The Pains Of A Seroma

It has been way to long since my last post, and believe me every weekend I tell myself today is the day I am going to write and post, but as you can tell that has yet to happen until today.  The truth is I have been spending more time with my daughter, my husband, the house, work and keeping up with my doctors’ visits.   

So for this weeks post, I am going to cover the medical drama that has been going on in my life since my last post.  The question is where do I begin?  Oh, I know let’s start with my reoccurrence….

Or at least what I thought was a reoccurrence. ….You can read in my previous posts (December 2012 and January 2013) life was starting to get back to normal; I was hanging with family and friends more often; I was traveling for work; and the pain was diminishing.  Less pain meant less pain meds, Ya Hooo!!  Life was not perfect, but l’ll take it.  That is until the pain starting to come back (in my neck and shoulders).  Oh shit! Is Shirley the stupid tumor back?  NO WAY! The tumor could not come back so soon since this time around I not only had surgery but endured 5 weeks of radiation therapy.  The return of the stupid tumor could not be possible, right? 

While on a lovely date with my husband and our friends, I turned to my husband and said, “We have to leave.”  The pain was coming on fast and being that pain sets off my anxiety I did not/could not be around people other than family.  We said our goodbyes and headed out the door.  When we were safely in the car I started to cry. “Why me?” “Not again!” “When will I get a break?”  My husband was quick to real me back in, “you don’t know for sure if it is back.”  He was right, but I know my body and the pain is identical to the pain I felt with the March 2012 reoccurrence. 

That Monday, I called my doctors and they were great.  They immediately brought me in for an MRI which was one month earlier then my scheduled MRI.  The Good news is I am still tumor free; the bad news, I developed a Seroma (fluid pocket) that is sitting on the nerves and muscles which is why I am in so much pain.  REALLY???  WTF??? 

I know what you are thinking, why don’t they drain it?  Well smarty pantsJ, my Dr. advised we not drain it as this could lead to an infection, but rather he’d like for the body to naturally absorb the fluid.  While I hate the idea of extending the pain, I do not want to chance an infection.  Besides I have been dealing with pain for over a year, what are another few more months gonna hurt? 

Anyone else develop a Seroma after surgery?  What did you do, drain it or leave it?  If you drained it did you get an infection?  Or if you waited how long did it take for the body to absorb it?  Did you get any other side effects to the Seroma? 

Until we meet again make it a great day and stay healthy!

xoxo,

Faith