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Only read this if you want an update, it's LONG!

A horrible day! I made it through it with minimal tears though.
I have a wound VAC as well as having hyperbaric treatment as well as chemo. On Tuesdays I have all three. Long day.
My mastectomy site has not healed and still drains and gives me problems (like a massive infection last month) after SIX MONTHS. My surgery was Sept 16. But the wound VAC is supposed to help a lot. I'd developed sinus tracts inside and they weren't healing. The dr said it was because of having radiation two years ago, the first time I had cancer. Radiated skin doesn't heal well. I'd never heard of sinus tracts before, it was an awful thought to me. ewww.
Anyway, until 2 weeks ago, I have medical treatment or appts as if I had a full time job. constantly, every weekday, morning until night. I did have a short break in the afternoon, but I was still exhausted and reaching my breaking point. I just broke down one Sunday and insisted I wanted to quit EVERYTHING. But of course my nurse (i had daily nurse care then) was so sweet and calm and calmed me down.
So yesterday, woke up at 5:20 and at 5:25 my wound VAC started beeping. Full canister. I had NEVER had anywhere close to a full canister before. Everyone was closed, I didn't know what to do, but I called the company 24 hour line and they walked me though changing it. ok. It was quiet for a while and then by 7 it started going off again. and again. Reset, reset, reset. sigh.
I went to QT to get a cup of coffee, which I rarely drink. The clerk guy there started telling me about his aunt, who'd had breast cancer. (as I do) She'd had chemo twice. (as I have). I asked how she was doing now. Oh she didn't make it. I just burst into tears right there. Why did he tell me if he only had bad news???????????? My worst fear is that I will hear those words again. I'm not afraid of death, but I don't want to leave my family, including my twin grandsons. I want to see them grow up.
Anyway, went to chemo, they couldn't get blood from my port. They accessed and reaccessed it three times but could not, so they had to take blood from my wrist, which HURTS. I have difficult veins, they are deep and roll and ughhhhhh.
While I'm waiting to see my dr., my Possum (that's what I call my wound VAC, because it clings to me all the time) goes off over and over and over and over. I finally turn it off for a while.
Then I eventually got in to see the dr. uh oh, my platelets are only 55,000, so no chemo for me. That's what I was in the hospital for last week, my red blood cells and platelets were so low. Red is up, platelets are not.
While I'm there, we notice my suction cup to my wound VAC is hanging off. WHAT THE HECK????????????? So I call Wound Care. I have two hours to get it fixed and I don't know how long it's been off. They'd stressed this so strongly. Two hours! Only two hours! They'd taught me how to fix it myself, although I don't feel competent to do it at all.
So I leave chemo and the nurse on the phone is saying have the chemo nurses do it. They don't have the packing, they don't keep that stuff here.
Well, you do it. I don't have it either, I'm out at chemo and don't have any supplies with me. Ok, come here. (whew)
She fixes me up and I'm safe until my 3:00 appt.
So then i go to lunch at the caf at the hospital. Tips over wild rice and green beans. A little greasy though, which upsets my stomach.
Go to hyperbaric and she brings me down (that's what they call it, they use scuba slang) but within a half hour I have to use the bathroom suddenly. An emergency. She starts bringing me up, it takes several minutes. Finally out and I do my version of hurrying, which is just less slow than usual. Then after I'm very weak, my knees keep buckling and I'm exhausted. She gets a wheelchair for me. I go to my appt (same office) Get my wound VAC changed. They let me lay there afterwards and I start to recover, finally.
And then I drive home. Yes. I drive myself. There is no one to help me drive, so I drive myself. I sit down pretty well, it's just walking that does me in.
ok, day is over, thank You Lord. Get home by 5. Take my meds at 8 and go to bed right after. And then I slept 11 hours.
Because of machine maintenance, I don't have hyperbaric the rest of the week! And no chemo this week! It's true I want to get it over now, so I'll be better when my precious grandchildren arrive in June, but I dread it also, so very much. So I'm a lady of leisure this week. I just have one little wound care appt on Friday to change my wound VAC. (every Monday and Friday) yayyyyyyyyyyyyyy.