Day 23: I realize I never gave you a full update from my reconstruction followup appt two days ago. So here you go for inquiring minds who have a need for details.
I had already mentioned how my mind started wandering in the waiting room. All of these women waiting for their breast cancer appt. Oh how different my journey could have been. These women who have more on their plate and minds on this one day than I may have in years of my own (much longer than my silly 23 days). A shout out to those readers who have struggled with this very challenging battle. The Sarahs and Rachels of my life. My hat off and heart open to you. And my apologies for not supporting you more than I did in your journey. And anyone else facing a cancer diagnosis. I've been there and I know that it sucketh! Each day is a battle itself and the mind lay heavy. But cancer is meant to be conquered! And when not, no doubt, purpose comes from heart break. I see that first hand in my career.
So there we sit among these incredible women and I'm quickly reminded why I chose the crazy choice. Why this ever so frightening decision to move forward with a mastectomy became much less frightening than the alternative. These women reminded me of the value and intent of my choice.
"Sally McCollum?"
Well, here we go. Back to the intake room for a weight check (Again for the umpteenth time. It hasn't changed, people! Well, ok so it has.) Blood pressure check. Temp. All well except for the weight. Then, move to the patient room. "please slip on this gown, open in the front, and remove everything underneath." Truly, my favorite part of any appointment. At least I won't be embarrassed by someone seeing my new granny bra. But a quick reminder that yet again there is absolutely no dignity in this adventure. Slip on gown and wait. Well slip on gown seems way more simple that the actual. It's a lengthy process getting dressed and redressed with four drains coming out of your side. And a chest wall that feels like you just completed training for iron man. It's a very strategic maneuvering of this and that to change clothes. Painful! Ron and I have it down pat by now, but still it's a process with many organized steps involved.
I'm actually a little excited to see lead plastic surgeon. I haven't seen him since the hour before reconstruction surgery when he came in with his little black marker to practice his Picasso techniques. I wanted to hear his thoughts of how it went. Well, knock knock, and in he walks with this huge grin on his face.
I actually think he was just as excited to see me. (From the get go, I think he had considered me his challenge. His Goliath. My radiated damaged chest his rival and foe that needed to be put in it's place. His chance to get it right and prove to the plastic community that this can be done.) "Sally, before I say anything else, I did my very best work just as I promised."...."and sorry about the four drains." I laughed but gave him ample ragging about the pesky little suckers and how I wanted to throw something at him when i woke up and saw not 2 but 4. He was very sneaky.
Sally: "Ok, now let's see the masterpiece." Then, I drop my gown and wait.
Silence.
Sally: "Ut oh, what?" I've been worried about the viability of the skin so I'm sitting there worried he sees something wrong. To break the silence and tension I ask him to pay me a dollar for having the opportunity to see the imposters. (I figure if I had charged people all along I would have enough for that bora bora trip we've been wanting to take.)
Then he just grins. A big ole slap happy grin. "My very best work!" It looks great. Better than I was expecting considering all the risks we had. Tissue looks great. No redness. I ask him about all the swelling and tightness and was that normal? Lots of dialogue I won't bore you with her. (Remember, I've never had reconstruction before, so who knows how it's supposed to feel or look). He says that yes, it seems a little tighter than normal so I should now go bra less for two weeks.
What??? Did he just say "bra less?" In my 37 years of existence, I've never once been able to go bra less. He has lost his every living mind. But he is insistent that I need to reduce the pressure on the chest so that the tissue underneath gets enough blood supply to stay viable and not damage the implant. He's concerned, but not worried. So bra less it will be, but it's freaking me out. I didn't have the heart to tell him my mom had just purchased SEVEN new granny no support no frill no fun bras. Note to self: break this news to mom gently after the appointment.
"Sally, I couldn't be more pleased with how the tissue has adjusted. Now we just wait."
"Lead plastic surgeon, I have to take your word for it. I have nothing to compare it to. You did a beautiful job, but they still are odd, weird, and awkward." I inserted the story about how it feels getting new hands (see previous post). He said that was the perfect analogy he could now use with patients. "I love you're work, thank so much, but I'm still adjusting and it's gong to be a while before I love, or even like, your work."
"Sally, no lifting for another week. Then, on Monday, start these exercises. We need to get your strength and mobility back. I'm very pleased and optimistic that we've passed the worry point, but I want to see you back in two weeks." (paraphrased)
Sally: "Doc, now there's the matter of these pesky little drains that make living absolutely miserable." - I can be a tad dramatic. Smile. "Well then, let's take them out!" (I did try and talk him into the complementary liposuction, but he want budging. Maybe if I remind him my abdomen had been radiated to he might find liposuction an equally fun challenge. At that point at the confirmation of drain removal, all of heaven opened up with sound of the hallelujah chorus. David pulled out his harp. Peter a harmonica. I personally saw Moses grab Ruth's arm for a celebratory fox trot across the cloud covered floor. Jesus himself tapped a foot in rhythm. Even my Ron sitting next to me had a smile (he's not known for getting super excited about stuff). And God simply winked an eye at me, him fully aware he himself had orchestrated this perfect moment. (I will spare you the details of hyperventilation that occurred during the drain removal).
Long gone are the drains!!! Long gone is the gore! Long gone is my screeching when we milk the tubing. Long gone are my tears where we clean the sight. Hello, freedom! He promised provision. There hadn't been a single glitch since August 7. My course could have gone every shade of bad. It had every earthly reason to. He doesn't promise the Christian the perfect life or even a good day. He just promises his hand in every twist and turn. But he does love to shower his children with blessings. And blessings galore have I. I'm not worthy, therefore, I'm immensely grateful. So whatever his purpose and intent in giving me the easy road, I promise to make it worth while. So we aren't completely out off the woods, but i can see the river ahead. Praise the Lord that both surgeons are so pleased considering where we started. He said I may need some revisions, that we will know more in a few weeks, but for now watch and wait while the tissue continues to heal and settle. Hopefully, the pain will start to lessen soon, though I'm not sure with the exercises, and the swelling will become less. Stay tuned! There's more to come in this journey for sure. I wait with baited breath.
Aug 30, 2012 - Day # 22 - Solo Shower
So in 22 days, I've been out of this house 4 times. Once for church, once when I snuck out, then for appts. In 22 days, I've put on real clothes once (Jeans and a blouse). PJs have been my every day. How in the world do I go back to real clothes? (Particularly knowing they will no longer fit. That's an unsettling feeling.)
Seven hours later.... I just showered BY MYSELF!!! (sort of) I was supervised and maybe missed some spots but still. There is hope!
Aug 30, 2012 - Day # 22 - How this all came about (June 2012)
Day #22: Yesterday, marks three weeks since the double mastectomy. I've had 21 days to contemplate each individual day of this experience. The day after the mastectomy which set my mental course (post # day 0 part 2), the first shower (did i even post about that?), the miserable little drain suckers (that's in about every post), but it wasn't until yesterday in the waiting room and then last night laying in bed that I stepped back and looked at it all in one big album, instead of individual snapshots.
What have I done??? Did I really make this radical controversial decision to have two breasts I had worked so hard to grow (smile) removed? Did I just allow two surgeons I had met once before decide what the physical future of my new "breasts" would become? These impostors I'm now supposed to know and love. Am I now a woman who has had a mastectomy? Equally as shocking, am I now a woman who has implants? The big picture feels life changing -at least temporarily at this very moment. It affects my marriage, my faith, my personal medical course, my topsy turvy emotions of today. It certainly, hopefully only for the short-term affects my view of self. It even affects me view of you. Somehow, I'm supposed to return to work and the rest of the world and function as though I am who I was when I left August 3rd. Some people at work don't even know this happened. I have to admit I am changed. And I'm going to need time to transition. Time to settle out. Time to fit this new chest and all that comes with it back into the world. (Maybe there was some hidden rationale in my surgeon demanding I be on house arrest these last three weeks.)
How did I even get here???
Back in June, on a Thursday, I was sitting in clinic waiting to see a patient. The Attending Physician I work with had just returned from a national oncology conference and was giving us the low down on some of the hot topics of discussion of the past week. Now let me step back it's interesting to note I'm only in clinic two days a week. The rest of my week I'm in another building with another life. So had this physician returned on a Monday, I would have missed this discussion in it's entirety and be none the wiser for some time to come. So the timing of these events this is lost on me. He was telling us about all the new pediatric oncology research that focused on exposure to radiation therapy and long term outcomes. We've always known radiation therapy is a yin and a yang, particularly when used in children. It's a terrific modality for curing certain tumors, but it carries its own potentially negative risks while propagating the positive curative ones. Historically, Hodgkin's lymphoma patients received very large doses of radiation to the chest region, where primary tumor most likely lived. And we've always known these large doses, while needed for tumor kill, can lead to secondary risks later in life. For female teenagers, breast cancer is one of these risks. We've known this for years. What we didn't know was the magnitude of that risk.
Back to the meeting highlights, the Attending Physician began quoting off the new statics on the radiation data. Well, let's just say my ears perked up when I heard numbers that were much higher than previously published. (I had been treated for Hodgkin's Lymphoma when I was 16 so this was not only professionally relevant but personally relevant.) I simultaneously, while he conversed, went online to the meeting abstracts to pull the data myself. And there it read females treated with 20gy radiation doses are at least equivalent in risk for breast cancer as women who carry the brca gene for breast cancer. As I continued to read, and mentally calculating my own dose of 40+ gy being double that number, light bulbs start going off in my head like that on the red carpet. Percentages ranging from 30% up to 90% as you advance in age. What?!?!?!?!? We had thought it like 10-30%. That was a risk I had known and even prepared for. Roll the dice, it may happen, but more likely not. I've done cancer once, surely not twice. But 90%???? Are you kidding me? That's a whole other ballgame. That not a statistic, that's a prediction! That's.............awful!
I quietly try to gather my wits and think rationally about this data. I formulate an email to a breast oncologist I work with in my other job. (reminder, this life altering conversation happened on a Thursday when I happened to be present, I started working with a breast oncologist as of six months ago in my brand new job, I have access to brand spanking new medical literature..."I'm here God, it's me Margaret"?)
"Breast Oncologist, have you seen the new breast data that was just released for Hodgkins patients? What do you think about me doing yearly mammograms in addition to the yearly breast MRIs I'm already getting? I had lymphoma and was treated with more than 40 gy doses of radiation to the chest as a teenager."
"Sally, yes, I saw the data. I didn't realize you were a lymphoma survivor. I think you need to see a breast surgeon......" And at that very second I mentally checked out. Stopped reading. Had tears pool at the bottom of my eyelids.
Excuse me? What in the world did he just say??? A breast surgeon? What do you mean a breast SURGEON? Didn't you mean to say "yes, please schedule a mammogram at your earliest convenience."? Why in the world are you mentioning a breast surgeon?
Ok check back in, compose yourself. Wipe the fluid from your eyeball and retype the email.
"Breast oncologist, did you mean to write the word surgeon in your email? I'm a little confused. Did you mean to say oncologist?"
"Sally, I think it would be wise for you to meet with the chief of breast surgery to discuss mastectomy options. Let me talk to her today about your case and I will get the appointment set up for you as soon as possible."
Hyperventilate. Mind racing. Punch in the stomach. Oh my gosh, please don't let me throw up right here in my laptop in front of everyone. Hold it together. Pull up your boot straps. Got-to-get-some-air-now. Walk out of the room to the bathroom and ball your eyes out. And then it also hits me while standing in that bathroom....Ron!
Let me insert here that all of this unfolded in a matter of about 3 minutes from the time my attending walked in all excited about the conference he just attended to me being set up in an appt with a surgeon. How does that even happen?
Email Ron frantically. Email my sister frantically. Wait for response from oncologist. Pull up data on brca gene. What in the world a prophylactic mastectomy? Women actually do that????? I really don't think I had any idea that women were finding out about brca gene results and scheduling mastectomies. Why do they do that? And why would I do that? That is radical. That is crazy. That is taking matters into your own hands. Do I not trust God's plan for my life? If I'm destined to have breast cancer, we just deal with it when it comes. I'm not someone to run from trouble. I like to roll the dice and trust God in the decisions in life. I've got this. Mastectomy, no way. (This, another free flowing train of thought spanning about 45 seconds).
Keep reading the article, Sally..unlike brca gene patients "hodgkins survivors, having already reached the maximum doses of radiation, will have limited treatment options for secondary breast cancer..." Let me re-read that. Again. One more time.
Frantically email Ron a second time. Desperately watch the clock. I've GOT to get home! This room is closing in on me. I'm of no use to these patients today. Devastated. Confused. Frightened. Surprised. Blow to the stomach. (Little did I know that Ron was having the the exact same experience sitting at his work desk as he later told me).
So it was no longer IF I was going to get Breast cancer, but more likely WHEN. And when that were to happen, my treatment options would be limited to no radiation.
Long story made semi short. Two weeks later, I'm sitting in an exam room with two surgeons discussing my mastectomy plans. Two weeks! Who gets an appointment with the chiefs of breast surgery and plastic surgery in two weeks? God does, with a little of "it's all who you know" thrown in for balance. By the end of the appointment I had a surgery date scheduled for August 7. The delay only because one of the surgeons was headed away on vacation for two weeks. Those four weeks would become very challenging for me with me subconsciously processing the what was to come. The radical procedure was going to happen! I chose the crazy option!
I should insert here, I'm a unique case. I got massive amounts of radiation as a teenager. Dose is everything. Timing and age of exposure is everything. Not every radiation patient has these risks. There is a lot of data that has to be sorted through for any given patient. I am NOT advocating mastectomy for radiation patients. I'm not even advocating mastectomy for hodgkin's patients. I'm advocating that you research the data. Determine your risk. I'd bet for most women, mastectomy is a bit drastic for your statics. For me, it became a very reasonable option that dropped my risk from up to 90% with limited treatment options down to about 5%. Less than that of the average reader reading this post. Then, I'm advocating support for women who choose this crazy life saving option. This is a radical life changing choice, and women need support in that. No judgment. No gossip about the "did you hear". No questions about implants and a boob job. Don't ever ask "how big are you going!" Support! Encouragement. Belief that this hard choice is able to be done successfully. Cheers of "you can do this" should be shouted through your telephone, your open front door, across the restaurant table as she sits there telling you her incredible dilemma and support that she can be open about this extremely personal journey. Understand that this is an awful decision to have to make and that this surgery is not knee surgery. She needs Love. She needs to know what she feels is justified, even if on some levels it seems trivial.
What she (now me) is feeling is something i never previously understood. Fear of the what ifs. Guilt for her thoughts of vanity. Shock that this is happening. Concern over her spouse and what he may think. Disappointment over reconstruction options. Guilt for feeling that disappointment. Shame that having no boobs affects her like it does. Shame that this journey impacts her like it does when she didn't even have breast cancer like some women have to struggle through both BC and mastectomy. Confusion as to why this affects her so drastically. Worry that God may have wanted her to choose differently. Frustration over the physical limitations now present. Anger at her lack of control. And the list goes on. Trust me, it's best to just sum it up and say "She feels a lot!"
