CW: Cancer Stuff
So we’re still in a holding pattern here until the oncotype comes back (hopefully next week, when I have appointments Tuesday AND Wednesday (medical oncology and radiation)!). The medical oncology one has already been postponed twice (sigh) because we are waiting on that oncotype (it’s a genetic test for tumors, basically, that tells the oncologist how aggressive the cancer is and what drugs are best to murder it) but yesterday I started to have sharp pains in the breast, and by last night I started running a fever of 101 and the breast was hot, red, and distended.
So I called the on-call number at 10 pm last night to ask if I should go to the ER and if I needed to get a COVID test, and got a call back from the on-call surgeon within three minutes. He told me that unless the pain became unbearable I should call back in the morning and they would find me an appointment. Which I did, and they did. Excelsior.
Anyway, long story short, I had one hell of a seroma going on. They aspirated it (125 CC of lymph!) and sent me home with some thousand milligram tablets of Augmentin (a broad-spectrum antibiotic, amoxicillin and clavamox). I am not a medical professional, but I believe that translates as Kill it with fire.
They are going to run a culture and see what turns up, and if it’s anything that requires special drugs. And my simulation CT is rescheduled to next week, because they can’t do it while my breast is swollen to half again its normal size…
I continue to love this cancer center, and highly recommend them to anybody in central MA or northwestern CT who needs cancer doctors. (It’s the Cancer Center at Harrington Hospital in Southbridge MA.)
Sample dialogue from today:
Me: I loved you folks so much I had to find an excuse to come back and see you.
Dr. Rose: That’s flattering but I don’t believe you! How are you doing?
Me: Well, I seem to have a problem here. (Pushes aside hospital johnny to reveal inflamed water balloon strapped to chest)
Dr. Rose: Wow, you sure do.
I have swallowed the first horse pill and am feeling considerably better, so let’s hear it for needle aspirations. :D Also it didn’t hurt at all, which I am extremely relieved by, because I was so very sore that I was ready for the process to be excruciating.
Further update next week, maybe….
I hope!