Hi everyone. Thanks for the good thoughts and prayers.
I got home on Friday. I've been sleeping in an electronic recliner because it is easier to get in and out of. Last night I tried the bed and that was more comfortable for all night. Everything wears me out. Bathroom trips, showers, walking, etc., but I can already tell that I am getting stronger. Saw the plastic surgeon on Monday and they took all three drains out, so that's made showers and everything easier. I have this one piece zip up lovely girdle thing to wear for the next 6 weeks but it's not too bad. It's hard to get my right arm back in it because that is the arm where they took the nodes and it's fairly sore, but it will get easier. I'm still swollen so they gave me one size for now, then in about two weeks I might be ready for the smaller garment. Everything is swollen right now. Both docs say everything looks great but it sure doesn't look it to me. I walk stooped over like an old lady but my steps are more sure now. I've been lucky that I never got nauseous, dizzy, loopy etc.
Taking valium for the muscle spasms every twelve hours (can't begin to tell you how bad my back and lower back/bottom) hurt and vidocin for the pain. I'm started stretching those to about every 5-6 hours instead of 4 and it's worked pretty good so far. I try to walk as much as I can but I can't get but a loop around the house each time. Arm where they took nodes is completely number under my armpit and the underneath side to my elbow. Sometimes have shooting pains or random pains but they said that is normal and is from nerve damage getting the nodes out.
The best news -- the nodes they took out during the surgery were negative for cancer (nodes during sentinel node surgery were positive so that's why they took more). The first bit of good news we've had and I'm still grinning from the news. It took a while longer to get the results because they were surprised that the cancer is one kind, the two nodes taken 10 days ago were a different kind, and the last surgery produced no new cancer. They can't figure out why two different kinds because of where they were, so they are going to do more testing. As long as the newest nodes taken out continue to be negative, I won't have to do radiation, only chemo. If they had been positive, I would have had to do radiation and chemo.
Chemo will most likely start the week after Christmas. I will lose my hair and they haven't told me how many rounds etc. Right now, the cancer is at a Stage II, so life could be much, much worse.
I can't drive for another week, will need to walk stooped over, and won't be able to sleep on my side for another week, but at that point I can as long as I curl up my knees and put a pillow between them.
We have had a trip to Disney planned for a year now. Doc says I should still be able to go, just with a wheelchair and no thrill rides. We will be there from Dec. 17 - Dec. 23 so if anyone wants to meet up, share park days etc., just let me know. This will be a slower paced trip for us but I'm fine with that.
Thank you so much for the prayers, thoughts, pm's, cards, soup, calls, etc. They have meant more than you will ever know!
. And look at my ticker. 