Anyway, back to the original point of all if this. In order to process the big picture, I have to understand how those first few weeks played out. How timing is everything. How God chose a Thursday for this discussion to take place. (Reminder, this was brand new literature your average person would not know about for quite some time to come. I work in oncology.) How God, not even six months before crossed my path with that of a breast oncologist that I work on several projects with. That God would grant Ron and I wisdom to recognize His role in placing me at the right place at the right time and his offering this option to us. That Ron would make his decision that I should go through with mastectomy before I would and that they would match up. Maybe God had a specific plan not only to save me from a tremendously difficult journey with breast cancer, but to change me, challenge me, grow me. Was Sally going to let fear of a drastic surgical procedure guide her? Was Sally going to trust that God had big plans for her or even someone else by choosing the hard road? Who was Sally going to put her faith in?
I'm changed. I'm challenged. I'm broken. I'm restored. I'm accepting my new breasts.. as strange as that sounds. But most importantly, I'm allowing this journey to be whatever vessel God chooses in growing His kingdom. I may kick and scream along the way, but I'm still moving forward. I take steps back. I doubt things, but I'm committed for the long haul. Come what may.
Now, pray that these next few weeks are smooth. I have a great bit to accomplish in a short amount of time. Pray for my transition back into life. Monday, I start removing some of my restrictions. In two weeks, back to the surgeon to assess everything. Will the skin survive, is my mobility and strength back, have the impostors settled in their new home. Is the swelling and pain gone. Can I handle going back to work? Can I drive? Can I shower in my own without falling apart emotionally in the process?
A lot happened in three short weeks. More than I could ever have imagined. I hope to be a better person on the other side of this. I hope you found a new understanding of preventative mastectomies. And maybe you saw a glimpse of God's provision in the awful (and incredibly amazing.)
What have I done??? Did I really make this radical controversial decision to have two breasts I had worked so hard to grow (smile) removed? Did I just allow two surgeons I had met once before decide what the physical future of my new "breasts" would become? These impostors I'm now supposed to know and love. Am I now a woman who has had a mastectomy? Equally as shocking, am I now a woman who has implants? The big picture feels life changing -at least temporarily at this very moment. It affects my marriage, my faith, my personal medical course, my topsy turvy emotions of today. It certainly, hopefully only for the short-term affects my view of self. It even affects me view of you. Somehow, I'm supposed to return to work and the rest of the world and function as though I am who I was when I left August 3rd. Some people at work don't even know this happened. I have to admit I am changed. And I'm going to need time to transition. Time to settle out. Time to fit this new chest and all that comes with it back into the world. (Maybe there was some hidden rationale in my surgeon demanding I be on house arrest these last three weeks.)
How did I even get here???
Back in June, on a Thursday, I was sitting in clinic waiting to see a patient. The Attending Physician I work with had just returned from a national oncology conference and was giving us the low down on some of the hot topics of discussion of the past week. Now let me step back it's interesting to note I'm only in clinic two days a week. The rest of my week I'm in another building with another life. So had this physician returned on a Monday, I would have missed this discussion in it's entirety and be none the wiser for some time to come. So the timing of these events this is lost on me. He was telling us about all the new pediatric oncology research that focused on exposure to radiation therapy and long term outcomes. We've always known radiation therapy is a yin and a yang, particularly when used in children. It's a terrific modality for curing certain tumors, but it carries its own potentially negative risks while propagating the positive curative ones. Historically, Hodgkin's lymphoma patients received very large doses of radiation to the chest region, where primary tumor most likely lived. And we've always known these large doses, while needed for tumor kill, can lead to secondary risks later in life. For female teenagers, breast cancer is one of these risks. We've known this for years. What we didn't know was the magnitude of that risk.
Back to the meeting highlights, the Attending Physician began quoting off the new statics on the radiation data. Well, let's just say my ears perked up when I heard numbers that were much higher than previously published. (I had been treated for Hodgkin's Lymphoma when I was 16 so this was not only professionally relevant but personally relevant.) I simultaneously, while he conversed, went online to the meeting abstracts to pull the data myself. And there it read females treated with 20gy radiation doses are at least equivalent in risk for breast cancer as women who carry the brca gene for breast cancer. As I continued to read, and mentally calculating my own dose of 40+ gy being double that number, light bulbs start going off in my head like that on the red carpet. Percentages ranging from 30% up to 90% as you advance in age. What?!?!?!?!? We had thought it like 10-30%. That was a risk I had known and even prepared for. Roll the dice, it may happen, but more likely not. I've done cancer once, surely not twice. But 90%???? Are you kidding me? That's a whole other ballgame. That not a statistic, that's a prediction! That's.............awful!
I quietly try to gather my wits and think rationally about this data. I formulate an email to a breast oncologist I work with in my other job. (reminder, this life altering conversation happened on a Thursday when I happened to be present, I started working with a breast oncologist as of six months ago in my brand new job, I have access to brand spanking new medical literature..."I'm here God, it's me Margaret"?)
"Breast Oncologist, have you seen the new breast data that was just released for Hodgkins patients? What do you think about me doing yearly mammograms in addition to the yearly breast MRIs I'm already getting? I had lymphoma and was treated with more than 40 gy doses of radiation to the chest as a teenager."
"Sally, yes, I saw the data. I didn't realize you were a lymphoma survivor. I think you need to see a breast surgeon......" And at that very second I mentally checked out. Stopped reading. Had tears pool at the bottom of my eyelids.
Excuse me? What in the world did he just say??? A breast surgeon? What do you mean a breast SURGEON? Didn't you mean to say "yes, please schedule a mammogram at your earliest convenience."? Why in the world are you mentioning a breast surgeon?
Ok check back in, compose yourself. Wipe the fluid from your eyeball and retype the email.
"Breast oncologist, did you mean to write the word surgeon in your email? I'm a little confused. Did you mean to say oncologist?"
"Sally, I think it would be wise for you to meet with the chief of breast surgery to discuss mastectomy options. Let me talk to her today about your case and I will get the appointment set up for you as soon as possible."
Hyperventilate. Mind racing. Punch in the stomach. Oh my gosh, please don't let me throw up right here in my laptop in front of everyone. Hold it together. Pull up your boot straps. Got-to-get-some-air-now. Walk out of the room to the bathroom and ball your eyes out. And then it also hits me while standing in that bathroom....Ron!
Let me insert here that all of this unfolded in a matter of about 3 minutes from the time my attending walked in all excited about the conference he just attended to me being set up in an appt with a surgeon. How does that even happen?
Email Ron frantically. Email my sister frantically. Wait for response from oncologist. Pull up data on brca gene. What in the world a prophylactic mastectomy? Women actually do that????? I really don't think I had any idea that women were finding out about brca gene results and scheduling mastectomies. Why do they do that? And why would I do that? That is radical. That is crazy. That is taking matters into your own hands. Do I not trust God's plan for my life? If I'm destined to have breast cancer, we just deal with it when it comes. I'm not someone to run from trouble. I like to roll the dice and trust God in the decisions in life. I've got this. Mastectomy, no way. (This, another free flowing train of thought spanning about 45 seconds).
Keep reading the article, Sally..unlike brca gene patients "hodgkins survivors, having already reached the maximum doses of radiation, will have limited treatment options for secondary breast cancer..." Let me re-read that. Again. One more time.
Frantically email Ron a second time. Desperately watch the clock. I've GOT to get home! This room is closing in on me. I'm of no use to these patients today. Devastated. Confused. Frightened. Surprised. Blow to the stomach. (Little did I know that Ron was having the the exact same experience sitting at his work desk as he later told me).
So it was no longer IF I was going to get Breast cancer, but more likely WHEN. And when that were to happen, my treatment options would be limited to no radiation.
Long story made semi short. Two weeks later, I'm sitting in an exam room with two surgeons discussing my mastectomy plans. Two weeks! Who gets an appointment with the chiefs of breast surgery and plastic surgery in two weeks? God does, with a little of "it's all who you know" thrown in for balance. By the end of the appointment I had a surgery date scheduled for August 7. The delay only because one of the surgeons was headed away on vacation for two weeks. Those four weeks would become very challenging for me with me subconsciously processing the what was to come. The radical procedure was going to happen! I chose the crazy option!
I should insert here, I'm a unique case. I got massive amounts of radiation as a teenager. Dose is everything. Timing and age of exposure is everything. Not every radiation patient has these risks. There is a lot of data that has to be sorted through for any given patient. I am NOT advocating mastectomy for radiation patients. I'm not even advocating mastectomy for hodgkin's patients. I'm advocating that you research the data. Determine your risk. I'd bet for most women, mastectomy is a bit drastic for your statics. For me, it became a very reasonable option that dropped my risk from up to 90% with limited treatment options down to about 5%. Less than that of the average reader reading this post. Then, I'm advocating support for women who choose this crazy life saving option. This is a radical life changing choice, and women need support in that. No judgment. No gossip about the "did you hear". No questions about implants and a boob job. Don't ever ask "how big are you going!" Support! Encouragement. Belief that this hard choice is able to be done successfully. Cheers of "you can do this" should be shouted through your telephone, your open front door, across the restaurant table as she sits there telling you her incredible dilemma and support that she can be open about this extremely personal journey. Understand that this is an awful decision to have to make and that this surgery is not knee surgery. She needs Love. She needs to know what she feels is justified, even if on some levels it seems trivial.
What she (now me) is feeling is something i never previously understood. Fear of the what ifs. Guilt for her thoughts of vanity. Shock that this is happening. Concern over her spouse and what he may think. Disappointment over reconstruction options. Guilt for feeling that disappointment. Shame that having no boobs affects her like it does. Shame that this journey impacts her like it does when she didn't even have breast cancer like some women have to struggle through both BC and mastectomy. Confusion as to why this affects her so drastically. Worry that God may have wanted her to choose differently. Frustration over the physical limitations now present. Anger at her lack of control. And the list goes on. Trust me, it's best to just sum it up and say "She feels a lot!"
Anyway, back to the original point of all if this. In order to process the big picture, I have to understand how those first few weeks played out. How timing is everything. How God chose a Thursday for this discussion to take place. (Reminder, this was brand new literature your average person would not know about for quite some time to come. I work in oncology.) How God, not even six months before crossed my path with that of a breast oncologist that I work on several projects with. That God would grant Ron and I wisdom to recognize His role in placing me at the right place at the right time and his offering this option to us. That Ron would make his decision that I should go through with mastectomy before I would and that they would match up. Maybe God had a specific plan not only to save me from a tremendously difficult journey with breast cancer, but to change me, challenge me, grow me. Was Sally going to let fear of a drastic surgical procedure guide her? Was Sally going to trust that God had big plans for her or even someone else by choosing the hard road? Who was Sally going to put her faith in?
I'm changed. I'm challenged. I'm broken. I'm restored. I'm accepting my new breasts.. as strange as that sounds. But most importantly, I'm allowing this journey to be whatever vessel God chooses in growing His kingdom. I may kick and scream along the way, but I'm still moving forward. I take steps back. I doubt things, but I'm committed for the long haul. Come what may.
Now, pray that these next few weeks are smooth. I have a great bit to accomplish in a short amount of time. Pray for my transition back into life. Monday, I start removing some of my restrictions. In two weeks, back to the surgeon to assess everything. Will the skin survive, is my mobility and strength back, have the impostors settled in their new home. Is the swelling and pain gone. Can I handle going back to work? Can I drive? Can I shower in my own without falling apart emotionally in the process?
A lot happened in three short weeks. More than I could ever have imagined. I hope to be a better person on the other side of this. I hope you found a new understanding of preventative mastectomies. And maybe you saw a glimpse of God's provision in the awful (and incredibly amazing.)
Aug 29, 2012 - Day # 21- Post reconstruction appt update
Bad news. No lower body liposuction. Guess I better get on the treadmill. (All four drains are out!) More specifics later.
A few hours later.... Thinking I can't formulate a post (maybe), but I will say sitting in the breast clinic this afternoon reminded me of why I made this radical mastectomy decision. Judge me if needed but I feel awful for these ladies that sit here who didn't have the luxury of preventative options that I had. Prayers for these women and their journeys..
A few hours later.... Thinking I can't formulate a post (maybe), but I will say sitting in the breast clinic this afternoon reminded me of why I made this radical mastectomy decision. Judge me if needed but I feel awful for these ladies that sit here who didn't have the luxury of preventative options that I had. Prayers for these women and their journeys..
Aug 29, 2012 - Day # 21 - Pesky little suckers!
So there is this one little pesky little drain, whom I've hated all along more than the others (under normal circumstances I would feel extremely guilty about that. I used to line up all the dolls on my bed so one wasn't left out). Anyway, this drain #3 decided in the last 24 hours to start dumping out more. Well let's just say, if this drain keeps me from getting them pulled out, not only will I be getting free lower body liposuction from this surgeon (yesterday's post), but this drain #3 is going to be slandered, mauled, talked about for centuries to come all over social media. The power of words, buster!
Disclaimer: this author in no way supports bullying. And finds it absolutely unacceptable and intolerable with the exception of drains.
Aug 27, 2012 - Day # 21 - Bra burning
Surgical bra burning...stay tuned for more up to the minute notice in upcoming weeks.
Aug 28, 2012 - Day # 20 - Seven Bras
Day #20: I'm not sure if I've mentioned this or not, but just so there is no mistaken assumption of adoration, I sure do detest these drains. All stinking four of them, although there are two I loathe a bit more than the others. So I feel worthy of having a go away party full of good riddance and best of luck to the four miserable suckers!
When: Wednesday (tomorrow) at 2:45.
Where: Cancer Center Clinic
Who: Lead plastic surgeon He better come with parting gifts in tow (gauze, tape, chew toys for me to bite down on while he pulls them out...and I'm not opposed to cupcakes throw in for good measure.)
And Dear God, all of everything will break loose if he says for any reason they have to stay in another week. He will have to bribe me one more week in exchange for lower body liposuction. It's only fair bartering. This for that. Heave for hoe. I'm willing to forego liposuction though for the sake of all sanity, so hop on that prayer coverage folks! The true celebration will come afterwards when I beg Ron and mom to take me out for dinner on the way home if my stamina will allow it. Surely, an adrenaline high will be my fate for a few hours at least. While, my journey won't come to a close for several weeks to come (He did afterall perform extensive surgery on my pectoral muscle, insert an implant, create a synthetic sling, glue this to that, insert fluff, suture here, suture there) I'm still elated about this drain milestone.
My next milestone in this order will be:
return to life outside these stinking four walls (at least without feeling guilty of sneaking out); resolution of all of this chest pain;
removal of lifting restrictions;
shower By MYSELF;
resumption of exercise;
driving again; back to work.
Think all of that can happen in the next two weeks???? Doubtful, but that is the original agreed on timeline. Six weeks will have flown by! Sort of. Mom is back. Yesterday, she walked in with SEVEN new bras to try out. Having these surgical vests on 24 hours a day was causing all kinds of chaos on my skin and thoracic muscle. Let's talk about pressure points and raw skin. I was in tears simply because of a simple seam. So I'm having to switch bras out about every 12 hours from this to that simple to save my skin. Bet you didn't know that tid bit before this blog post. No underwire. No pushup. No frill. No silk. No nothing but poorly designed 1800s coverage. I am however grateful to be out of the Velcro. So mom, you did very well!!! And quite frankly, what used to fit, fits no more. I've gained weight in this glorious journey. Stress weight no doubt, but you know weight gain is a gals worst enemy. Worst enemy. And then, I've downsized in other front line areas. We can blame the plastic surgeon and medical technology for this result. After a mastectomy, you don't have underlying tissue to build on top of unlike super models who are adding to their baseline conditions... so you are at the mercy of 800 grams of less of silicone. (Did we or did we not land a man on the moon?) People, 800 grams is not very much.
