All My Pics: 6 (Six) Years Post Treatment

Six years after completing treatment. Sounds like a long time, and for a lot of things, it is.

For me, though, and maybe for other cancer survivors, it doesn't seem like that long at all. In fact, when I hear how long it's been, and think of how life has gone on day to day, cancer treatments and the continual process of healing is still in the forefront. A lot of life has happened in this past six years.

I refer you to my daily blog, kathyjean.blogspot.com , if you'd like to catch up with me. I try to include the little nuances of how my body is different now "after cancer". Like the itching and/or numbness around the axillary wound when the lymph fluid is backing up. And the wound bed on the breast is always sore if touched.

I remember when I was diagnosed, and trying to find information about what it's like 5 years down the road. I didn't find much, if any. So today's pictures are 6 years after treatment. I date my anniversary from the last radiation treatment, which was June 6, 2008. (Funny, the dates we remember...)

My weight is basically the same as when I was diagnosed, approximately 145 pounds. I'm now 58 years old with a birthday next month. My cognition has improved, though it's not what it was "before cancer". I still have trouble thinking if I'm tired, fatigued, or hungry. Sometimes I just don't talk, because the words aren't there. Or I lose the train of thought and forget where I was going with the conversation. I don't like that, so I just don't talk. This is being recognized now in the medical community as "chemo brain" or "chemo fog", and there is no help for it. I seem to get overwhelmed by lots of stimulus, like busy, noisy, crowded places, and do better if I'm not there by myself.

I have learned to breathe, to calm myself, and trust myself, and trust that God and His angels look out for me.

I'm overall healthy, although I missed a step going down the stairs and turned my right ankle pretty good in mid-May. I didn't seek treatment, as I was able to bear weight, the bruising wasn't excessive, and I ice it, elevate when I can, and keep it ace wrapped the majority of the time. It seems to be doing ok so far.

I still see a massage therapist about every 5 weeks or so. Not only for general well-being, but to move the lymph fluid out. It collects over the ribs on the side and around to the back, as well as in the breast itself. My left arm will also get achy as that lymph fluid backs up.

These pics are taken after a massage; everything looks pretty good here.

Both of the scars are lightly discolored still, and they are both indented. When the lymph is backed up they are more deeply indented and puckered. Also, on the bottom picture, the scar from the drain is visible.

The wound bed on the breast is still tender and sore, more so again when it's full. The massage therapist is wonderful about treating my breast, armpit, and ribs/back area. I highly recommend finding a therapist who can do this for you. I pay out of pocket as my insurance doesn't cover it. But some insurances do. It's worth a phone call.

The left areola is fading in color, and the nipple doesn't erect much any more (like when it's cold). The discoloration below the nipple is from the radiation burn. The discoloration on the top is from when the dye was injected pre-op.

In all the pics, the little round black tattoo on the sternum is visible. It's one of the markers for radiation positioning. There is one on each side, too, but they don't show on these pics. There are earlier postings/pics of the markings.