There had been a problem with reoccurring infections I think I've only had 6-8 days without antibiotics since my op last September. I've had repeated scans and repeated drain offs to try and keep the breast from filling with fluid. They took away the Lymph nodes on that side because the cancer had spread there too. Consequently any fluid coming into the breast could not drain away naturally via the lymph nodes.
I had another appointment with the consultant after yet another drain off, this time they'd drained off a blood clot and some fluid. Samples had been taken and sent for analysis so I had to go for the results.
When we got there it wasn't the consultant but a staff nurse who actually asked me what I'd gone for and what could they do for me today! He then had to send for the results, checked them and said there hadn't been anything to nasty in them. Upon examination he said I needed to have the draining off and another scan despite only having this 3 days before. My daughter wasn't pleased and said so, the outcome was that I waited a few minutes and the consultant slotted me into her clinic. She diagnosed straightaway what was wrong and referred me to my local hospice for treatment.
There is a clinic there with specialist nurses trained in a massage that moves the fluid to Lymph nodes in other areas to drain it away. The consultant at the hospice told us the reason I've been feeling so ill and having to have it drained so many times is because it's like putting a bucket of dirty water outside in the garden and leaving it there, just adding more dirty water. Because the fluid is sitting in the breast it's stagnating just as the water in the bucket would do and it gets impacted, it has to be moved.
I take 4 x 250mgs of Penicillin pr day and will do for the next 6 mths. Along with their treatment and the antibiotics things should start to get better. They showed us how to do the massage it's very gentle which I was pleased about I was dreading them touching me because I was so swollen and painful. It can be done with a clean blusher brush it's that light, some breathing exercises to help also. There was a lot of things they told me I had to do to keep other infections at bay, a different cream to use on my skin ect. Not to wash dishes, do the garden or any cleaning without gloves on and to avoid being scratched and to keep antiseptic wipes with me. Not to expose my arm, shoulder or breast to the sun, that's not a massive problem I'm fair skinned and burn so don't sunbathe. As well as them doing the massage I do it at home several times a day I don't need to stand, I have to have someone do them on my back and neck we're aiming to move the fluid to the Lymph nodes on the other side.
Just so you can see what we've been dealing with, this photo is without a bra on and the breast on your left is my Norah Batty one, the one on your right is known as Jordan and shows you how big its has got.
The good news is I'm so happy to say it is working, as well as the swelling slowly going down, it's not as painful I still feel quite sick sometimes but not all the time and I get tired quickly but it's nothing like it was and at last I feel like there's a light at the end of the tunnel. The nurses were rather annoyed because I'm not the only patient this is happening to, they've seen several over the past few months who they've been able to help after being referred to them and each one could have been helped earlier. I could have been feeling a lot better a lot earlier.
I have been slowly getting back into doing some sewing and have things to show you but as you've probably nodded off by now reading through this I'll write another post later with the photos.
Once again thank you for caring enough to get in touch it means a lot.
hugs
Peg xx