Without being overly graphic as this is social media after all, but still maintaining transparency as promised, they are weird. Every mastectomy patient I had talked with...every one of them... said, "Sally, you are going to love the results. They do an amazing job!", or something along those lines. Well let me tell you, I'm not sure I agree. I'm pretty positive I don't. They just aren't me. I look and see something foreign. Great work if this was all I had to compare it to, but I don't. I have a lot to compare it to. I have my pre mastectomy self to compare it to, very flawed as they were, but they were what I had known for 20+ years. They were me, and they were mine. These are not me (ok, so I admit they are now mine) but they are weird. Imagine getting a new set of eyes. Wouldn't that freak you out going to the mirror expecting the beautiful old green hue you have always cherished only to find stinking muddy brown in return? (not that i have anything against brown eyes...they write songs about brown after all.) Or let's try your hands. You've looked at those a million times in your life. Try lopping those off, inserting a new one that is covered in different colors, spots, size, texture, and consistency, and guess what? Now, they are yours! You used to have small petite hands, now you have enormous man hands. Try that on for size!
There is one very distinct difference I have assumed from the get go based on my vast oncology experience both personal and professional. In breast cancer after the diagnosis is confirmed, I imagine you quickly start to view your own breast as dangerous. Out to kill you. Life threatening. And you can't wait to do everything in your power to kill tumor cells, including resorting to mastectomy. Good riddance, so long, can't get them off fast enough. They are killing you so you need them gone!! In preventative/prophylactic mastectomies, as in my case, there really is no problem. No emergency. No life threatening scenario (yet anyway). So you feel like you are trading in something perfectly fine for some imposter in return. When you are large chested, as I was, and when you have had so much radiation in the past that you virtually glow in the dark, you don't have any choices in reconstruction. You get what you get. One option, chosen by a surgeon that you hope likes you and wants the best for you (I happened to luck up here). Wake up from surgery, and there you have it folks! Distorted, taunt, super heavy, strangely smaller, painful, lumpy...Foreign hands! And hands that will need a lot of revision as years pass. Maybe even in a few weeks. New hands! Or in my case new fake "breasts". Imposters. Beautiful on someone else because I've never seen yours before. On me, imposters. His best work with what he had. But still.
So there you have it. Perspective. Other mastectomy patients may disagree, but this is where I am today. All that said, God have me an opportunity to be saved from best cancer that was in my future. (more on that remarkable story later). So for that, these are the best boobs ever! Breast cancer free. Back to what matters. Surgical drains out hopefully tomorrow!!! 2:45. It's where the party is at.
When: Wednesday (tomorrow) at 2:45.
Where: Cancer Center Clinic
Who: Lead plastic surgeon He better come with parting gifts in tow (gauze, tape, chew toys for me to bite down on while he pulls them out...and I'm not opposed to cupcakes throw in for good measure.)
And Dear God, all of everything will break loose if he says for any reason they have to stay in another week. He will have to bribe me one more week in exchange for lower body liposuction. It's only fair bartering. This for that. Heave for hoe. I'm willing to forego liposuction though for the sake of all sanity, so hop on that prayer coverage folks! The true celebration will come afterwards when I beg Ron and mom to take me out for dinner on the way home if my stamina will allow it. Surely, an adrenaline high will be my fate for a few hours at least. While, my journey won't come to a close for several weeks to come (He did afterall perform extensive surgery on my pectoral muscle, insert an implant, create a synthetic sling, glue this to that, insert fluff, suture here, suture there) I'm still elated about this drain milestone.
My next milestone in this order will be:
return to life outside these stinking four walls (at least without feeling guilty of sneaking out); resolution of all of this chest pain;
removal of lifting restrictions;
shower By MYSELF;
resumption of exercise;
driving again; back to work.
Think all of that can happen in the next two weeks???? Doubtful, but that is the original agreed on timeline. Six weeks will have flown by! Sort of. Mom is back. Yesterday, she walked in with SEVEN new bras to try out. Having these surgical vests on 24 hours a day was causing all kinds of chaos on my skin and thoracic muscle. Let's talk about pressure points and raw skin. I was in tears simply because of a simple seam. So I'm having to switch bras out about every 12 hours from this to that simple to save my skin. Bet you didn't know that tid bit before this blog post. No underwire. No pushup. No frill. No silk. No nothing but poorly designed 1800s coverage. I am however grateful to be out of the Velcro. So mom, you did very well!!! And quite frankly, what used to fit, fits no more. I've gained weight in this glorious journey. Stress weight no doubt, but you know weight gain is a gals worst enemy. Worst enemy. And then, I've downsized in other front line areas. We can blame the plastic surgeon and medical technology for this result. After a mastectomy, you don't have underlying tissue to build on top of unlike super models who are adding to their baseline conditions... so you are at the mercy of 800 grams of less of silicone. (Did we or did we not land a man on the moon?) People, 800 grams is not very much.
Without being overly graphic as this is social media after all, but still maintaining transparency as promised, they are weird. Every mastectomy patient I had talked with...every one of them... said, "Sally, you are going to love the results. They do an amazing job!", or something along those lines. Well let me tell you, I'm not sure I agree. I'm pretty positive I don't. They just aren't me. I look and see something foreign. Great work if this was all I had to compare it to, but I don't. I have a lot to compare it to. I have my pre mastectomy self to compare it to, very flawed as they were, but they were what I had known for 20+ years. They were me, and they were mine. These are not me (ok, so I admit they are now mine) but they are weird. Imagine getting a new set of eyes. Wouldn't that freak you out going to the mirror expecting the beautiful old green hue you have always cherished only to find stinking muddy brown in return? (not that i have anything against brown eyes...they write songs about brown after all.) Or let's try your hands. You've looked at those a million times in your life. Try lopping those off, inserting a new one that is covered in different colors, spots, size, texture, and consistency, and guess what? Now, they are yours! You used to have small petite hands, now you have enormous man hands. Try that on for size!
There is one very distinct difference I have assumed from the get go based on my vast oncology experience both personal and professional. In breast cancer after the diagnosis is confirmed, I imagine you quickly start to view your own breast as dangerous. Out to kill you. Life threatening. And you can't wait to do everything in your power to kill tumor cells, including resorting to mastectomy. Good riddance, so long, can't get them off fast enough. They are killing you so you need them gone!! In preventative/prophylactic mastectomies, as in my case, there really is no problem. No emergency. No life threatening scenario (yet anyway). So you feel like you are trading in something perfectly fine for some imposter in return. When you are large chested, as I was, and when you have had so much radiation in the past that you virtually glow in the dark, you don't have any choices in reconstruction. You get what you get. One option, chosen by a surgeon that you hope likes you and wants the best for you (I happened to luck up here). Wake up from surgery, and there you have it folks! Distorted, taunt, super heavy, strangely smaller, painful, lumpy...Foreign hands! And hands that will need a lot of revision as years pass. Maybe even in a few weeks. New hands! Or in my case new fake "breasts". Imposters. Beautiful on someone else because I've never seen yours before. On me, imposters. His best work with what he had. But still.
So there you have it. Perspective. Other mastectomy patients may disagree, but this is where I am today. All that said, God have me an opportunity to be saved from best cancer that was in my future. (more on that remarkable story later). So for that, these are the best boobs ever! Breast cancer free. Back to what matters. Surgical drains out hopefully tomorrow!!! 2:45. It's where the party is at.
Aug 21, 2012 - Day # 14 - God's Interventions (posted out of order)
Day 14: There is absolutely no way that this journey doesn't have God's interventions written all over it. All over it! It's oozing mercy and provision and I love that. (I also don't know how women go through these types of decisions without having Jesus' saving grace in their life. I would have had a much different outcome without my faith in his charting the course.) Every twist and turn defied medical reason. Both surgeons stand amazed at what could have been verses where we are.
Plausible outcome: mastectomy, about a week later poor blood flow, thus leading to tissue loss and possibly a skin graft. Delayed reconstruction up to 6 months for best outcome, then definite use of extenders to stretch out the muscle to hold the implant.
What happened: Prayer! And lots of it from so many people, some I don't even know. Mastectomy, a week later excellent blood flow, a week later (not six months) insertion of implants (not extenders) and so far these new drains are way better than the old ones. I'm so much more comfortable in these and my anxiety is almost non-existent. (flashback to those awful nights we had last week. See previous posts). All of this defied what we expected.
Now, that doesn't mean I see God's hand only because our course defied medicine and went well, I also see God in the chaos of this journey. I truly feel I needed to go through the emotional slump to gain a few things: belief in genuine friendship, empathy for mastectomy patients, a stronger relationship with family and spouse, and the list goes on. I truly struggled last week before reconstruction started. I felt scarred, damaged, emotionally broken, frustrated at the restrictions..... It didn't make sense to me why I struggled as hard as I did. I'm usually pretty solid when life throws you curve balls. I'm the one you want to be carrying for you in the medical emergency. I'm level headed in crisis. I know how to make solid decisions under stress. I know how to find positivity in just about anything. Well let me tell you that changed last week. I literally hyper ventilated on every occasion when I saw what was under the bandages. I sobbed. I grew angry. And I was in pain. There wasn't a single point in the first 6 days where I didn't hurt despite good narcotics. And it didn't make sense to me because I'm just not built that way. Pain is a powerful motivator and can wreck every part of your day. I was exhausted, I was broken, I was needing both physical and emotional restoration. And I needed to be all of those things to appreciate where I am now and the role God played in this, as well as the role of each of you. I needed to be reminded of faithful friendship, and your genuine concern for me spoke volumes to my heart. I reconnected. I'm becoming restored.
Today has no resemblance of previous days. Mom says I have my spunk back. I have a new glow. Gone are the tears (so far). Gone is the exhaustion. Gone is the hyper ventilation. I'm over the hump. And ready for the next steps. We will see what tomorrow brings as I'm starting to feel uncomfortable at the surgery sights. But I'm hopeful.
This week I'm restricted from just about everything. I do get to shower after 48 hrs even with the drains in. That should be interesting. I can't lift or hardly even move my arms (picture a pterodactyl with super short arms) -both due to pain and surgeons orders.
No walking at all except for necessity to the bathroom and back per se. A week from today we have our next appt, we are hopeful all four drains will come out. I will be tightly "packaged" for several weeks and hopefully freedom with life as I used to know it in 2 months. I look back and see the trivial aspects of this journey and almost laugh at how big of a deal this became for a month of miserable, but it did. For whatever reason we want to cling to, this mastectomy became a super big deal for me. Compare it to what other people really go through in life and this seems silly. (I watched "seven pounds" last night with mom. Talk about perspective.) But it's my journey and it affected me (temporarily).
Thank you for letting me use this venue to process. I needed to get these thoughts out of my head. What started out as updates for you became processing for me.
Highlight of yesterday, feeling amazing (6 hours after surgery! I think the anesthesia was still in effect) and staying up until midnight with Ron and mom watching movies. Priceless.
Plausible outcome: mastectomy, about a week later poor blood flow, thus leading to tissue loss and possibly a skin graft. Delayed reconstruction up to 6 months for best outcome, then definite use of extenders to stretch out the muscle to hold the implant.
What happened: Prayer! And lots of it from so many people, some I don't even know. Mastectomy, a week later excellent blood flow, a week later (not six months) insertion of implants (not extenders) and so far these new drains are way better than the old ones. I'm so much more comfortable in these and my anxiety is almost non-existent. (flashback to those awful nights we had last week. See previous posts). All of this defied what we expected.
Now, that doesn't mean I see God's hand only because our course defied medicine and went well, I also see God in the chaos of this journey. I truly feel I needed to go through the emotional slump to gain a few things: belief in genuine friendship, empathy for mastectomy patients, a stronger relationship with family and spouse, and the list goes on. I truly struggled last week before reconstruction started. I felt scarred, damaged, emotionally broken, frustrated at the restrictions..... It didn't make sense to me why I struggled as hard as I did. I'm usually pretty solid when life throws you curve balls. I'm the one you want to be carrying for you in the medical emergency. I'm level headed in crisis. I know how to make solid decisions under stress. I know how to find positivity in just about anything. Well let me tell you that changed last week. I literally hyper ventilated on every occasion when I saw what was under the bandages. I sobbed. I grew angry. And I was in pain. There wasn't a single point in the first 6 days where I didn't hurt despite good narcotics. And it didn't make sense to me because I'm just not built that way. Pain is a powerful motivator and can wreck every part of your day. I was exhausted, I was broken, I was needing both physical and emotional restoration. And I needed to be all of those things to appreciate where I am now and the role God played in this, as well as the role of each of you. I needed to be reminded of faithful friendship, and your genuine concern for me spoke volumes to my heart. I reconnected. I'm becoming restored.
Today has no resemblance of previous days. Mom says I have my spunk back. I have a new glow. Gone are the tears (so far). Gone is the exhaustion. Gone is the hyper ventilation. I'm over the hump. And ready for the next steps. We will see what tomorrow brings as I'm starting to feel uncomfortable at the surgery sights. But I'm hopeful.
This week I'm restricted from just about everything. I do get to shower after 48 hrs even with the drains in. That should be interesting. I can't lift or hardly even move my arms (picture a pterodactyl with super short arms) -both due to pain and surgeons orders.
No walking at all except for necessity to the bathroom and back per se. A week from today we have our next appt, we are hopeful all four drains will come out. I will be tightly "packaged" for several weeks and hopefully freedom with life as I used to know it in 2 months. I look back and see the trivial aspects of this journey and almost laugh at how big of a deal this became for a month of miserable, but it did. For whatever reason we want to cling to, this mastectomy became a super big deal for me. Compare it to what other people really go through in life and this seems silly. (I watched "seven pounds" last night with mom. Talk about perspective.) But it's my journey and it affected me (temporarily).
Thank you for letting me use this venue to process. I needed to get these thoughts out of my head. What started out as updates for you became processing for me.
Highlight of yesterday, feeling amazing (6 hours after surgery! I think the anesthesia was still in effect) and staying up until midnight with Ron and mom watching movies. Priceless.
Aug 26, 2012 - Day # 19 - Cards in the mail
Some lady named Amy Moore is sending me a card in the mail every single day! She must be some special girl's best sister ever! And I'm still getting cards from all over eastern N.C. From people I don't even know. Seriously worried about the weight on top of my mantle. Card-o-paloosa! — with Kristi Hardison and Amy J Moore.
Aug 25, 2012 - A rendering of Aug 7 - Day #0; Part 2 (First surgery)
Day 0 Part 2: Cream colored ceiling. Strange lady sitting next to me writing in some blue binder. Weird tight feeling on my chest. IV line hooked to a clear bag above my head. Awful sore throat. Beep. Beep. Beep.
Must-sit-up. Super bad idea. Lady leans over to guide my head back to the pillow. Faint realization.... I must be in recovery and this strange lady must be my surgical nurse. More realization...Oh no, it really happened! Where is Ron???? I really needed him here when I woke up. That was so important to me. Where is he???
