The New Normal

1. Two years after my diagnosis and I am always asked if things are back to normal.
   


2. My answer? It is a new normal. There are days that my husband forgets what we went to, forgets that I had cancer, forgets the fight. I would give anything to have those days.
   Let me explain... This is my bathroom sink.

In the morning I wake up and after I brush my teeth, I have three things to take:
1. Vitamin D (for bone health) I have blood tests every doctor visit to make sure I am taking enough.

2. Calcium

3. Remifemin (right now it is Icool) for the menopausal symptoms (hot flashes, mood swings, sleeplessness)

4. Clariten

When I am getting dressed before and after the shower I am faced with the scar on my breast. It looks fine and faint, but it is still there. In the shower I have to use a special razor with a flat head (AKA my husband's) to shave under my left arm cause the scar causes an indentation that I cannot get with my Schick Quatro. My doctors told me that radiation would cause the hair to not grow. But my doctor was so precise that my hair still grows. :-(

Ater taking a shower I have to put on lotion. A special lotion on my left breast (Intense Moisture) by Avon. It is the only lotion that alleviate the EXTREME dry skin in the radiation areas.

Since my lymph nodes were removed during surgery, I have to be extra vigilant about keeping my left arm unharmed. A paper cut, a insect bite, sun burn,even a hang nail can cause lymphadema.

At night, I have to take more pills.

1. Tamoxifen (to fight any rogue cancer cells still there)

2. Effexor (to combat the side-effects of the Tamoxifen)

3. Vitamin D (again, I am deficient about 2300ml)

4. Xyzal (another anti-histamine, to keep the hives at bay (didn't I mention I was allergic to myself?))

5. Ambien (when I need to sleep in my pot holders)

My pot holders?
Yup, pot holders. Because my lymph nodes were removed (during the cancer surgery) I have some swelling in my left arm and in my left breast. The lymph nodes are our own person trash system, so my trash system is gone and there is no where for the extra fluid in my arm or breast to go and swelling can occur. You can see this in the post entitled "Frankenboob" I had compression sleeves made for me to compresses the areas to keep swelling down, and they way they are sewn will move the fluid up out of my harm and to my other lymph systems. They are bulky, but are a godsent when I feel like I am swelling (or for an insect bite on my left arm)

The only true way to understand is to see them for yourself...


The grey pad wrappes around my under arm (called a swell spot).

I know... Sexy huh?

So this is my normal... My new normal. Is it different? Yes.
Is it horrible? No.
Just... a New Normal :-)

It really isn't so bad. I am still so grateful for my life, for my family and yes... Even for my health.