I am a breast cancer patient. Last year I had six months of chemo that was finished in October. A month goes by and I had double masectomy surgery and immediately after on the same day I had reconstruction breast surgery. They had put expanders and implants in me and I went home with three drains. I had no staph. Another three weeks go by this time my doctor does my re-flap surgey at a different hospital. I had a re-flap because my drains had to much fluid. Then they fell out and I had to go have aspirations done in my doctors office at least once a week. All that and no staph or so I thought. Just two weeks before Christmas I was gravely ill. I had a high fever and my left breast was noticably hard and pinker than my right. My doctor kept me out of the hospital for Christmas gave me three injections at three separate times of a antiobiotic called "germyacin". I think that is what it was called forgive me if I misspelled it. Then he gave me a 100 tablets of another antibiotic doxycyllin.
I was half way through with the bottle of doxycyllin and he told me it was okay to start radiation. I was so happy to start radiation because I was scared that the cancer would go in my bloodstream. It had been two and a half months since my chemo. I start seeing my radiation/oncologist doctor and he tells me I will have 33 days of radiation.
Well, I had about 16 days of radiation and noticed that my left breast was painful and changing color again. I had just finished that antibiotic! I had a CBC done and I have staph again! This time they tell me it's from the heat of the radiation that probably stirred up the same infection. So My breast reconstruction surgery doctor gives me another injection and my breast gets worse. I had to go to the doctor's office and have out patient surgery to remove my implant and expander from my left breast because of the infection! So three days go by I notice my right breast same thing happening. The staph jumped over to my right breast. Again I go into the office to have outpatient surgery. He took out my expander and implant again! Gives me another antibiotic Bactrim something to be taken for two weeks. Then I have to wait two more weeks to finalize my radiation.
So I finished those antibiotics and last week I went in for a re-mapping for radiation. So while I'm waiting for my insurance company to approve all this again. Two days ago I told my DH that my breast started feeling sore and hard in another area. He told me not to worry it was probably in my head. Last night I had him look at my breast area and he noticed that there was a difference in color, but he wasn't sure? I wake up early this morning and my left breast area is very uncomfortable and hard and dark pink! The staph is back! What can I do? I have to wait for my reconstruction doctor's office to open at 7:00am. I am pretty much at his mercy because none of my other doctor's don't want to get their hands into this! I can't blame them.
All the years with surgeries and never once did I get staph. This doctor that I have is suppose to be the best in the Orlando area. My other doctor's look up to him. He has done wonder's for breast cancer patients, but I am apprehensive about going back to him. His PA said that it was staph from my body. Some how I don't agree with that. I believe I picked it up in the hospital with my last surgery.
I'm just at my wits end I don't know what to do? I'm just so worried that the cancer will get into my bloodstream. I have four sons. My eldest is 19 and my other three are little ones ages 7,5, and almost 3. It's been a horrible ride trying to explain to my little ones, all of this.
I just could use some advice.
Blogs & Forums
Forums
Blogs