Glancing down, I can see every bit of my abdomen. My pelvis. My leg. My foot. NOT my breasts! They really are gone. My thoughts were not of how great this is to no longer be at risk for breast cancer. Nor of how great it is that we have these medical advances available to women like me. Not of God's unfailing provisions. My thoughts were instead of my selfish human perspective of "they truly are gone." Under this surgical vest, there lie absolutely nothing. Nada, zilcho, zero. Instead, scarred leftover tissue that made the cut for use later in reconstruction. Deflated pouches of nothingness. 20 years of development gone in a poof! Abra cadabra. Zippity Zam. 4 surgical hours. Gone! Fast shallow breathing. "I need you to get my husband!!!!" "Please, I need Ron!" It wasn't frantic, just a super strong request that got her attention.
There is a lot of grey here. I remember bits and pieces. Some of this, some of that. Rolling down to my hospital room for my overnight stay. Climbing out of bed to go to the bathroom with four nurses helping my transit (I was super groggy and wobbly). I honestly didn't fully know where we were. That grogginess had an intense hold on me. Then, the unthinkable...vomiting. Nothing like vomiting while walking. Vomiting after chest surgery where every movement can be felt down to your toes. Vomiting on someone else's shoe. Vomiting when you haven't eaten in 12+ hours. Now, desperately wanting to make it to that bed two feet away without face planting myself in a drunken stupor on the not so soothing cream color vinyl floor. Why is my backside so cold? Please don't tell me I walked down the hallway with my gown wide open. Please, I know some of these people! Chick-fil-A. Wonder if someone can get that for me? Can someone PLEASE make that beeping sound stop! (See, anesthesia really messes with your mind).
We made it through the evening with my thoughts slowly returning to rational with each passing hour. I did get my chicken sandwich, but I guess the airway tube scratched up my throat so much I couldn't really eat it. But, not for lack of trying. Then, it got dark. I have no idea what time it was, but Ron was sacked out in a recliner beside my bed. A faint yellow light trickled in under the door and blue lights from my infusion pump making the room an odd greenish hue. It's funny to me that I remember that so vividly. I lay starting at the ceiling wide awake feeling pretty lonely...and weird...and different. (Recall: I'd had a lovely four hour drug induced surgical nap earlier in the day so I felt no need to sleep.) Once again groggy from the repetition of pain meds every three hours. Because the continuously infusing IV fluids, I was ringing the call bell every 2 hours or less for yet another wobbly shuffle back to the bathroom. Surely, I was becoming a high maintenance patient nurses talk about out at the front desk. "Oh no, there's Old Lady McCollum's bell again. How many times can one person need to go to the bathroom? All she says is 'Get me this, get me that'. Rock, paper, scissors. Karen loses and heads to my room. But those nurses were oh so kind when they crossed my threshold. Happily getting me ice chips, or meds, or escorting me back and forth for the umpteenth time. Always smiling despite it being three in the morning on a super long shift with all rooms full. Grateful was I. Grateful. And I tried to consciously remember to thank them at every turn. I wanted to be low maintenance. But those stupid IV fluids...
Then, at six, in came the surgical fellow and I lit up like a Rockefeller Christmas tree. See, I knew that surgical fellows meant morning rounds and that was the only thing standing in my way from a paid ticket out of here and a car ride home to a comfy cozy no more wide open surgical gowns, IV lines, loud beeping noises, too tight compression stocking living room! Come in, say what you need to say. Blah, blah Percocet every four hours, blah blah sponge baths, blah blah this and blah blah that. Surely Ron was getting all of this down. Come on very nice fellow, can't you be any quicker? My couch is calling my name.
Fellow : "Mrs. McCollum, I need to take off your vest so we can check the surgical incisions..." SCREECHING halt!!!!! Slam on the brakes! Hold all your stinking horses. Wide eyed terror filled expression (Me, not the fellow).
Me thinking: Huh? What??? Where's my lead surgeon who told me not to even THINK about opening it and looking? You are doing what and why? This very minute?
Background: Lead surgeon was brilliant in instructing me not to open it for any reason. She knew nothing good could come of me seeing her master piece (it's common knowledge surgeons love to show off their work.) Yet she, being the heart felt clinician that she was -as you would have to be working in breast oncology- wanted to save me from seeing the aftermath. She knew from my very first consult appointment that I was overly grief stricken about the period between surgeries. She had seen the tears as she described the before and after. She even got watery eyes with me. So she brillantly disguised the true intent (salvaging my sanity) with medical lingo and reasoning to camouflage the plan. "Sally, do not look under this bandage".
Fellow: "It's policy for me to check the incision sight to ensure you are safe for discharge."
And there in lie my quandary. If I want to go home, I have to let this 20 something young man, fellow in training might I add, open up this surgical vest for him, myself, and Ron to view it's content. You see, I had absolutely no plans to let ANYONE see this handiwork. Surgery #1. Stay all bandaged up for two weeks. Surgery #2. Voila! Normal chest again! This silly surgeon wanna-be is destroying my brilliant, sanity saving, well devised and lead surgeon approved master plan. What-is-he-doing???
The unmistakable sound of Velcro. (Insert the now famous fast paced shallow breathing.) Right side off. Left side off. All I could think was Holy moly! That looks awful. More than awful. Devastatingly awful. Unrecognizable. Not of this world. Embarrassingly horrible. First, one tear down this cheek, then their watery salty friends join in for good measure because they hate to be left out.
Super delightful fellow in training closes the vest back up, hands me my paper work with last minute instructions and quietly walks out the door with well wishes floating in the air behind him. I, however, sat dazed and speechless staring at my now closed vest. What once was a well concealed package with mysterious and only faintly imaginable contents now became a fully discovered, undeniable, messed up reality. The image now burned into every single memory cell of my brain ready to cause me anguish for some time to come. Don't get me wrong, Fellow was delightful and under any other circumstance extremely likable. Professional and thorough. Rule follower. But at this very second, he was Judus with a shiny new coin in his hand after the last supper. And now my heart, my positive demeanor, and master plan sat crumbled on the hospital floor. And there sat my amazing Ron, who had just seen the unfolded package himself, holding my hand.
Afterward: As irony would have it, 15 minutes later the lead surgeon walked in with her trade mark friendly smile to check on me. "Sally, don't forget to just keep it all bandaged up until our next appt. There's no need for you to ever open it or look at it. It will heal best if you just leave it alone until our next appointment." - She had driven in super early in attempt to beat the rule following fellow to my room. I tell her it's too late. She had just missed him. Her face falls when I told her he checked the incision. Now her well intended thoughtful master plan for me lie crumbled next to my pieces on the hospital floor. She, too, stood holding my hand.
In hindsight, I imagine God even had a purpose for this expecting unveiling and for this Judas. I'm still sorting what that might be. Maybe I needed that experience. Maybe, I require a true vision of the mastectomy leftovers to better prepare other women that might struggle with the emotional adjustments of delayed reconstruction. Or just maybe that event wasn't even for me, but rather for something in the kind Fellow's journey. After all, I've always thought a Christian's life is rarely for the benefit of self but more about becoming a vessel focused on impacting the life of others. I may never know the true why of that morning. But I do know God has purpose. He has a strategic kingdom impacting plan. He sees my big picture and he sees your big picture. Even in the "awful".
Must-sit-up. Super bad idea. Lady leans over to guide my head back to the pillow. Faint realization.... I must be in recovery and this strange lady must be my surgical nurse. More realization...Oh no, it really happened! Where is Ron???? I really needed him here when I woke up. That was so important to me. Where is he???
Glancing down, I can see every bit of my abdomen. My pelvis. My leg. My foot. NOT my breasts! They really are gone. My thoughts were not of how great this is to no longer be at risk for breast cancer. Nor of how great it is that we have these medical advances available to women like me. Not of God's unfailing provisions. My thoughts were instead of my selfish human perspective of "they truly are gone." Under this surgical vest, there lie absolutely nothing. Nada, zilcho, zero. Instead, scarred leftover tissue that made the cut for use later in reconstruction. Deflated pouches of nothingness. 20 years of development gone in a poof! Abra cadabra. Zippity Zam. 4 surgical hours. Gone! Fast shallow breathing. "I need you to get my husband!!!!" "Please, I need Ron!" It wasn't frantic, just a super strong request that got her attention.
There is a lot of grey here. I remember bits and pieces. Some of this, some of that. Rolling down to my hospital room for my overnight stay. Climbing out of bed to go to the bathroom with four nurses helping my transit (I was super groggy and wobbly). I honestly didn't fully know where we were. That grogginess had an intense hold on me. Then, the unthinkable...vomiting. Nothing like vomiting while walking. Vomiting after chest surgery where every movement can be felt down to your toes. Vomiting on someone else's shoe. Vomiting when you haven't eaten in 12+ hours. Now, desperately wanting to make it to that bed two feet away without face planting myself in a drunken stupor on the not so soothing cream color vinyl floor. Why is my backside so cold? Please don't tell me I walked down the hallway with my gown wide open. Please, I know some of these people! Chick-fil-A. Wonder if someone can get that for me? Can someone PLEASE make that beeping sound stop! (See, anesthesia really messes with your mind).
We made it through the evening with my thoughts slowly returning to rational with each passing hour. I did get my chicken sandwich, but I guess the airway tube scratched up my throat so much I couldn't really eat it. But, not for lack of trying. Then, it got dark. I have no idea what time it was, but Ron was sacked out in a recliner beside my bed. A faint yellow light trickled in under the door and blue lights from my infusion pump making the room an odd greenish hue. It's funny to me that I remember that so vividly. I lay starting at the ceiling wide awake feeling pretty lonely...and weird...and different. (Recall: I'd had a lovely four hour drug induced surgical nap earlier in the day so I felt no need to sleep.) Once again groggy from the repetition of pain meds every three hours. Because the continuously infusing IV fluids, I was ringing the call bell every 2 hours or less for yet another wobbly shuffle back to the bathroom. Surely, I was becoming a high maintenance patient nurses talk about out at the front desk. "Oh no, there's Old Lady McCollum's bell again. How many times can one person need to go to the bathroom? All she says is 'Get me this, get me that'. Rock, paper, scissors. Karen loses and heads to my room. But those nurses were oh so kind when they crossed my threshold. Happily getting me ice chips, or meds, or escorting me back and forth for the umpteenth time. Always smiling despite it being three in the morning on a super long shift with all rooms full. Grateful was I. Grateful. And I tried to consciously remember to thank them at every turn. I wanted to be low maintenance. But those stupid IV fluids...
Then, at six, in came the surgical fellow and I lit up like a Rockefeller Christmas tree. See, I knew that surgical fellows meant morning rounds and that was the only thing standing in my way from a paid ticket out of here and a car ride home to a comfy cozy no more wide open surgical gowns, IV lines, loud beeping noises, too tight compression stocking living room! Come in, say what you need to say. Blah, blah Percocet every four hours, blah blah sponge baths, blah blah this and blah blah that. Surely Ron was getting all of this down. Come on very nice fellow, can't you be any quicker? My couch is calling my name.
Fellow : "Mrs. McCollum, I need to take off your vest so we can check the surgical incisions..." SCREECHING halt!!!!! Slam on the brakes! Hold all your stinking horses. Wide eyed terror filled expression (Me, not the fellow).
Me thinking: Huh? What??? Where's my lead surgeon who told me not to even THINK about opening it and looking? You are doing what and why? This very minute?
Background: Lead surgeon was brilliant in instructing me not to open it for any reason. She knew nothing good could come of me seeing her master piece (it's common knowledge surgeons love to show off their work.) Yet she, being the heart felt clinician that she was -as you would have to be working in breast oncology- wanted to save me from seeing the aftermath. She knew from my very first consult appointment that I was overly grief stricken about the period between surgeries. She had seen the tears as she described the before and after. She even got watery eyes with me. So she brillantly disguised the true intent (salvaging my sanity) with medical lingo and reasoning to camouflage the plan. "Sally, do not look under this bandage".
Fellow: "It's policy for me to check the incision sight to ensure you are safe for discharge."
And there in lie my quandary. If I want to go home, I have to let this 20 something young man, fellow in training might I add, open up this surgical vest for him, myself, and Ron to view it's content. You see, I had absolutely no plans to let ANYONE see this handiwork. Surgery #1. Stay all bandaged up for two weeks. Surgery #2. Voila! Normal chest again! This silly surgeon wanna-be is destroying my brilliant, sanity saving, well devised and lead surgeon approved master plan. What-is-he-doing???
The unmistakable sound of Velcro. (Insert the now famous fast paced shallow breathing.) Right side off. Left side off. All I could think was Holy moly! That looks awful. More than awful. Devastatingly awful. Unrecognizable. Not of this world. Embarrassingly horrible. First, one tear down this cheek, then their watery salty friends join in for good measure because they hate to be left out.
Super delightful fellow in training closes the vest back up, hands me my paper work with last minute instructions and quietly walks out the door with well wishes floating in the air behind him. I, however, sat dazed and speechless staring at my now closed vest. What once was a well concealed package with mysterious and only faintly imaginable contents now became a fully discovered, undeniable, messed up reality. The image now burned into every single memory cell of my brain ready to cause me anguish for some time to come. Don't get me wrong, Fellow was delightful and under any other circumstance extremely likable. Professional and thorough. Rule follower. But at this very second, he was Judus with a shiny new coin in his hand after the last supper. And now my heart, my positive demeanor, and master plan sat crumbled on the hospital floor. And there sat my amazing Ron, who had just seen the unfolded package himself, holding my hand.
Afterward: As irony would have it, 15 minutes later the lead surgeon walked in with her trade mark friendly smile to check on me. "Sally, don't forget to just keep it all bandaged up until our next appt. There's no need for you to ever open it or look at it. It will heal best if you just leave it alone until our next appointment." - She had driven in super early in attempt to beat the rule following fellow to my room. I tell her it's too late. She had just missed him. Her face falls when I told her he checked the incision. Now her well intended thoughtful master plan for me lie crumbled next to my pieces on the hospital floor. She, too, stood holding my hand.
In hindsight, I imagine God even had a purpose for this expecting unveiling and for this Judas. I'm still sorting what that might be. Maybe I needed that experience. Maybe, I require a true vision of the mastectomy leftovers to better prepare other women that might struggle with the emotional adjustments of delayed reconstruction. Or just maybe that event wasn't even for me, but rather for something in the kind Fellow's journey. After all, I've always thought a Christian's life is rarely for the benefit of self but more about becoming a vessel focused on impacting the life of others. I may never know the true why of that morning. But I do know God has purpose. He has a strategic kingdom impacting plan. He sees my big picture and he sees your big picture. Even in the "awful".
Aug 25, 2012 - A rendering of Aug 7- Day #0, Part 1 (First surgery)
Day 0 Part 1: I realize I never captured the actual day of the mastectomy. Early on, I didn't yet know if I could commit to going public with this specific journey. I wanted to advocate, but was i ready to put it all out there? It seemed all to personal a topic. It seemed foreign. It seemed unreal. Well it quickly became very real when we got in the car that morning to go to the hospital. I don't even recall what we talked about in the car. I do recall my saying everything is going to be different when I wake up and I warned Ron I didn't know how I was going to react. I'd pictured it a hundred times by now and I knew it would be not so good but reality is powerful. This part made me very nervous.
