After my mastectomy and recovery in May I had the incredible good news of "no chemo." The relief I felt was so great, I don't think I can do it justice by explaining it. We had a family trip to Europe, planned for a year, that had been on hold in all our minds because chemo would have prevented me from going. So the news came in early June and we left for our grand adventure in late June. I took off and put cancer "on hold" so to speak.
There is a follow up medication I will take for at least 5 years. The good news was that I am in menopause and was able to take the medicine for women in menopause, otherwise I would have had to have monthly shots to force menopause. The medicine has side effects. It can make me emotional or depressed. So if you are talking to me about, say your new chair for your living room, and I tear up, ignore me, just the medication. It also makes my bones hurt. For me it is my wrists and ankles. Some days they are fine and some days I feel like my wrists are broken and I am walking like a 90 year old. All of it incredibly small potatoes and I am ridiculously grateful that this is my path.
I will start the journey of getting the expander in my breast filled and then have reconstruction surgery sometime in the fall. Again, small potatoes compared to what it could have been.
I probably won't update here again.I will return this page to motherhood ramblings and the fuckery that is parenting for all of us!
One of my best friends from college had breast cancer this year too. She also shared the infamous "tooth trauma" with me. Once you have breast cancer at middle age, you start to hear about others. We are going to start a facebook community for us and others entitled "tits and teeth." I'll put it out there when we get up and running, hopefully this month and you are welcome to join our community or refer it to women you know who have had cancer.
We want to have uplifting, but honest conversations about what this feels like. What breast cancer feels like. What it does to your mind and body. The reality is, I do put a nice little bow on mine for my family and everyone else. I tend to make it look effortless, because that is my coping mechanism. And I think a lot of women do that. So the idea would be to have a community where we can be truthful about what it can feel like.
I love you all and take none of your support for granted. Thank you for everything, everyone did for me. I always pay if forward so know that any gesture or gift you gave me will go out to the next person this touches in my life.
Next blog...vacationing with adult children!
