Hi blogfriends! I am writing from the comfort of my very own NYC apartment, because I am finally back at home after my surgery. I stayed with my parents for a week, which was great for recovering without having to worry about anything. However, now I'm ready to take on some huge life challenges all on my own. Yes, that's right, I am going to take a shower.
As was reported by my excellent guest blogger, my surgery went well, and I spent the next few days feeling loopy-good-loopy. Since going home from the hospital on Sunday, it's been a bit of a runaround. I think I've been to see a doctor every single day since my surgery for various reasons, both scheduled and unscheduled. First, I had a teeny bleedy problem (PROTIP: A IGNORE THE WELL MEANING ADVICE OF THE ONCALL RESIDENT DOCTORS. ADVIL WILL MAKE YOU BLEED.), but then it was smooth sailing the whole way out. I got the surgical drains out on Thursday, which is super because apparently some people have to wear them for up to three weeks. They also expanded my foobs, which is a fun process. The tissue expanders have small metal ports that allow them too be pumped up at regular intervals. The doctor dangles a magnet over the area to find the port, and whereever it attaches to my skin is where they inject the stretching saline. I know, cool and icky at the same time, right?. It doesn't hurt during, because I don't have any nerve endings right now, but it hurts for a day or two after, since the point is to stretch the skin and muscle around the area to make room for implants. (Yup, I'm going to officially be That Girl Who Got Breast Implants.)
Project Fertili-Save is going well, though making me grumpy and emotional over weird things(this is all the apology you're going to get if I randomly start crying when you ask me where the peanut butter is and I don't know, so cherish away). Hopefully that should all be over next week.
After a thorough slice and dice of my lymph nodes, they discovered that all the ones they took out are completely cancer free (YAY!) which means it would be extremely unlikely that there are any cancerous cells camping out anywhere else in my body. YAY! WIN FOR THE LYMPHATIC SYSTEM!
And now, the biggest news, which I didn't even actually realize until a few days after surgery. I don't have cancer anymore. They cut it out and took it away. I may feel sort of stiff and grumpy and tired right now, but I just got rid of cancer. I probably had it in college, I definitely had it when I was riding camels in Egypt, and I had it every weekend I got dressed and went out with my friends. And now I don't have it anymore. Just like that! I felt pretty awesome and healthy before this, and if that was WITH cancer, I can't imagine how healthy and awesome I'll be once I'm all recovered. In the meantime though, I'm watching a TON of movies.
P.S. -- THANK YOU in a HUGE way to everybody who came to see me in the hospital, or sent flowers or cards or showed up at my door with an enormous Clueless-themed gift basket. Thanks for your gifts and your emails and your awesome music mixes. Thanks for your phone calls. And most importantly, thanks for not telling me that I smelled funny (not being able to shower for a week is a unique kind of torture). This surgery was one of the harder things I've ever done, and you guys made it such a positive, warm, love-filled experience that I've actually been referring to it as Cancer Christmas.
I have a follow-up with my surgeon on Tuesday, and then I'll be meeting with an oncologist to discuss chemo options. I'll be sure to keep you guys abreast (teehee) of things as they develop.
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Giggling over the (teehee) statement and so thankful for the wonderful news! I can't believe you are back in NYC already, but I'm sure it's more comfy there. You also have my permission to cry as much/long as necessary. I have a zillion questions... when will you go back to work, how long do you have to keep getting the expanders expanded, when wil you get the implants...important nosy stuff like that. But, I can wait.... I'm just glad you are on the other side of this and have maintained your sarcastic, wonderful sense of humor! YEA! =)
ReplyDeleteRegarding the unstable fertility patient - As you know, I was once able to use that as my excuse though it is not really an excuse but completely valid.
ReplyDeleteI can remember I had planted some grass seeds around then that didn't grow well (Freud) would have a ball with this). Well, our old neighbors are probably still talking about me because I was so indignant that the grass wasn't growing that I was yelling at the grass seeds, stomping on them, kicking them and threatening to never water them again if they didn't start perking up right then!
I was inflamed at grass seeds. But what I remember most was that I just knew my anger was a righteous anger! Those grass seeds had earned my wrath, for goodness sake.
Good times - good times, as Tatiana likes to say.
And you don't have to ever worry about apologizing to me.
Have you watched "I AM SAM" yet? I also own the C.S. Lewis movie you once expressed an interest in watching (didn't you do a college paper about him, or something?).
Soon, the movie "I am Love" will be in the theatres - about an Italian family and the way they negotiate passing on the family business to a willing son and another less willing grandchild who dreams of becoming a chef.
Be well today.
You are back in the city and what a place to celebrate your health with a party. Wondered what all those fireworks were about.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad that you are doing well and that everything has come about as we all prayed. Continue to heal and don't rush back to work before you must.
Wishing you well.
Aunt Mary
CAITLIN TOTALLY KICKED THAT C IN THE A...WHOOOOOOHOOOO
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