When we got there and walked in, there sat my mom, dad, sister, in laws, and sister in law. That got me! Just to know they came out of support for this decision we had made. It made my moment.
"Mrs. McCollum, please come to the registration desk." I had put off signing in to the very last minute. I didn't want then to know I was there early for fear they would take me back early. Delay, delay, delay. The kindest lady say at the desk. She asked my name, address, etc. Then verified I was in for a double mastectomy. Well, darn it. Hearing that word "mastectomy", and I busted our into tears again. The precious lady responded with " you're beautiful now and this won't change anything." I could have kissed her cheek had I not been wiping my face so frantically. I knew that, but boy was that kind for this stranger to say to the girl crying at her check in counter. Angel, I tell ya.
I had to go back by myself at first. Crying the whole way deem the stupid cream colored hallway. They're always cream you know. The poor intake nurse, she must have not even known what to say to me. She just shined her kind smile at me and held my arm. Another angel. Then, the cubical room. Get changed into the lovely air conditioned gowns I adore. The scrub cap. Get my vitals. Start the IV line (it only took four attempts! I'm an iv line nightmare.) Then wait. By myself. While my mind wanders. Wait some more. Wait. Look at the monitors. Notice my super high blood pressure. Wait. Count the heart beats. Make up a song to the rhythm. Wait. Curse the iv line that is killing my arm. Curse hodgkins disease. Curse medical literature. Curse me reading literature. Wait.
Finally, there I see Ron smiling at the cubical curtain. He gets to come back so we can have our final consult with the surgeon. Off comes the gown I so pain stakingly had just put on, fashionably tying it in three places. Out comes her lovely black magic marker. By the end of this, I look very much like a tattoo artist's playground who was testing every pattern available to a wishy washy client. Dots here. Lines there. X marks the spot. She even signed her initials on her handiwork. This is a requirement for all surgeries to verify patient and MD agree what is happening. She is amazing, but really there is NO dignity in this journey. Next, a chat with the anesthesiologist (she knew I was a pharmacist) and in the end a spinal block would be my best friend and fate along with another arsenal of inhaled agents. Then, they ask Ron to leave. Now, why did they have to go and do that? Here come those stupid tears again! I'm a sap. A true sap. For the record: I didn't cry even once with my knee surgeries. If he leaves this room....
Lights, camera, action! I'm in the OR with about 12 clinicians all doing this and that. It's like an ant farm! Last thing I remember is the syringe of the eye catching milky white propofol being hooked in. They know I detest the taste and smell of milk, right? Wonder who that lady is that is holding that tubing? There are those cream walls again. Wonder what Ron is thinking....
When we got there and walked in, there sat my mom, dad, sister, in laws, and sister in law. That got me! Just to know they came out of support for this decision we had made. It made my moment.
"Mrs. McCollum, please come to the registration desk." I had put off signing in to the very last minute. I didn't want then to know I was there early for fear they would take me back early. Delay, delay, delay. The kindest lady say at the desk. She asked my name, address, etc. Then verified I was in for a double mastectomy. Well, darn it. Hearing that word "mastectomy", and I busted our into tears again. The precious lady responded with " you're beautiful now and this won't change anything." I could have kissed her cheek had I not been wiping my face so frantically. I knew that, but boy was that kind for this stranger to say to the girl crying at her check in counter. Angel, I tell ya.
I had to go back by myself at first. Crying the whole way deem the stupid cream colored hallway. They're always cream you know. The poor intake nurse, she must have not even known what to say to me. She just shined her kind smile at me and held my arm. Another angel. Then, the cubical room. Get changed into the lovely air conditioned gowns I adore. The scrub cap. Get my vitals. Start the IV line (it only took four attempts! I'm an iv line nightmare.) Then wait. By myself. While my mind wanders. Wait some more. Wait. Look at the monitors. Notice my super high blood pressure. Wait. Count the heart beats. Make up a song to the rhythm. Wait. Curse the iv line that is killing my arm. Curse hodgkins disease. Curse medical literature. Curse me reading literature. Wait.
Finally, there I see Ron smiling at the cubical curtain. He gets to come back so we can have our final consult with the surgeon. Off comes the gown I so pain stakingly had just put on, fashionably tying it in three places. Out comes her lovely black magic marker. By the end of this, I look very much like a tattoo artist's playground who was testing every pattern available to a wishy washy client. Dots here. Lines there. X marks the spot. She even signed her initials on her handiwork. This is a requirement for all surgeries to verify patient and MD agree what is happening. She is amazing, but really there is NO dignity in this journey. Next, a chat with the anesthesiologist (she knew I was a pharmacist) and in the end a spinal block would be my best friend and fate along with another arsenal of inhaled agents. Then, they ask Ron to leave. Now, why did they have to go and do that? Here come those stupid tears again! I'm a sap. A true sap. For the record: I didn't cry even once with my knee surgeries. If he leaves this room....
Lights, camera, action! I'm in the OR with about 12 clinicians all doing this and that. It's like an ant farm! Last thing I remember is the syringe of the eye catching milky white propofol being hooked in. They know I detest the taste and smell of milk, right? Wonder who that lady is that is holding that tubing? There are those cream walls again. Wonder what Ron is thinking....
Aug 25, 2012 - Day # 18 - Breaking out
I breaking out of here tonight even if it kills me. (Shhh! Our secret!) A craving for sushi calls for desperate measures. I'm going stealth ninja.
Four hours later.... Best-breakout-ever! I dressed in black so I would blend in with the night, sat down low in the back seat of the car with tinted windows, held my belly to disguise myself as a pregnant woman, talked without making eye contact with the man taking our order, and held my head low while shuffling back to the car (sadly all of those things are true but can be explained by the mastectomy, however it works well for the ninja story). The only thing missing was super stealth speed. I just didn't have that in me to muster up.
Four hours later.... Best-breakout-ever! I dressed in black so I would blend in with the night, sat down low in the back seat of the car with tinted windows, held my belly to disguise myself as a pregnant woman, talked without making eye contact with the man taking our order, and held my head low while shuffling back to the car (sadly all of those things are true but can be explained by the mastectomy, however it works well for the ninja story). The only thing missing was super stealth speed. I just didn't have that in me to muster up.
Aug 24, 2012 - Day # 17 - Enough!
Have I mentioned I'm done? Over this. Enough! It's bad when you are even dreading the pillow throne and its lack of comfort. Please let tomorrow be a tad more successful.
Aug 24, 2012 - Day # 17 - No room for dignity
Day 17: Long gone are the signs of my spunk, my zeal, the new novelty of it all, the "what's around the next corner" outlook. Today, I'm blah, blah, blah with a little not feel good thrown in for good measure. Last night, the pillow throne was arranged and rearranged upwards of four times and still her highness felt miserable. Some inconsolable pain at my drain sight and some abdominal cramping and weakness had the tears back. Being stuck in this house with five more days to go (if we are lucky and things go as planned) deflates me. I need a dinner out. I need a trip to the store to buy anything at all. I might would even settle for a ride in the car up and down the 20 ft driveway. I'm like an eager beagle sitting at the front door panting, pacing, jumping, scratching, waiting for his owner to get home for the afternoon run. Me, no jumping, just sitting instead. Deflated. Done. Over this.
Transparency, right?
There's also no room for dignity in this process either. Everyone in this house has seen my every nook and cranny between sponge baths, showers, bandage revisions, and bathroom visits when I can't move my arms. A real good time for everyone involved. (Mom deserves an award.) Yesterday, after our drain mishap, mom and i worked myself into 4 different surgical vests/sports bras trying to find something comfortable around these four drains. Again, all while not being able to lift my arms. I can't even smell a hint of dignity. Not a puff or a poof or even a particle.
But.... I know there's always tomorrow. So there is a slight glimpse of positivity left. Everybody has a slump day to feel what you need to feel. Tomorrow, the ole Sally optimist will be back in full force. Surely.
Meanwhile, I'm craving Chili's chips and salsa. Maybe some homemade guacamole on the side. Wonder how Ron is with an avocado.
Transparency, right?
There's also no room for dignity in this process either. Everyone in this house has seen my every nook and cranny between sponge baths, showers, bandage revisions, and bathroom visits when I can't move my arms. A real good time for everyone involved. (Mom deserves an award.) Yesterday, after our drain mishap, mom and i worked myself into 4 different surgical vests/sports bras trying to find something comfortable around these four drains. Again, all while not being able to lift my arms. I can't even smell a hint of dignity. Not a puff or a poof or even a particle.
But.... I know there's always tomorrow. So there is a slight glimpse of positivity left. Everybody has a slump day to feel what you need to feel. Tomorrow, the ole Sally optimist will be back in full force. Surely.
Meanwhile, I'm craving Chili's chips and salsa. Maybe some homemade guacamole on the side. Wonder how Ron is with an avocado.
Aug 23, 2012 - Day # 16 - Fight or Flight
Day 16: We've had a morning. Mom deserves dinner at the Angus barn. I deserve....something. Wow, oh wow. Fight or flight! All hands on deck! 911????
I've been sleeping pretty late in the mornings. Blame that on my watching movies at night, and I must say I've become accustomed to it. Kind of the highlight of the day for me with Ron, mom and myself all together. Remember, I can't go anywhere yet, so I look for entertainment anywhere I can.
Back to the story, This morning, when I woke at 10:30 (shameless), i felt sticky stuff running from my armpit down to my wrist. A glance over and I see it's blood. It's on my pillow throne, the sheets, the left side of my shirt. Pooling on the bed. Yell out to mom for help and we went into emergency mode. (Ron was at work in a meeting and i couldn't reach him). We had to somehow get everything off to see what was what. And believe me that is a feat in itself trying to get all this stuff off without raising my arms and both of us feeling frantic on the inside but trying to be calm on the outside. I became the medical teacher and she the student her describing what she sees, me instructing her, since I can't see my side at all. Looks like one of the drains had pulled, and I had been oozing all night from the insertion sight. Ron had noticed that same drain had oozed some during my first shower last night so maybe that was the start 12 hours before. Get the surgeon on the phone. Describe what we are seeing. Walks me through repairing it. Tape this, gauze that. (insert about 2 hours time here). Exhausted! We are both still amazed at our morning. Picture the black and white movies from the 30s where people appear to be running in super fast motion.
What a scare. And how weird to look down and see all that blood knowing you can't move enough to fix anything yourself. Felt sort of helpless. (I left out all the hyperventilating occurring on my end).
I need to get back to my hospital clinic. I need to get back to my day job. Where I can function with great rationalization and calm. I'm a much better clinician than patient. This, I know.
Mom's going to have to stay a lot longer than we thought. I truly can't be left alone after this morning. The story could have been way crazier if she had not been here.
Silver lining....now I know what they look like. We could talk allot here, but I will spare you out of respect. I will add it's sort of like having a phantom arm. You see it, but you can't feel it. And what you can feel is now super sore. Messes with your mind a good bit. I read the surgical report. Lots of good comedy there (we will talk in person about that) but tons of tissue manipulation including pulling back the pectoral muscle. No wonder this hurts.
Prayer request: we have one side that is looking a little bluish so we are worried about good blood flow now (see previous post about risks and possible skin graft). The last thing we want is a set back this late in the game. Please pray this improves and doesn't result in skin loss.
I've been sleeping pretty late in the mornings. Blame that on my watching movies at night, and I must say I've become accustomed to it. Kind of the highlight of the day for me with Ron, mom and myself all together. Remember, I can't go anywhere yet, so I look for entertainment anywhere I can.
Back to the story, This morning, when I woke at 10:30 (shameless), i felt sticky stuff running from my armpit down to my wrist. A glance over and I see it's blood. It's on my pillow throne, the sheets, the left side of my shirt. Pooling on the bed. Yell out to mom for help and we went into emergency mode. (Ron was at work in a meeting and i couldn't reach him). We had to somehow get everything off to see what was what. And believe me that is a feat in itself trying to get all this stuff off without raising my arms and both of us feeling frantic on the inside but trying to be calm on the outside. I became the medical teacher and she the student her describing what she sees, me instructing her, since I can't see my side at all. Looks like one of the drains had pulled, and I had been oozing all night from the insertion sight. Ron had noticed that same drain had oozed some during my first shower last night so maybe that was the start 12 hours before. Get the surgeon on the phone. Describe what we are seeing. Walks me through repairing it. Tape this, gauze that. (insert about 2 hours time here). Exhausted! We are both still amazed at our morning. Picture the black and white movies from the 30s where people appear to be running in super fast motion.
What a scare. And how weird to look down and see all that blood knowing you can't move enough to fix anything yourself. Felt sort of helpless. (I left out all the hyperventilating occurring on my end).
I need to get back to my hospital clinic. I need to get back to my day job. Where I can function with great rationalization and calm. I'm a much better clinician than patient. This, I know.
Mom's going to have to stay a lot longer than we thought. I truly can't be left alone after this morning. The story could have been way crazier if she had not been here.
Silver lining....now I know what they look like. We could talk allot here, but I will spare you out of respect. I will add it's sort of like having a phantom arm. You see it, but you can't feel it. And what you can feel is now super sore. Messes with your mind a good bit. I read the surgical report. Lots of good comedy there (we will talk in person about that) but tons of tissue manipulation including pulling back the pectoral muscle. No wonder this hurts.
Prayer request: we have one side that is looking a little bluish so we are worried about good blood flow now (see previous post about risks and possible skin graft). The last thing we want is a set back this late in the game. Please pray this improves and doesn't result in skin loss.
Aug 22, 2012 - Day # 15- Laughing
Day 15: A very non-eventful day...except mom's little tumble over the coffee table. We laughed, and laughed, and laughed. No irony lost on me that mom is looking out for me, when maybe I should be looking out for her. Ron may be restricted from going back to work (smile). Day 15, very much like the previous 14.
Aug 21, 2012 - Day # 14- Pain control
An updated prayer request: my anesthesia/pain control from surgery yesterday has worn off and here it comes. Here we go. Pray it doesn't progress but so far. I was really enjoying my "i feel great, considering" moments. Silver lining, Ron spent the day cleaning with our new steamer. Our bathrooms are spic and span. He was like a kid in a candy store with the new "toy". And I didn't have to lift a finger! Grateful, I have a husband who likes chores.
Aug 20, 2012 - Cards!
My friend, Kristi, and her friends, all of whom I have not met, decided to flood my mail box with get well cards. And I adored it! My mantle and my heart over floweth!
Aug 20, 2012 - Day # 13 - Reconstruction surgery update / Phase 1 over
Day 13 short update:
On the way out the door, Ron kept mentioning all these things that weren't up yet (it was 4 in the morning mind you and not my usual get up time) including Mike Wellis, the DJ on wqdr 94.7. I added a few items myself. Then, I saw all the cars moving in tandem with us on the interstate. There were some other crazy people out here! Let's just hope my surgeon is up and having the best cup of coffee he's ever had and reading the news paper for a low key low stress kind of morning. I obviously wanted him in a good place.
Surgery was successful from the surgeon's perspective on all accounts except it lasted a lot longer than he expected. He was guessing 2 hours and it was close to 5. He did promise his best work afterall and he knew I would hold him to that. I think he was just trying to be super careful and thoughtful with his decision making to give me the best outcome with all the risks I have from the radiation. I am thinking however that Ron was probably nervous during the extra 3 hours of wait.
