Heartbreak in Boston

April 15, 2013

May you and yours remain safe and sound.

Rocked the Surgical Socks

 Well I got through surgery on Wednesday with flying colors.  Had a reaction to the anesthesia so we closed the place.  Got home and crashed.  Don't even remember leaving the hospital actually.  I had a check up on Friday with Dr. Marble's NP Carol and everything looks good.  I'll see Dr. Marble this Tuesday.  I even got to take a shower this weekend.  Woo hoo!  Got my antiseptic cleanser and hopefully the 2012 year of infections will not repeat in 2013.  Bill remains my everloving care taker and I am trying to be a patient patient.  I have this week off for recovery and all I want to do so far is sleep.  That should ease up in a few days.  I will lay low and be as good as gold.  I just want to be able to get to enjoying a nice spring as the weather eases up.  Thank you all for the lovely out reach.  It always helps to know such an amazing group of folks is out there sending such great vibes my way. 

Spring? My Flex HD has sprung!

Well it's been a mental hurdle to get back on the blog.  I had finished up with all the antibiotics just by August of 2012.  Took a cross country trip with Janet and Abby in October and then it seems the little niggling thoughts kept creeping into my mind.  GI distress had begun to occur - particularly with a vengence right after Christmas.  My present was I got myself a new specialist in GI Dr. Tomkins and her nurse practitioner Heather Lamire.  My mind told me it was a true success to be able to complete a colonscopy.  How many folks do you know who are excited to have one done?  Me!  I passed with flying colors.  Nothing awry just a general disturbance in the force.  Got myself some kind of mutated Norovirus and lucky me it would last more than two months.  I am reminded by everyone on my medical team how sick I was, how my immune system was wiped out, how well I am doing. All points taken.

As fate would have it the last week of February I noticed one day after my shower a physical failure in my left breast.  The implant had begun to head toward my left hip.  The Flex HD had either stretched or failed.  Lucky me to be empowered and knowledgeable...  My team warns you of rejection of parts after a mastectomy.  They coach you through every single phase.  They tell you how common it is to have the reconstructed parts end up in your arm pit.  Well aren't I different?!  Anyhoo, I got assessed again by Drs. McKee and Marble and Howe.  No recurrence thank God. 

So that's where I am.  Thankful.  I will have my 8th surgery tomorrow.  Does it make me sad - yup.  But does it make me take stock in what I have - you better believe it.  I have met two more folks with brain cancer. One of them has to have a feeding tube, maybe permanently.   I've seen  a number of folks in treatment pass away.  I need new implants and some new Flex HD construction. 

I am ok with that.  I am so truly grateful for the strength to get past this.  I am so grateful for all that you do for me.  I am blessed to have such wonderful support, emails, calls, cards, hugs and kisses, texts, and yes now tweets and facebook postings.  Abby built me accounts for the trip and I am trying to figure out how to use them!  Bill or I will update after surgery.  Thanks for the amazing vibes.

Jenn's Doing Great

Jenn finished her radiation on March 1, 2013.  She is doing well.  She has skin that is more fair than mine so the calendula get worked well but she did have a couple of spots that looked like a bad sunburn.  She got all the itchiness that can drive one mad.  Her team follows up with her this month and she may be doing Tamoxifen.  On the lighter side we got her all moved into her new house in Dover.  It's the perfect one for her.  A small cape on a quiet street, a large beautiful yard, room for her, the kids and the dogs!  She is settling in well and marching on through it all like a trooper.