This guy has been my absolute rock. My husband, Scott, picks me up when I'm down, let's me use him as a punching bag, and is always my number one cheerleader. This was my first walk post second surgery. Made it around the block. Hoping to walk more each day.


Surgery was 2 days ago and it got bumped up several hours so we dropped everything and hopped in car as the operating room was available earlier. Not how we planned to celebrate our 13th anniversary, but hopefully this will allow us to celebrate decades more together. #oneboobless #fuckcancer #happyanniversary

6/6/19

5 surgeries ago I learned I have vasovagal syncope response to IVs getting put in after I fainted. For some it's triggered by the sight of blood or extreme emotional distress. Symptoms include paleness, nausea, sweating, a rapid heartbeat, and fainting. I always let them know, but even really experienced nurses have said my veins roll and it takes 15-20 minutes to get an IV in, and I have to lay back and look away until they finally get it in.

For the past 2 surgeries what I can't understand is my reaction to having the IVs removed. You would think leaving the hospital wouldn't be extreme emotional distress, but when I was ready for release they brought a wheel chair to take me down to my ride, they took out the IV and left to call my dad that I was on my way down. I had this crazy reaction and I just started sweating profusely. I had sweat dripping down my face, down my chest, down my back, it was as if I was in the shower. I’m looking around the ward and I can’t see any nurses and in my head I’m screaming “My brows! My brows! Not my brows!” as I had just had my eyebrows microbladed and you're not supposed to sweat in the first 10 days.

She came back and gave me a blower that help me to cool down before she wheeled me down to my dad's car where I cranked the AC. Who would’ve thought that leaving the hospital would make me break out in a freakish sweat. For my second surgery, I asked for the blower before they removed the IV. The nurse was really confused as she'd never seen that before, but right on cue as soon as the IV came out, I was dripping in sweat. The blower saved me giving myself a shower the second time. (I'm writing these chronologically but have already had 2 rounds of chemo and haven't had the sweat showers when those IVs are removed. Still baffled why it only happened after both surgeries).


6/5/19

This is what cancer looks like. Coming home nauseous covered in ice packs for relief from major sweatfest/hot flashes after having a breast chopped off. Okay it was a foob, but they removed the implant, 3 cancerous tumors (THREE! not just the TWO I found), nipple, and A LOT of overlying skin.

My plastic surgeon was really concerned she wouldn't be able to sew me back up. I'll post more on that later, but I have a little flap of extra skin in my arm pit now that feels awkward AF. I was a little surprised they sent me home the same day. My first mastectomy was an overnight in the hospital, but this time they just kicked me to the curb with some painkillers, ice packs and puke bags.

I did come home to these great cards my kids made to lift my spirits up (it worked, I cried). 3 years of tamoxifen and besides being pregnant, this is the heaviest I've ever been. This is me, this is cancer. I'm hoping after the next several months of chemo and radiation, I can start to work on a whole new healthy, cancer free, me.


6/4/19

I can't do any repetitive movements with my right arm, so I enlisted my daughter to help me cut my hair.

Not bad for a 10-year-old.

#youtubehacks

Luckily, I have a hair brush dryer so I was able to blow dry my hair with one arm after getting my last shower before surgery #2.
6/3/19