From my perspective, the great news is I got to skip the expanders and go straight to implants! Delighted! Delighted! Delighted! He said he would have to decide once he made the incision and got everything open in front of him. His boob analysis resulted in implant placement. One who step I got to skip. How is that not a score?
The few downsides include:
1) I got 4 stinking drains this go round instead of 2 and they will be in at least a week if not two. Wasn't expecting that. He said he wanted to get rid of as much fluid as possible to give me the best chances for success long term. I now know why he was so hush hush the morning of surgery when I asked him about the drains. He knew I hated them, and he knew I would be giving grief if he had let on in advance about this 2 fold increase in drains.
2) He doesn't want me to do my daily walk anymore while the drains are in. This made me super sad because this got me out of the house and I absolutely loved it. But let's face it, it's August. The dead of summer in NC bring moist heat. Moist heat = seating = bad for the incisions = Sally now on house arrest = not so happy Sally. His words "keep on hand on the house!"
3) Lots of restrictions and activity limitations with this surgery. So I should probably buy mom a cute French maid's outfit and Ron an English butler. I shall not lift a finger. And the best news to me: Phase One of this journey which gave me such awful mental challenges is OVER (see previous posts)! Maybe no more tears!!! Maybe. I now have boobs again. Who knew I would hold them so dear?
Hands down, Good continues to hear your prayers. He is blessing me beyond all expectations in this journey and reminding me he never promised a easy life, but a life that shines with his glory in all circumstances. We still have a long haul, but we are trucking along at a pleasant speed. More tomorrow when I'm not so tired.
Surgery was successful from the surgeon's perspective on all accounts except it lasted a lot longer than he expected. He was guessing 2 hours and it was close to 5. He did promise his best work afterall and he knew I would hold him to that. I think he was just trying to be super careful and thoughtful with his decision making to give me the best outcome with all the risks I have from the radiation. I am thinking however that Ron was probably nervous during the extra 3 hours of wait.
From my perspective, the great news is I got to skip the expanders and go straight to implants! Delighted! Delighted! Delighted! He said he would have to decide once he made the incision and got everything open in front of him. His boob analysis resulted in implant placement. One who step I got to skip. How is that not a score?
The few downsides include:
1) I got 4 stinking drains this go round instead of 2 and they will be in at least a week if not two. Wasn't expecting that. He said he wanted to get rid of as much fluid as possible to give me the best chances for success long term. I now know why he was so hush hush the morning of surgery when I asked him about the drains. He knew I hated them, and he knew I would be giving grief if he had let on in advance about this 2 fold increase in drains.
2) He doesn't want me to do my daily walk anymore while the drains are in. This made me super sad because this got me out of the house and I absolutely loved it. But let's face it, it's August. The dead of summer in NC bring moist heat. Moist heat = seating = bad for the incisions = Sally now on house arrest = not so happy Sally. His words "keep on hand on the house!"
3) Lots of restrictions and activity limitations with this surgery. So I should probably buy mom a cute French maid's outfit and Ron an English butler. I shall not lift a finger. And the best news to me: Phase One of this journey which gave me such awful mental challenges is OVER (see previous posts)! Maybe no more tears!!! Maybe. I now have boobs again. Who knew I would hold them so dear?
Hands down, Good continues to hear your prayers. He is blessing me beyond all expectations in this journey and reminding me he never promised a easy life, but a life that shines with his glory in all circumstances. We still have a long haul, but we are trucking along at a pleasant speed. More tomorrow when I'm not so tired.
Aug 19, 2012 - Day # 12 - See ya on the other side (night before recon)
Day 12: God is smiling on me today. I woke up to the most glorious rain! Anybody that even remotely knows me knows I adore rain, and lots of it. What a great sound to wake up to.
As I was laying in the floor this morning with Ron listening to the rain... (background: in the middle of the night my back was killing me in bed. It's really not fun for a side sleeper to be restricted to four weeks of
back sleeping. So I gathered up my necessities and made my way down to the floor at the foot of my bed and the next thing I know, here comes Ron with his pillow and a tiny little throw blanket. Well that got me chuckling and I just could not stop laughing when I looked down and saw his long feet sticking out the end of the too small blanket. I haven't laughed like that in weeks and believe me it was a triumph cause it is near impossible to laugh these days with this chest scars. But how devoted is he that he left our comfy king sized bed to climb in the floor with me. Precious!)
Anyway, as I was laying in the floor I started thinking about the yin and the yang of tomorrow's surgery. I am absolutely delighted, ecstatic, emotionally committed to getting out of this current state of the past 12 days. It's been painful, it's been emotionally challenging, and it's really tested my character and my faith. I failed in a couple of those areas, but I pick my straps up and move on. Let's face it, it's tough for any woman to go from something relatively fine to something banged up, awful to look at, painful and scarred. This is something I just didn't understand 2 months ago. (So this is also something I've gained. More empathy.) I'm super grateful to be getting that piece of me back, even if it is an fabricated knock off version of the before. I'll take it to feel some sense of normalcy again in that area.
However, here comes the yang. Again, don't get me wrong. I'm so blessed God gave me options for reconstruction. I know there are women out there who don't have this option. Either for further therapy or lack of financial means or what not. Those women have my devotion. Bless them for their journey. But I'm not excited about having to go through the next phase. So as I lie in the floor, I'm thinking the miserable thoughts us humans get caught up in. The drains are coming back in less than 24 hours! The pain is going to multiply by hundreds. The scars are going to be opened back up. Restriction! Instead of focusing on God's provision and grace of actually having the ability to get reconstruction, my mind first goes to the inconvenience of what lies ahead.
I wish I could have first thought of the blessings. Maybe, in some ways I did as I've been trying to find all the silver linings as I go, but I need to continue to fight the self pity we so often allow to creep into our predicaments and journeys. I want to get to a place in all my journeys where I allow myself a moment to grieve, to struggle, to feel, but then push that aside to grow.
This journey shall water me. I will be different on the other side, but I will be better. I will be closer to my spouse and family and closer to many of you. I will be better able to relate to women across the globe who embrace a mastectomy. My medical practice will be better. My prayer life stronger, as will be that of yours. God always has something up his sleeve. It may be pain and struggle for some which results in glory and triumph in that same life or the life of others down the road. There is purpose. In the mean time, I'm nervous about tomorrow morning and the next few weeks. Please let the pain control be better this time around. Please let the drains be my friend. Please let the surgeon do his best work ever (he promised me he would). Smile. Please don't let my body reject the implant down the road.... And let God's glory prevail. See ya on the other side!
However, here comes the yang. Again, don't get me wrong. I'm so blessed God gave me options for reconstruction. I know there are women out there who don't have this option. Either for further therapy or lack of financial means or what not. Those women have my devotion. Bless them for their journey. But I'm not excited about having to go through the next phase. So as I lie in the floor, I'm thinking the miserable thoughts us humans get caught up in. The drains are coming back in less than 24 hours! The pain is going to multiply by hundreds. The scars are going to be opened back up. Restriction! Instead of focusing on God's provision and grace of actually having the ability to get reconstruction, my mind first goes to the inconvenience of what lies ahead.
I wish I could have first thought of the blessings. Maybe, in some ways I did as I've been trying to find all the silver linings as I go, but I need to continue to fight the self pity we so often allow to creep into our predicaments and journeys. I want to get to a place in all my journeys where I allow myself a moment to grieve, to struggle, to feel, but then push that aside to grow.
This journey shall water me. I will be different on the other side, but I will be better. I will be closer to my spouse and family and closer to many of you. I will be better able to relate to women across the globe who embrace a mastectomy. My medical practice will be better. My prayer life stronger, as will be that of yours. God always has something up his sleeve. It may be pain and struggle for some which results in glory and triumph in that same life or the life of others down the road. There is purpose. In the mean time, I'm nervous about tomorrow morning and the next few weeks. Please let the pain control be better this time around. Please let the drains be my friend. Please let the surgeon do his best work ever (he promised me he would). Smile. Please don't let my body reject the implant down the road.... And let God's glory prevail. See ya on the other side!
Aug 18, 2012 - Day # 11 - My first outing
Day 11: My day was so much of a success that I'm too tired to post an update. My only close call was a near miss bear hug from my friend. Russ (my newest hero) was there to save the day. Ron's cooking burgers then I'm off to slumber. Ta ta for now. — with Russ O'Melia.
Aug 17, 2012 - Day # 10 - God is bigger than my predicaments.
Day 10: It's been a long 24 hours. So I'm not sure I have much to give to this post today. I'm a little spent. I did get to spend the afternoon with Ron on a semi date which included a three hour nap, a slushy, and a movie with popcorn on the sofa. We went low key, but this Date was long over due. This is the first day we've had alone since surgery and my romance bucket was empty. You can only feel so romantic in my current state. Did I mention my mom went home for the weekend? It's weird not having her here. She's sort of become a staple in this journey. I love her more than I even did before, and I didn't think that possible. This journey had had so many ups and downs and surprises and knowns, but she had been constant. She and Ron are my earthly glue each playing a different role, but both very much needed. Plus, she makes some "slap you're momma" good black berry cobbler. And she knows when to buy a ticket to a good group cry.
I have big plans for the weekend, in my head any way. I have to live-it-up before the drains make their awful encore appearance. They sure do know how to ruin the mood. Anyway, In my plans for Saturday, in addition to finding Ron some new bedroom slippers (I know how to prioritize this task as his slippers are a huge fall risk the way they are coming apart at every seam and a fashion faux pas to boot since the stuffing is trailing behind at each step. This errand really equates to me sitting in the car while he runs in and out) I'm hopeful that I will feel up to going to church. I'm craving it. I need it. I want it. I need my reset button pushed, and I know God is bigger than my power surges and my frustration. He always has been, always will be. Of note, this would be my second public outing, but the first involving people I know. No promises though. Car rides are exhausting- trying to hold yourself together with every pot hole, bump, and turn. It's a major workout by the time you get to your destination. So there is that, but then earlier today when I woke from my nap I went to my mirror. That was probably silly of me and it's the first time I've really done that since this all started. Starring back at me was an exhausted oddly shaped pear with brownish blond hair I hardly recognized during my sleepy daze (but whom happened to have on very stylish pajamas might I add, thanks to my sister). The sight had me pondering about how strong am I? I'm strong enough to speak the speak of saying I'm not vain, and that I'm bigger than my current appearance. But can I walk that speak amongst my peers? It's actually very easy for me at a local slushy hut with people you will never see again. Or on my daily walk where the cars passing by have no faces. They know not your before, nor your after. Amongst my peers however, there stands some collateral damage. Some risk. Some judgment. But also some love. Some mercy. Some recognition that their flaws are the same as mine. And this new flaw of mine is no greater than my previous flaws. It's a new trait. A new story. A new testimony. But you know what? My God loves pears! (I'd be lying if i didn't say I'm grateful it's a temporary appearance though, so let me put that out there). God chose this journey for me and if I hide in these four walls I am in control of that journey instead of allowing Him to be in control. Maybe he has huge plans for this pear. Or maybe He simply wants me to continue to remember the value of maintaining perspective and fully believing my "family" is bigger than my fear. I already know they are. They support me at every turn and I would do the same in return. God is bigger than my silly predicaments. And my predicaments are His vessel. My weakness is still my flaw though as I will search through my closet tomorrow for an appropriate shirt, but I'm growing in faith all the same. Maybe that was the whole point.
My prayer requests tonight:
•That both Ron and I wake tomorrow refreshed. No doubt my emotions have been tough for him. He has so much going on right now.
•That my shower time is virtually non eventful. That sounds silly I know, but trust me, my mind is a little crazy.
•That I feel ready to tackle the day with minimal pain.
•That in my self awareness that I don't miss out on seeing God's blessings He promises to delivery each and every day.
•That vanity doesn't get the best of me.
That's a lot of requests, huh? Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Surgery scheduled bright and early Monday morning at 7:30. Arrival time of 5:30. I guess this surgeon doesn't need his beauty sleep. He is a plastic surgeon afterall- I'm sure he has some beauty tricks up his sleeve.
I have big plans for the weekend, in my head any way. I have to live-it-up before the drains make their awful encore appearance. They sure do know how to ruin the mood. Anyway, In my plans for Saturday, in addition to finding Ron some new bedroom slippers (I know how to prioritize this task as his slippers are a huge fall risk the way they are coming apart at every seam and a fashion faux pas to boot since the stuffing is trailing behind at each step. This errand really equates to me sitting in the car while he runs in and out) I'm hopeful that I will feel up to going to church. I'm craving it. I need it. I want it. I need my reset button pushed, and I know God is bigger than my power surges and my frustration. He always has been, always will be. Of note, this would be my second public outing, but the first involving people I know. No promises though. Car rides are exhausting- trying to hold yourself together with every pot hole, bump, and turn. It's a major workout by the time you get to your destination. So there is that, but then earlier today when I woke from my nap I went to my mirror. That was probably silly of me and it's the first time I've really done that since this all started. Starring back at me was an exhausted oddly shaped pear with brownish blond hair I hardly recognized during my sleepy daze (but whom happened to have on very stylish pajamas might I add, thanks to my sister). The sight had me pondering about how strong am I? I'm strong enough to speak the speak of saying I'm not vain, and that I'm bigger than my current appearance. But can I walk that speak amongst my peers? It's actually very easy for me at a local slushy hut with people you will never see again. Or on my daily walk where the cars passing by have no faces. They know not your before, nor your after. Amongst my peers however, there stands some collateral damage. Some risk. Some judgment. But also some love. Some mercy. Some recognition that their flaws are the same as mine. And this new flaw of mine is no greater than my previous flaws. It's a new trait. A new story. A new testimony. But you know what? My God loves pears! (I'd be lying if i didn't say I'm grateful it's a temporary appearance though, so let me put that out there). God chose this journey for me and if I hide in these four walls I am in control of that journey instead of allowing Him to be in control. Maybe he has huge plans for this pear. Or maybe He simply wants me to continue to remember the value of maintaining perspective and fully believing my "family" is bigger than my fear. I already know they are. They support me at every turn and I would do the same in return. God is bigger than my silly predicaments. And my predicaments are His vessel. My weakness is still my flaw though as I will search through my closet tomorrow for an appropriate shirt, but I'm growing in faith all the same. Maybe that was the whole point.
My prayer requests tonight:
•That both Ron and I wake tomorrow refreshed. No doubt my emotions have been tough for him. He has so much going on right now.
•That my shower time is virtually non eventful. That sounds silly I know, but trust me, my mind is a little crazy.
•That I feel ready to tackle the day with minimal pain.
•That in my self awareness that I don't miss out on seeing God's blessings He promises to delivery each and every day.
•That vanity doesn't get the best of me.
That's a lot of requests, huh? Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Surgery scheduled bright and early Monday morning at 7:30. Arrival time of 5:30. I guess this surgeon doesn't need his beauty sleep. He is a plastic surgeon afterall- I'm sure he has some beauty tricks up his sleeve.
Aug 16, 2012 - Day # 9 - Shower: crash and burn.
Day 9 short update: so the shower was more of a crash and burn. Won't go into all the details, but let's just say I wasn't as ready as one might would have hoped. I'm showered, but it was disappointing, exhausting, and mentally challenging on all accounts. I promised you transparency so there you go. I think I just have to accept these four days are my hardest part and be ok with that. Headed to bed to regroup.
