hand and sigh, asking myself if it was all worth it...the x-ray, the people worrying, the interruptions of people's Saturday...but I guess it will have to be. Because next time it may be something worse...and I'm NOT going to be one of those people who buries their head in the sand and hopes that it will all just go away if I hope hard enough. I WILL take care of myself. And I care about you, so you'd better too!
How We're Doing:
We're great! We just had conferences for Brendan and he's doing well in school. We're thrilled with how well the girls do together during the day. We're back to participating in MOPS, ECFE, and playdates. Life feels pretty normal again. My only real struggles now are remembering to take my Tamoxifen each day and my constant battle with the menopause pounds. The running thing that I mentioned earlier this fall? Ummmm...not so much lately. My month-long chest cold put an end to that...and laziness has prevailed in the last couple of weeks. Don't worry, though! I just told Brendan that I would work out with him every day after school. And as anyone with a zealous 6-year old knows...there's nothing more motivating than a...well...a zealous 6-year old bugging you to do something. :) And a zealous husband named Brad. That doesn't hurt either!
Laying one on the zealous husband.
Well...my mom-in-law was taking the picture, so I didn't really lay one on him.
Man, oh, man, isn't he cute?!
The Future:
Looks Beautiful!
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