Hey all,
The month of April was definitely a crazy month for me. On April 3rd I had my lumpectomy and then April 5th I had my ovaries removed. Having two surgeries in one week was pretty crazy, but it is good to know that it is over with.
Let me start out by saying that pathology results showed that my cancer wasn't actually growing. The MRI had been changing probably because of scar tissue and effects of my infusion treatments. I'm still very glad that we chose the more aggressive route of removing the cancer and my ovaries. Pathology on the ovaries showed no evidence of cancer, which rules. So, I'm super happy to know that my medicine is working at keeping the cancer down.
Surgeries weren't too bad... I was able to get up and moving pretty much the next day after the ovary surgery. I did my best to do what I called "Zombie-ing" up and down the street. I walked slightly hunched over, extraordinarily slowly, back and forth, for as long as I could, every day. Eventually the pace quickened, my posture improved, and I was going on legit walks with my dad after a few weeks.
I'm sort of having some issues now, a month out. I think I pushed myself a little too fast and I seem to have re-injured something somewhere in my stomach...They think somewhere around my rectal sheath (muscles that run down the front of your stomach). I'm having an ultrasound tomorrow to see if anything can be seen. My oncologist, and aunt (who is a nurse) and myself all thought that extreme rest was a good idea. So, although I had been back at work the last two weeks, I had to take off again. I've been on super couch rest since Thursday. My stomach is feeling ok, but I know that as soon as I go to lift something or move to quickly, I'll pull whatever I hurt again. Whether its torn internal stitches, or a pulled muscle, the pain was really bad so hopefully this period of resting will help it heal. I'm also having some sort of issue with possibly an allerigic reaction to something around my incision sites...so we shall see.
I'm having a hard time lately though. I've been having good news, and I hope these issues I'm currently having are minor, but the hardest thing I've been dealing with lately is having a friend who had to move. Its funny I feel like I'm in third grade all over again or something. My surgeon's PA, Leah, has been one of the most important people in the world to me. I don't think I would have the same attitude and strength about this whole thing if I hadn't have met her. She was there from the beginning, explaining my diagnoses to me and helping with the millions of questions. She knew how to bring a sense of calm. She brought reiki into my life from the time chemo started until she moved a couple weeks ago. She held my hand before surgeries and came with me into the operating room so the last thing I would see would be a friend. She took time out of her life to come to my house every day after surgery to give me blood thinner shots. She brought yoga back into my life. She is this incredible person, AMAZING friend, brilliant girl... Reiki, and her presence and friendship, I truly believe were huge parts in my recovery. I am sort of scared now that she is gone. I mean, not gone, she just moved back to her home town for an amazing job opportunity and for family, which is awesome... I feel sort of selfish being so sad about it. But... Anyway.. I've blathered on about this. I just think that facing this without her so close is going to make it much harder.
Anyway, if I was going to talk about anything else I've forgotten it by now. See, I'm not always tough.
Love,
Linds