(side note: for those of you that have called, thanks for your patience. I'm still struggling talking in person about some of this and I'm also restricted in holding my arms up, which you need to do to talk on the phone. That task is a challenge for the time being. Might want to stick to email for a few days.)
Click www.tradinginthetatas.blogspot.com to access other posts.
Click www.tradinginthetatas.blogspot.com to access other posts.
Aug 16, 2012 - Day # 9 - Scared to peek
Day #9: I'm having a run of the mill, average, low key, boring, nothing on the radar, wondering what I can get in to kind of day. And I'm loving every minute of it!
I can not even begin tho tell you how different today has been from the 8 other days that created so much chaos. Ever since having these drains pulled, i am a different woman. I don't even think i can rate the pain higher than a 2/10. Seriously, if that even possible?!?!? And I am pleased beyond measure with that rating. I even enjoyed a long afternoon visit with a kindred spirit. Now don't get me wrong, there are moments scattered here and there where some pain creeps in, but as a general rule "pain" has been pushed off the podium and replaced by discomfort. God hears you're prayers. I'm living proof. I didn't even need significant pain medicine. Three shout outs to normal days.
I survived my first night without the surgical vest. I survived the first day without the surgical vest. Mainly because i live in a mental state of denial about what is there, but hey, you do what you have to do. And this is only for four more days!!! I can do anything for four days! Again, I would not be bothered in the least if my best friend were in my shoes and see needed my help caring for her wounds. In fact, she would be beautiful in my eyes in every way. More so because of her braveness. It's just my scars that give me trouble.
I was thinking more about that last night when I was lying in my bed throne. Of note, I only needed four pillows. There are hundreds of women all over this planet who go through mastectomy surgery and choose to have delayed reconstruction or no reconstruction at all. These women are the true heroes. To be able to embrace life as it comes. Embrace scars and memories and move forward with every upcoming day. Sure they may kick and squall for a few days at the newness of it all, but I wonder if they struggle with it as much as I do. I imagine not. And many of these women have a much tougher battle ahead in their journey than my four days of waiting. I shan't even begin to compare myself to them. I'm ashamed I've done so at any point in time. My journey is unique. My journey is my own. My journey is doable on every level. And my emotions come and go. Today is a great day! My tank top is stylish....and I look like I lost 10 pounds (silver lining). I have no problem going in public. I have no worries about how others view me. I'm blessed in that. But I still don't want to take a peak myself, so I just don't do it. It's a win/win! Four more days and we get to start the second half of this journey. Bring it! I'm confident. I'm encouraged. I'm focused. And i have all of you supporting me. What more does a gal need? (and I'm choosing not to let the new drains intimidate me. Yet)
So, not much to post today. It's been a run of the mill low key day. A nap, a walk, a visit, and I hope soon a netflix movie. Oh yeah, and soon to be my very first shower. That could be a little sketchy so you might want to shift your prayers to Ron and my mom. Not sure what emotions are in store for me. They could have a rough evening ahead. Pull out the helmet, pull out the armor. More likely, just pull out the Kleenex.
Raising a glass to low key.
I can not even begin tho tell you how different today has been from the 8 other days that created so much chaos. Ever since having these drains pulled, i am a different woman. I don't even think i can rate the pain higher than a 2/10. Seriously, if that even possible?!?!? And I am pleased beyond measure with that rating. I even enjoyed a long afternoon visit with a kindred spirit. Now don't get me wrong, there are moments scattered here and there where some pain creeps in, but as a general rule "pain" has been pushed off the podium and replaced by discomfort. God hears you're prayers. I'm living proof. I didn't even need significant pain medicine. Three shout outs to normal days.
I survived my first night without the surgical vest. I survived the first day without the surgical vest. Mainly because i live in a mental state of denial about what is there, but hey, you do what you have to do. And this is only for four more days!!! I can do anything for four days! Again, I would not be bothered in the least if my best friend were in my shoes and see needed my help caring for her wounds. In fact, she would be beautiful in my eyes in every way. More so because of her braveness. It's just my scars that give me trouble.
I was thinking more about that last night when I was lying in my bed throne. Of note, I only needed four pillows. There are hundreds of women all over this planet who go through mastectomy surgery and choose to have delayed reconstruction or no reconstruction at all. These women are the true heroes. To be able to embrace life as it comes. Embrace scars and memories and move forward with every upcoming day. Sure they may kick and squall for a few days at the newness of it all, but I wonder if they struggle with it as much as I do. I imagine not. And many of these women have a much tougher battle ahead in their journey than my four days of waiting. I shan't even begin to compare myself to them. I'm ashamed I've done so at any point in time. My journey is unique. My journey is my own. My journey is doable on every level. And my emotions come and go. Today is a great day! My tank top is stylish....and I look like I lost 10 pounds (silver lining). I have no problem going in public. I have no worries about how others view me. I'm blessed in that. But I still don't want to take a peak myself, so I just don't do it. It's a win/win! Four more days and we get to start the second half of this journey. Bring it! I'm confident. I'm encouraged. I'm focused. And i have all of you supporting me. What more does a gal need? (and I'm choosing not to let the new drains intimidate me. Yet)
So, not much to post today. It's been a run of the mill low key day. A nap, a walk, a visit, and I hope soon a netflix movie. Oh yeah, and soon to be my very first shower. That could be a little sketchy so you might want to shift your prayers to Ron and my mom. Not sure what emotions are in store for me. They could have a rough evening ahead. Pull out the helmet, pull out the armor. More likely, just pull out the Kleenex.
Raising a glass to low key.
Aug 15, 2012 - Day # 8 - First Day Out
Oh yay, i left off a great part. I went out to dinner IN PUBLIC ! We missed lunch because of appts and were starving when err left so we stopped and had lunch/supper. It felt so great to be out. (supervised of course since i can't drive or go anywhere alone). I was exhausted sitting through it but it was a huge mental boost for my spirits not being tired to my Livingroom. Another praise!
Aug 15, 2012 - Day # 8 - Silver linings
Ron couldn't believe how long they were) but I wanted to kiss her once they were out. She did pick up on the fact that I had an enormous amount of anxiety about this phase of the mastectomy process. I don't know if the constant crying was a dead give away or the not so suttle shallow fast paced breathing, particularly when she went to unwrap my surgical vest.
Now to give you some background, up until this point I had been doing everything in my power to avoid looking at my scars. EVERYTHING to avoid it. Including one day when I was having a lot of extra pain at my drain sight, I sent Ron and my sister in on a scavenger hunt into the surgical vest to find the culprit. Ron has a flashlight, Amy had a map (me pointing and describing the location) while I had my eyes shut tighter than fort knox hyperventilating the entire time. You see, I have absolutely NO problem looking at your surgery wounds, your kid's scrapped up knee, my patient's chest drains, a stapled forehead....but when it comes to MY bandaid and bruises....I need a trashcan and quick! This is all new since the mastectomy. I was totally fine before. So boy were they my hero to volunteer to go in and see such a sight on my behalf. To give you some perspective, the surgeon said today that "you sure do have a mess in there". It's not pretty (but it will be one day).
Back to the story...she unwrapped my surgical vest to check the tissue and blood flow and I got huge praises that everything looked excellent where skin viability is concerned. It far exceeded her expectations. We don't have any skin loss so far. And that answers our third "please".
I was able to regain my composure when she strapped me back in and sealed me up tight. I could breath again. Until.......holy moly she broke my heart and told me that I could no longer wear the vest. I was NOT expecting that. How in the world am I going to go through the next several days without wearing a blind fold? I'm still mentally sorting through that. Pray people, pray! She also said that my anxiety level about the post mastectomy to pre reconstruction period was super high (I already knew that) and she really wanted me to find ways to vent that out. She said I need to just grieve. (I started that last night - see previous post). She said I need to get mad at the world, feel distraught, grieve the loss of my two members, and feel all the stages that come with a chaotic diagnosis or circumstance. She said I was trying to hold it all together and that was hurting me. So guess what, I now have formal approval to grieve. I don't have to hold it all together. I need to go through the feelings of it all. I'm such an overacheiver that I decided to at that very moment put grieving on the to-do list so I can make sure I do just that.
Ok, on to phase two. Spend the next 4 days getting used to this new body. I can shower! All my neighbors are grateful to hear that. On Monday morning I will have surgery number 2. Lead Plastic Surgeon is not really sure what he is going to do. He wants to get into the skin and see what the tissue of the chest wall looks like. I will either come out with temporary extenders in place or some form of an implant. I will know what is what when I wake up. Too funny. There are a few downsides:
1) I have to get the stinking drains put back in during surgery and they will stay in for that week. GRRR! Kick and scream
2) I should expect more pain from this next surgery than the mastectomy. Now THAT I was NOT expecting!
3) We don't yet know if there will need to be a third surgery.
All in all a great appointment, with all kinds of silver linings. The drains are OUT! The Anxiety is lessened. And God is growing your prayer walks by your praying for me. I just love that and am so grateful for your investment in my journey. And thank you for letting me vent and process here. Doctors orders!
Now I'm off to go put on my sleep mask so Ron can help me remove all of this gauze and the surgical vest. Bye Bye vest, you have been my kindred spirit. Deep breath in, Super deep breath out. Pray for my sanity here.
Our second "please" was also answered. My metamucil did not kick in during the appt. Enough said on that. I will move on.
See you tomorrow.
Aug 15, 2012 - Day # 8 First follow-up appt
Breast cancer pink combined with lymphoma Lavender and you have trade the tata hot pink. And we are off!!!!! (This is the first day I've had on semi real clothes, don't tell any one they are pajama bottoms. And the very first day I've had makeup on. Boy, was that a feat. Stupid probably, but worth it mentally.)
Aug 14, 2012 - Day # 7 - Metamucil (Post 1) ; Tantrum (Post 2)
Day 7: If how many pillows you sleep with are a testament to how you feel, I'm improving some. What was 14 became 11 down to 5 last night with me actually laying flat (see previous posts). However my back is paying for it today. I think all of this walking around like a zombie trying to keep everything still is paying off for the chest area, but creating chaos for the rest of my body.
Today, I am dangerously close to running out of pain medications before my next appointment tomorrow. So I am rationing and bargaining with myself. If I drink my glass of Metamucil (what, too much information?) I get a pain tablet. If I walk around the block, I get a pain tablet. Tomorrow, I will resupply my stock. Certainly, I didn't expect to need them this far out, but I'm an idiot and thought a double mastectomy was easy cheesy. I was very wrong! I am far from healed. Super far.
Today, Ron went back to work for an afternoon meeting. That leaves mom and I here to chart the course. Makes us reminisce a tad since she and I were the ones who first chartered this territory 21 years ago when I was diagnosed with lymphoma. We spent many an afternoon doing exactly what I am doing right now...last time we were lounging and watching day time TV after abdominal surgery and radiation. This time, 21 years later with me now married, a mastectomy. Who would have thought the former would lead to the latter so many years later. She's quite adorable. She won't let me move an inch without her assistance. If I even pretend to need something, she is up like a jack rabbit to get there first. Maybe I could make a game out of this for some entertainment.
We are moving into the 24 hours I have been dreading so much. Two appts tomorrow afternoon. The first is with Lead Breast Surgeon, whom I adore. We email each other updates and now she is even signing her emails with "xoxo". I think we have long crossed the professional boundaries usually in place. It's only fair. I think once you see someone at their worst, it's hard to stay super professional. I'm spoiled by her greatness. She will be assessing the would healing. Because I had so much radiation to my chest 20 yrs ago, statics show I'm going to have considerably slow would healing. While the radiation is what made me super high risk for breast cancer in the first place, it also made me a less than ideal candidate for mastectomy or breast cancer treatment. And a worse candidate for reconstruction. It is thought that the the chest wall and skin were compromised by the radiation and therefore, I will take longer than average to heal. This is why we delayed reconstruction instead of doing the mastectomy and reconstruction in the same surgery like so many others do. So tomorrow, she will check the healing time and see if we can take the drains out. I'm terrified of having them removed- because I can't imagine that ill be a pleasant experience removing them. While they need to come out, and I will be a lot more comfortable after the fact, the actual process of removing them makes me hyperventilate. Literally! Huge massive amounts of anxiety. I can do all things through Christ...except this! Wowsers. Now you see the weakness in my strength and faith. I'm terrified. Our other big concern is restoring blood flow to the tissue left behind. Please pray I have blood flow!! If not, we may be looking at needing a tissue graft. Breathe in , breathe out. Too much "what ifs" right now for my mental state. Let's move on. After my appt with the breast surgeon, I will meet with the plastic surgeon to discuss the next steps. We have a temporary plan for placing either implants or extenders starting on Monday at the earliest. (I'd you had asked me two months ago if I would ever have breast augmentation or implants I would have laughed in your face. Now i see everything is relative). Now the worry here is that because of the radiation I'm going to be at high risk for my body rejecting the implant and covering it with scar tissue. So we have to go slow in the reconstruction process. Lead Plastic Surgeon wanted me to wait six months before starting anything, but I guess I'm a little more vain than I once thought. Six months seemed like an eternity. So we are negotiating as we go. I will see what he says tomorrow when I meet with him after my appointment with Lead Breast Surgeon.
I'm learning about the marriage vow "in sickness and in health". Ron should be ready soon to teach classes to any husbands out there that may need some training. He is spectacular at this stuff! Emptying nasty drains, sponge baths, patience, wiping tears, suffering through moodiness, muscle massages....all on little sleep and tense environments. I rewarded him by sending him to work today. He is a man who God has transitioned into a servant with a servant heart. And boy has that served me well. I've got the best husband out there and I want to shout it from the roof tops. Back when I was really worried about how this surgery was going to affect us, he was 100% in favor of me doing what was best for our health. That spoke volumes to me about his Godly character. Now, I need to get one of your husbands to take him out for dinner to give him a break from all of this femaleness. Seven days of starring at these walls. Guess that is one silver lining of having an appointment tomorrow. New walls. And contact with people who don't live inside my TV screen. But how awful is that car ride going to be? Breathe in, breathe out. Time for Metamucil. _________________________________________________________________________________
I'm making a difference. See, every journey has it's purpose we just have to wait it out. Even if one life is changed or impacted, our purpuse is served. Often the difference is not for ourselves, but for someone on the periphery. Someone you wouldn't even imagine would be impacted. (Tears streaming down my face as I type this). "Take the boobs, Lord, if it leads to a changed life, a changed heart, a changed medical practice, empathy, a better relationship...". I promise that makes all if this with it. So many of you have emailed me to keep the posts coming because it's impacting your day. I was simply trying to get the benefit of 100+ psychiatrists without paying the bill. But hey, if it helps you too. Let's go for it!
Ok, so there is my new focus. 100% transparency for my own processing, but also because so many of you have contacted me as to how my transparency is helping your own journey. Well, perfect timing ladies, because today of all days, I am a wreck! Poor Ron and mom had to suffer through it last night. I was a three year old in the midst of a tantrum, an inconsolable 37 year old frustrated female. It was awful on my own account. Don't get me wrong, I fully trust God and his plan, but sometimes the "going through it" just catches up with your emotions. He gives us emotions for a reason, they are very therapeutic, but boy did mine go haywire.
