Another week goes by

I'm still hurting from the surgery, but I had a good weekend, and I'm feeling better about myself. The drain continues to be a horrible inconvenience, and the tubing is what really is hurting me.
I had to make a mad dash to Dr. Beatty's on Tuesday, because I was leaking so bad. My post-surgical camisole was pretty damp and I freaked. It leaks right where it comes out of my body, so it's pretty awful. They redressed everything, and I'm using gauze and what not now, but they concluded I'm overdoing it, and that's why I'm leaking.
So, I've stayed off my elliptical and have just been walking. God I hate this. I want to get back to pilates soooo bad. But it has helped by me slowing down a little. I just want it out. If I haven't got to the point where it's less than 30ml a day coming out of me by the 8th of November, they'll take it out anyway, because it could start to be at risk for infection.
I also saw Dr. Kaplan this week - cried on his shoulder a little bit. He's just the best - they both are. We talked about my decision to go ahead with radiation, and my continuing on with Herceptin, and he wants to get me on this anti-estrogen pill called lapatinib (because of my positive hormone receptors) but it's a very expensive drug, so we're going to sure first that those assholes at my insurance company will pay for it. I won't die without it, but again, it will increase my odds against re occurrence of the cancer.
Swedish is still fighting for me on the insurance issue (them trying to not pay for the chemo). I've put it in their hands. I cannot deal with it. It's too emotionally stressful.
Anyway, last week was busy, I worked more than I have in a while. We had the annual editorial conference Friday, at the mother ship (the press facility and main office for Sound Publishing) which is almost to Everett. Actually it was a pretty good conference - editorial staff from all over the place. I sat by the editor for the Vashon Island Beachcomber, which got general excellence at the WNPA awards, and she is a wonderful woman. It's just her and one reporter. Unreal. The keynote speaker was a Pulitzer prize winning journalist from the L.A. Times, who uncovered the city hall scandal in Bell, California, where the city council president and board member were bilking the city for hundreds of thousands of dollars for the salaries - most city council members are paid a minimal "wage" for their services and this guy was making almost $800,000 a day! I left after him - didn't stay for any breakout sessions because I was exhausted, so I left at 3:30 and got stuck in the worst traffic jam ever. It took me two hours to get home. I was so pissed! But the rest of the weekend was good.
I have herceptin Tuesday, then next week a CT to figure out the positioning of the "nukes" for when they start radiation.
I'm getting more and more excited about going to Kauai in December! Barrie's coming too, so it will be two of my Alaska pals and me. It's going to be a wonderful reprieve for me.