The next step...

So much has been happening, but nothing really seemed super exciting, or very significant which is why I haven’t posted here in a while.

I have passed a few anniversaries/milestones, and for each one I have a little mini celebration. To me they are dates that are significant, and each little milestone is a way to celebrate progress, success and healing. And the more anniversaries I have, the more this is behind me, and the easier it is to move on.

• May 17 = one year from my double mastectomy surgery Whoop Whoop

• June 24 = one year from when I started radiation Yay

• Aug 5 = one year from when I finished my 30th radiation treatment Woo Hoo

• Sept 17 = 2 years from when I took myself to urgent care because I had a pain in my tummy, which turned out to be a kidney stone, which is also when the scan discovered 3 lumps. The date it all began.

And besides Aug 5 being one year from my last radiation treatment, it's also the day I disposed of all the meds I didn’t need to use! 22 containers!!

But the best part of this was to get a picture that day with the best pharmacist ever! There are people whom we meet in our life and instantly connect. She is that person. And to know she was ‘with me’ through all my treatments was incredible. And why is this incredible? Because we didn’t even meet until after I was through with all my treatments. Whenever Bret picked up my meds, she thought of me, and prayed for me, knowing what I was going through. I feel truly blessed.

Thank you JV, from the bottom of my heart!

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In my spare time, I’m exercising more than I ever have, making fun little projects for family, whether it’s sewing or other fun little crafty projects. I’m reading, gardening, shopping, and cooking more than I ever have. In addition to these everyday activities, here’s some other fun stuff I’ve done since my last post.

Apr – a week in Truckee, AVC Wine Walk, Paislee’s soccer games

May – a weekend in Chico, Nixon’s baby shower, Tootsie play, D23 show in Burbank, Business Outlook Conference

Jun – SLO Greekfest, met our fifth grandbaby Nixon, bridal shower for Cassie, Pretty Woman play, made 3 batches of strawberry jam

Jul – a week and a half in Denver celebrating Aaron’s graduation and Paislee’s birthday, James Taylor concert, Moulin Rouge play, made peach jam

Aug – a weekend in Carlsbad, dinner with Liese and Jeff, a week in Chico, AGT taping, Barnyard Belles event, a weekend in Chico celebrating Aubree’s birthday

Sep – Ronald Reagan Museum, AGT taping, Aimee & Paul's wedding in Chico, weekend in Chico celebrating Hudson’s birthday, a few days in Truckee, AV Greekfest

Celebrating Aimee & Paul's Wedding

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I’ve had a dozen or so appointments since my last post, and most are pretty standard follow-up type appointments. Some were new things… like my new knee doctor who had to drain excess fluid from my knee, but it’s all good now. Guess I overdid exercising! lol

My foot doctor is also a new thing… so you may recall from previous posts that I spoke of chemo and how it damages all types of things, like nail beds for instance. My foot doctor, who also did my bunionectomy’s about 10 years ago, is first of all awesome, and is also now treating my nail beds on my toes. No details necessary here, but the chemo messed them up. After some special treatments (and time), they should be good again.

• Zometa Infusion #2 (4 to go)

• 2 appts with my knee doctor

• 3 appts with my primary care doctor

• Follow-ups with my oncologist

• Follow-ups with my oncology surgeon

• Follow-ups with my plastic surgeon

• Genetics appt

• 3 appts with my foot doctor

In addition, I’ve just had a few other appointments necessary for my next procedure.

Pre-op, x-rays, and labs, all to get me ready for this Monday, Sept 19 for my next surgery. This as you may recall is actually just finishing my initial surgery, a double mastectomy done

in May of 2021. Only three-fourths of that surgery could be performed at that time.

Why? Well because I was to receive radiation on the side where I had lymph nodes removed and they do not insert implants prior to radiation.

Why? Well because radiation can, and does cause implants to go bad in a variety of ways. Some doctors will do this, but I’ve seen pictures and No Thank You!! Instead, we wait a year from my last radiation... and that appointment was just in August.

And here's how this all happened...

All went well at that appt, and we reviewed the next procedure, and promptly scheduled my surgery for the first available date… whaa whaaaa… not til December??? Yikes, really? I have to wait 4 months? Ugh! Oh well, I had no choice, but I did ask to be put on a waiting list in case something opened up sooner. Now, just to let you know, my plastic surgeon is highly recommended, highly regarded and highly sought-after, so I honestly wasn’t expecting to get that call moving my up appointment. But to my surprise I did, just last week. And it was a bit shocking and overwhelming at first, knowing I only had 2 days to complete my pre-op appointments. But the stars aligned just right and I was able to get it all done in one day! This next procedure is actually very different than last one, and I will be at a new hospital, so nothing will be familiar to me, except my Doctor.

But, she’s amazing so I’m in good hands!

However, it is still major surgery, 4-6 hour procedure, 4-6 week recovery.

While on my walk along Donner Lake this last week, I happened to stop at Pier 19

Coincidence... hmm, idk, but I see it as a good sign

I may be scared, but I'm now ready for September 19

Hope, Fight, Cure

Needless to say, a lot is going on in my head… some major emotions and me just questioning myself…

• Scared… um yes, major surgery is always scary

  • Anxious… yes, I am, and because I’ve been through something similar I know what will be happening, but not really sure if that helps in the anxiety department

    • Timing… is the timing right… not really, but when is the right time

      • Necessary… is this a required surgery… no, but it’s finishing what I started, the decision I made and procedure I chose one and a half years ago. So why would I change the course mid-stream.

        • And lastly…. will I regret it if I don’t do it… yes!

        • It’s this last one that always helps me with my final decision!

Once I’ve recovered from surgery, I will look back at this step as just completing the process. There were some major procedures necessary to get to the end of this proccess over the past two years, and this is the last of those major procedures. I will still have follow-up appointments, bi-annual infusions for 2 more years, taking anatrozole for 4 more years, but the major procedures will be completed.

It's actually just another checkmark to check off on this Greek Warrior's Journey!

And I see this checkmark as a significant milestone in being able to move on…

Some day (soon) I hope for a cure!

hope in pink