Flash back to yesterday afternoon when I was feeling so great. Great wasn't something I had felt in seven days. Very far from great. So when there was a single flash of me feeling decent I latched on to it with a grip of an iron man. I was up and about. I visited with a friend who came by, I took a long walk, I watched my mom vacuum (hey, it took some effort instructing her) and I took in all the sights of my living-room. Reminder, I was running low on pain medications so I also spent the day rationing. Well, at about 6:30 all of that came to a very noisy, out of character, unexpected, run as fast as you can, call in the reinforcement screeching halt. And I balled. I yelled. I balled again. I balled some more. They put me to bed where I just collapsed in an emotional pool of slobber. It was awful.....but I think it was a little overdue.
Now in all fairness, let's go back and dissect the moment. My afternoon was great. I hurt, maybe a 4/10 pain, but for all purposes I felt decent compartively. I had not felt decent in a solid week. I found a euphoria. And I think I put every mental penny I had into that euphoria thinking I had won. I had made it through the tough stage. White flags being thrown by all involved. The gold metal was mine. Well let me tell you, Victory is short my friend, or at least premature. I bent over to get in the chair and a shooting pain consumed that victory. I got up because standing seems to be more comfortable these days and went to help/watch dinner preparations and it was exhausting. I went to go walk in the front yard - my favorite activity these days, and what I look forward to from the time I get up and even that was awful. It was humid and hot and my old knee injury was throbbing. I started thinking to today's appointment and the euphoria just came crashing down. I was terrified of the poking. I mentally hyperventilate thinking of taking this surgical vest off to see what is underneath as I've had a glimpse and let me tell you, it is the most awful sight that will send you to heaving! I was mentally and physically over having all this pain. I was frustrated beyond measure for not being able to even bathe myself and quite frankly I just needed a reach down into my core for a boo hoo cry. Well, I got it and so did the whole city by the time I was done. Ron gathered me up without batting an eye and took me for my "BATH", if you could call it that. When I got in my one inch of water I balled some more (I WON'T go in to detail of how I got stuck in the tub). He got me up and out and took me to the dining-room for emptying my drains (again) where I boo hooed some more. The pain was back full force and an awful reminder that this isn't over. Some more crying with my mom about these stupid scars and my fears of this appointment, and I finally topped it off with a big old heart sob on my 14 pillow high throne with all my servants standing in awe. They looked like a deer caught in the headlights. I had officially lost it. Then..... sleep. One of the best sleeps I remember in seven whole days. I was exhausted. I was spent. I was done. Fast forward 10 hours. Rise and shine! I'm up and ready for this appointment at 1:30. Sort of.
Breathe in. Breathe out. Surely I can do this. Please let there be sufficient blood flow to the tissue. Please let them pull the drains. Please let them knock me out BEFORE they pull the drains. Please don't let me see the chest wall when they open the vest. Please let this be the fastest 5 hours I've ever experienced. Please don't let me run into my colleagues in the cancer center. Please let me function like a normal person. Please don't let the Metamucil kick in today. No worries, I'm 100% ok. Just some anxiety in a few areas. Remember, I promised you transparency. Stay tuned.
Today, I am dangerously close to running out of pain medications before my next appointment tomorrow. So I am rationing and bargaining with myself. If I drink my glass of Metamucil (what, too much information?) I get a pain tablet. If I walk around the block, I get a pain tablet. Tomorrow, I will resupply my stock. Certainly, I didn't expect to need them this far out, but I'm an idiot and thought a double mastectomy was easy cheesy. I was very wrong! I am far from healed. Super far.
Today, Ron went back to work for an afternoon meeting. That leaves mom and I here to chart the course. Makes us reminisce a tad since she and I were the ones who first chartered this territory 21 years ago when I was diagnosed with lymphoma. We spent many an afternoon doing exactly what I am doing right now...last time we were lounging and watching day time TV after abdominal surgery and radiation. This time, 21 years later with me now married, a mastectomy. Who would have thought the former would lead to the latter so many years later. She's quite adorable. She won't let me move an inch without her assistance. If I even pretend to need something, she is up like a jack rabbit to get there first. Maybe I could make a game out of this for some entertainment.
We are moving into the 24 hours I have been dreading so much. Two appts tomorrow afternoon. The first is with Lead Breast Surgeon, whom I adore. We email each other updates and now she is even signing her emails with "xoxo". I think we have long crossed the professional boundaries usually in place. It's only fair. I think once you see someone at their worst, it's hard to stay super professional. I'm spoiled by her greatness. She will be assessing the would healing. Because I had so much radiation to my chest 20 yrs ago, statics show I'm going to have considerably slow would healing. While the radiation is what made me super high risk for breast cancer in the first place, it also made me a less than ideal candidate for mastectomy or breast cancer treatment. And a worse candidate for reconstruction. It is thought that the the chest wall and skin were compromised by the radiation and therefore, I will take longer than average to heal. This is why we delayed reconstruction instead of doing the mastectomy and reconstruction in the same surgery like so many others do. So tomorrow, she will check the healing time and see if we can take the drains out. I'm terrified of having them removed- because I can't imagine that ill be a pleasant experience removing them. While they need to come out, and I will be a lot more comfortable after the fact, the actual process of removing them makes me hyperventilate. Literally! Huge massive amounts of anxiety. I can do all things through Christ...except this! Wowsers. Now you see the weakness in my strength and faith. I'm terrified. Our other big concern is restoring blood flow to the tissue left behind. Please pray I have blood flow!! If not, we may be looking at needing a tissue graft. Breathe in , breathe out. Too much "what ifs" right now for my mental state. Let's move on. After my appt with the breast surgeon, I will meet with the plastic surgeon to discuss the next steps. We have a temporary plan for placing either implants or extenders starting on Monday at the earliest. (I'd you had asked me two months ago if I would ever have breast augmentation or implants I would have laughed in your face. Now i see everything is relative). Now the worry here is that because of the radiation I'm going to be at high risk for my body rejecting the implant and covering it with scar tissue. So we have to go slow in the reconstruction process. Lead Plastic Surgeon wanted me to wait six months before starting anything, but I guess I'm a little more vain than I once thought. Six months seemed like an eternity. So we are negotiating as we go. I will see what he says tomorrow when I meet with him after my appointment with Lead Breast Surgeon.
I'm learning about the marriage vow "in sickness and in health". Ron should be ready soon to teach classes to any husbands out there that may need some training. He is spectacular at this stuff! Emptying nasty drains, sponge baths, patience, wiping tears, suffering through moodiness, muscle massages....all on little sleep and tense environments. I rewarded him by sending him to work today. He is a man who God has transitioned into a servant with a servant heart. And boy has that served me well. I've got the best husband out there and I want to shout it from the roof tops. Back when I was really worried about how this surgery was going to affect us, he was 100% in favor of me doing what was best for our health. That spoke volumes to me about his Godly character. Now, I need to get one of your husbands to take him out for dinner to give him a break from all of this femaleness. Seven days of starring at these walls. Guess that is one silver lining of having an appointment tomorrow. New walls. And contact with people who don't live inside my TV screen. But how awful is that car ride going to be? Breathe in, breathe out. Time for Metamucil. _________________________________________________________________________________
I'm making a difference. See, every journey has it's purpose we just have to wait it out. Even if one life is changed or impacted, our purpuse is served. Often the difference is not for ourselves, but for someone on the periphery. Someone you wouldn't even imagine would be impacted. (Tears streaming down my face as I type this). "Take the boobs, Lord, if it leads to a changed life, a changed heart, a changed medical practice, empathy, a better relationship...". I promise that makes all if this with it. So many of you have emailed me to keep the posts coming because it's impacting your day. I was simply trying to get the benefit of 100+ psychiatrists without paying the bill. But hey, if it helps you too. Let's go for it!
Ok, so there is my new focus. 100% transparency for my own processing, but also because so many of you have contacted me as to how my transparency is helping your own journey. Well, perfect timing ladies, because today of all days, I am a wreck! Poor Ron and mom had to suffer through it last night. I was a three year old in the midst of a tantrum, an inconsolable 37 year old frustrated female. It was awful on my own account. Don't get me wrong, I fully trust God and his plan, but sometimes the "going through it" just catches up with your emotions. He gives us emotions for a reason, they are very therapeutic, but boy did mine go haywire.
Flash back to yesterday afternoon when I was feeling so great. Great wasn't something I had felt in seven days. Very far from great. So when there was a single flash of me feeling decent I latched on to it with a grip of an iron man. I was up and about. I visited with a friend who came by, I took a long walk, I watched my mom vacuum (hey, it took some effort instructing her) and I took in all the sights of my living-room. Reminder, I was running low on pain medications so I also spent the day rationing. Well, at about 6:30 all of that came to a very noisy, out of character, unexpected, run as fast as you can, call in the reinforcement screeching halt. And I balled. I yelled. I balled again. I balled some more. They put me to bed where I just collapsed in an emotional pool of slobber. It was awful.....but I think it was a little overdue.
Now in all fairness, let's go back and dissect the moment. My afternoon was great. I hurt, maybe a 4/10 pain, but for all purposes I felt decent compartively. I had not felt decent in a solid week. I found a euphoria. And I think I put every mental penny I had into that euphoria thinking I had won. I had made it through the tough stage. White flags being thrown by all involved. The gold metal was mine. Well let me tell you, Victory is short my friend, or at least premature. I bent over to get in the chair and a shooting pain consumed that victory. I got up because standing seems to be more comfortable these days and went to help/watch dinner preparations and it was exhausting. I went to go walk in the front yard - my favorite activity these days, and what I look forward to from the time I get up and even that was awful. It was humid and hot and my old knee injury was throbbing. I started thinking to today's appointment and the euphoria just came crashing down. I was terrified of the poking. I mentally hyperventilate thinking of taking this surgical vest off to see what is underneath as I've had a glimpse and let me tell you, it is the most awful sight that will send you to heaving! I was mentally and physically over having all this pain. I was frustrated beyond measure for not being able to even bathe myself and quite frankly I just needed a reach down into my core for a boo hoo cry. Well, I got it and so did the whole city by the time I was done. Ron gathered me up without batting an eye and took me for my "BATH", if you could call it that. When I got in my one inch of water I balled some more (I WON'T go in to detail of how I got stuck in the tub). He got me up and out and took me to the dining-room for emptying my drains (again) where I boo hooed some more. The pain was back full force and an awful reminder that this isn't over. Some more crying with my mom about these stupid scars and my fears of this appointment, and I finally topped it off with a big old heart sob on my 14 pillow high throne with all my servants standing in awe. They looked like a deer caught in the headlights. I had officially lost it. Then..... sleep. One of the best sleeps I remember in seven whole days. I was exhausted. I was spent. I was done. Fast forward 10 hours. Rise and shine! I'm up and ready for this appointment at 1:30. Sort of.
Breathe in. Breathe out. Surely I can do this. Please let there be sufficient blood flow to the tissue. Please let them pull the drains. Please let them knock me out BEFORE they pull the drains. Please don't let me see the chest wall when they open the vest. Please let this be the fastest 5 hours I've ever experienced. Please don't let me run into my colleagues in the cancer center. Please let me function like a normal person. Please don't let the Metamucil kick in today. No worries, I'm 100% ok. Just some anxiety in a few areas. Remember, I promised you transparency. Stay tuned.
Aug 13, 2012 - Day # 6 - One little drain, so much pain.
Day 6: It's worth stating how different each day can be from the day before and likewise how exactly the same it can be. One never knows where or what when you wake up that morning. I can say I can very easily see where a woman could fall into a state of depression during mastectomy recovery. There is a lott of confinement with vests and drains, repetition of tasks on the hour, lack of social interactions, medication induced emotions. Then there are just the physical changes that lead to a less than perky attitude. Surrounding yourself with pick me up activities and positive people is a must. (Hence my obsession with Anne Of Green Gables movies this week. She's a kindred spirit indeed).
And one must not forget the caregiver who has so much on their plate. Empty drains every few hours, get you to the bathroom, do sponge baths, cook this, grab that, suffer through my emotions, roll me over to put pillows here...on and on. Some comic relief is I slept surrounded by 14 pillows at last count. Pitiful really, but you do what you have to do. I called my mom back in to help out this week so the amazing Ron could have a day or two where he didn't have to be so amazing. Plus, I'm dreading Wednesday (my next appointment), so I want all hands on deck!
We had a great walk last night. The distance was extremely short -you should see my shuffle. I look as though I've aged 70 years. All hunched over watching my feet and walking stiff to try and hold everything in place. Any little movement can send shooting pains that take your breath away. Regardless, the walk is worth it on all accounts. Socialization, blood flow, seeing something other than these four walls. And watching the dog walkers. A pooch can lighten any spirits. Almost.
Last night, I broke down. So frustrated as to why I was still in so much pain and limited in mobility. Mom quickly reminded me of all that had been done to my chest wall just six days ago. Anyone would still be in pain. I'm an over achiever and since I don't see a lot of progress in that area, it frustrates me. I have a very lengthy tube all coiled up in my chest wall. It's sucking out all fluid. It's not supposed to be there in every day life. Of course it would be painful. Oh to get rid of that not so little tube which causes me so much woe!
My big concerns today: dreading the actual removal of the drains on Wednesday. Dreading the appointment all together for the poking and prodding. Dreading Monday for surgery #2 to start reconstruction. It should be much easier this go round by far, but still just ready to be done with this stage of having a concave boob-less chest. It certainly unfolded way differently than I had anticipated. But God has His plans and He has His provisions. He teaches me in my despair and grows me through our conversations. Baby steps still get you to the finish line.
Click www.tradinginthetatas.blogspot.com to access other posts.
And one must not forget the caregiver who has so much on their plate. Empty drains every few hours, get you to the bathroom, do sponge baths, cook this, grab that, suffer through my emotions, roll me over to put pillows here...on and on. Some comic relief is I slept surrounded by 14 pillows at last count. Pitiful really, but you do what you have to do. I called my mom back in to help out this week so the amazing Ron could have a day or two where he didn't have to be so amazing. Plus, I'm dreading Wednesday (my next appointment), so I want all hands on deck!
We had a great walk last night. The distance was extremely short -you should see my shuffle. I look as though I've aged 70 years. All hunched over watching my feet and walking stiff to try and hold everything in place. Any little movement can send shooting pains that take your breath away. Regardless, the walk is worth it on all accounts. Socialization, blood flow, seeing something other than these four walls. And watching the dog walkers. A pooch can lighten any spirits. Almost.
Last night, I broke down. So frustrated as to why I was still in so much pain and limited in mobility. Mom quickly reminded me of all that had been done to my chest wall just six days ago. Anyone would still be in pain. I'm an over achiever and since I don't see a lot of progress in that area, it frustrates me. I have a very lengthy tube all coiled up in my chest wall. It's sucking out all fluid. It's not supposed to be there in every day life. Of course it would be painful. Oh to get rid of that not so little tube which causes me so much woe!
My big concerns today: dreading the actual removal of the drains on Wednesday. Dreading the appointment all together for the poking and prodding. Dreading Monday for surgery #2 to start reconstruction. It should be much easier this go round by far, but still just ready to be done with this stage of having a concave boob-less chest. It certainly unfolded way differently than I had anticipated. But God has His plans and He has His provisions. He teaches me in my despair and grows me through our conversations. Baby steps still get you to the finish line.
Click www.tradinginthetatas.blogspot.com to access other posts.
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