In February, I said, “When I’m done with radiation and start maintaining with medication, etc., I’ll start my post-cancer regimen with a new project: sourdough bread.”
I’m done with radiation now. I’m taking maintenance medication, an estrogen blocker, every day. I even baked bread, basic white sandwich bread, a few days ago. However, the sourdough starter remains in the freezer.
A few days ago, the right breast started itching. I applied the medicated lotion from the radiation department and got some temporary relief. Temporary. Ibuprofen helped, too – temporarily. And then I noticed red streaks around the incision scar. Red streaks on skin? Never a good sign.
I was very uncertain. Is all this typical in the healing process from breast cancer? To be expected post-radiation? I had questions, but I didn’t want to seek medical care and be told, “No problem. You’re overreacting.” So…I compromised. I sent a message by way of MyChart to the oncologist and asked my questions. Their response? Come in tomorrow. We want to see you.
Without boring you with clinic details (my blood pressure was fine, surprisingly), the results were, well, uncertain, but not good. Definite inflammation, possible infection. Solution: antibiotics for a week. And with that, the advise that if I didn’t see improvement in three days, I needed to call back and see the surgeon.
Meanwhile, the sourdough starter will stay in the freezer a little longer while I wait for this condition to clear, hopefully heal.
