What's That Cancer? Go Fuck Yourself!

Here I am, I am back...........and CANCER FREE!!! What?!? The best news I have received this year I think. WooHoo!

Let me back up a minute here since I jumped right to the best part. I had my surgery a week ago on September 23, 2022. Double mastectomy. Boobs are gone. Nipples are gone. Great part is, I am not flat chested because I have expanders in, so even after a double mastectomy, I still have bigger boobs than some. LOL. (No offense small chested ladies, you are lucky, it's just easier).

I will have these expanders in until my next surgery which should be in about 3 months. The expanders are basically a place holder for my reconstructive surgery. This way, later on they won't have to try and make room for new boobs. 

Are you wondering how I am feeling? Seriously, I feel great. I didn't think I would feel as good as I do, not by any means. I stayed overnight in the hospital for one night, and I was on my way home the day after surgery. I can't drive for 3 weeks which absolutely sucks. I have 3 follow up appointments next week, that I have to try and figure out transportation for. Not impossible, but something I am not used to. Lucky for me, my bestie flew in the day before my surgery and stayed with me for 5 days while I have been recovering. Then another great friend of mine took over and is still here with me. Fantastic. I am glad they both volunteered to come take care of me. Super nice of both of them.

I was told to rest, naturally, as my body is healing from surgery. I get it. The worst part of all of this? 100% no bullshit. Trying to get used to sleeping elevated, and on my back. I have been a stomach sleeper my entire life, and now, never again likely. Super sucks. 

I am walking around just fine and exceeding the expectation of my doctors so far in terms of healing (I think, based on what I read on the discharge papers and what I should be doing by this point), so that's great. I have drains in, which I thought would've the grossest part of this, but they don't bother me, even when I have to empty them. I will have these in for 3 weeks or so. My chest is sore. Almost like I pulled my chest muscles, but the pain has been very bearable. I am taking pain meds, and I am sure they are helping. I am working on weaning off of them already because I feel like I am ready to.

So to the great news of being cancer free. My doctors office called yesterday, and I am cancer free. My pathology reports came back and couldn't be any better. The tumor (cancer mass) is completely gone. The doctor took lymph nodes from under my right arm (the cancer side), and all of those also came back negative. Everything she tested was negative which is exactly what I was hoping for. The other great news that comes along with this is that I won't need to do radiation. Even better because fuck that. That was the one thing out of all of this that I never wanted to do. 

The one thing (that I know for sure at this point), that is a potential con, is I have to always be conscious about potentially getting lymphedema. I am at a low risk, but none the less, it is a risk factor. My right arm. No blood draws, blood pressure, tattoos. Nothing other than regular normal activities, or I could aggravate the current lymph nodes and then shit will be gross. No thanks. 

The way I see this is I won. Everything is a win win win! I kicked cancer's ass.........just like I thought I would. I still have a long way to go, and 3 more surgeries, but I am closer now to being done than ever, where I can get my life back to normal!

What's New Pussycat?

I know, it's been a while, so are you wondering what's new pussycat? (Do you hear the song in your head?!?, you're welcome).

As you know, I finished chemo, and thankfully, that part is over. Yahoo! I was due to have surgery a few weeks ago, but no, I got fucking Covid instead. Like fucking really? Yep, really. So it had to be postponed. I was completely ready for surgery too. Mentally, physically, and any other way, I was ready. Nope. I had to wait. Things happen for a reason, right? I suppose.

So I got Covid. It was simple. Easy. My symptoms were so mild I would have sworn I didn't have it. Seriously. Lucky for me though because I still don't have an immune system built back up. It's going to be months and months before that returns to normal. As a matter of fact, when I get a cold, it was much worse than what Covid was, by far.

I called my oncologist to let him know I had Covid because of the lack of immune system I have. They prescribed me an antiviral medication. Woohoo. Let's kick this out of my system ASAP. They prescribe it to those that are high risk. I had no idea something like this even existed. When I read up on it, it is 90% effective to keep you out of the hospital and from dying. Excellent. It worked and Covid was gone before I knew it. I got extremely lucky. It could have been really bad. But just wait you say? Yep, that's right because while Covid was on it's way out, I ended up with a double ear infection and an upper respiratory infection. Oh my fucking god! It's like I couldn't catch a fucking break. Why not try out some other infections while I am at it? Such shit. But I went to my PCP, got a 5 day antibiotic, and boom, that shit was gone quick too. Awesome.

Now that I am all good, my surgery has been rescheduled and that will be happening here soon. I had to go through the mental prep again, which I would have preferred to skip. But as I often say, it is what it is. I am ready, I think, and I know I want to get this part over with so I can move on tto the next, that way I am closer to all this being over with 😀