On the Mend

WARNING: This post contains information about health issues. Female health issues (visualize one raised eyebrow and pursed lips here, and perhaps a pinkie finger in the corner of my mouth). That was a Dr. Evil reference for you pop culturally challenged folk. Male readers you may not be comfortable reading this although I think you are a wuss if you can't handle reading it.

Not so long ago I wrote a post about a medical problem that I had. After I posted it and a few brave souls read it I decided it was too graphic so I deleted it. Since the problem has not gone away I thought I would write a new post about it as it is kind of an all consuming issue right now.

In the beginning there was a lump. The lump was in my breast, from here on out referred to as 'boob' or 'mammary gland' or 'female accessory' or 'body part that formerly was the object of man's desire' (of course access was granted to only one man) or 'body part whose sole function is to nourish my son'.

I went in for an ultrasound of said lump in said boob. The ultrasound turned into a mammogram, which ladies is a real kick in the pants, which turned into a biopsy.

Good news: the results were negative. The lump is a fibroadenoma which does not increase my chances of developing breast cancer.

Just a few days after the biopsy the site started to look suspiciously infected. I called the Breast Center and spoke to a grumpy on call doctor who prescribed some antibiotics for me to take. The antibiotics appeared to work. Then the steri-strips came off. Then the milk came out.

Yep.

Milk.

Biopsy site.

Out.

Leaky boobs are normal for the lactating woman. Leaking milk out of a hole in the side of your boob is not normal. I repeat: NOT normal.

I went in to see my doctor. She had never seen the leakiness of the boob. She called a surgeon to get his advice. His advice was dermabond (like super glue) or stitches. We opted for dermabond. Just dab on a bit 'o glue and stop the milk.

OR

Seal in the infection.

Apparently milk is a great food for bacteria.

Massive infection ensued that was accompanied by chills and hot flashes and sweating and muscle aches. My doctor said it was the worst she had ever seen. With her help we cleared up the infection with a 17 day course of antibiotics that I had to take 4 times a day.

That is not the end of the story. The infection cleared but my doctor sent me off to see a surgeon whom I saw 3 times in a period of a week. Surgery was not indicated but it was recommended that I quit breast feeding when I had to go back to the surgeon to have him re-open the biopsy site because the exterior wound (exit site) was healing over before the interior damage (perforated milk duct) was healing. So, the milk that was being produced was just accumulating in the breast tissue and had no where to go.

So, I went to a nurse practitioner at the Breast Center where they did the biopsy in the first place. She is going to see me until the whole thing is healed. She had to make the exit wound really big to make sure it didn't heal before the inside healed. After that she cleaned it out and packed it with gauze. Sometime in the middle of the night the gauze and other goodies came out of the new and improved gaping wound that was created. The nurse practitioner was astounded by the goodies and she cultured said goodies. Goodies came back as harmless. The following days visit was much better. There were no more goodies and the rinsing of the wound and stuffing of the gauze didn't hurt.

Now for the good news: I saw the nurse practitioner today and after inspection of the healing site that is NO LONGER LEAKING MILK she said I don't have to go back to see her for one whole month. A whole month without seeing a doctor, surgeon or nurse practitioner! I've had 8 follow up visits (excluding the initial mammogram and biopsy appointments) for the fallout (literally - ha!) of the biopsy that I had 2 days after Christmas.

That is more than you will ever want to know about me I'm sure but it is much, much less graphic than the original post so you can thank me for editing it. : )