Reconstruction...check, Living healthy......check

Friday at 11am I checked in to my old familiar room at Wellstar Outpatient and got prepped for my reconstruction surgery. This time I decided that I wouldn't make such a production out of the event and even told Lloyd and Cindi to go on into work, that nurse Brittany would be in town to take me up there for the check in. I am sure all the nurses appreciated that I didn't have my usual entourage with me! I told Dr Leake I wanted itty bitty titties, so he came with a box of them to try out and see what looked best. He had to do a lot of repair to the muscle around my left underarm because that was where the cancer was, so it took a little longer than he thought it might. By the time he came out to talk to the family and tell them all what he had to do, Kristi and Lloyd were there. Cindi had come in before I was put to sleep, on her lunch hour.

This was an outpatient surgery so I got home about 6pm. I was quickly put to bed, because the move from O.R to home made me nauseated. I took the meds and went to sleep. This recovery hasn't been too bad. I am tired, VERY. Just a little uncomfortable, only took the Oxycodone Saturday and Sunday. I do have two drains, and hopefully they will come out this coming Friday. They better! I want to go to Tennessee and prop my feet up....ha ha getting pretty good at this propping stuff! Although, this surgery moves me closer back to reality of no cancer and fix the shoulder and GET YOUR ASS BACK TO Work!!!
I have said this before but I haven't touched on this aspect of change. Cancer changes you. Cancer makes you scared that it will come back and raise it's ugly head at anytime. It is now my job to do ALL in my power to assure that doesn't happen. Most of you know that I LOVE food, it is truely a passion of mine (my husbands too- hince the weight gain since our marriage!) Anyway, we make a production out of cooking. All of the cancer books I have read has warned about processed food, sugars, white flour, alcohol, and not excercising. WELL, we have eliminated all of that from our diet. (hmmmm maybe not so much the wine) It hasn't been as hard as I thought it would be, especially since one of our other passions is gardening, so we grow a lot of what we are eating. Our spring salad garden has been unbelievable this year. How many ways can you eat Radishes.... let us count the ways! I have an awesome Spicy Kale and Shrimp recipe, too!
Exercising has been another issue! I was trying to walk about 3 miles with my friend Lisa, about 3 times a week. Of course she goes out of town about as much as I do, so timing was hard. Then my knee decided it would swell because of my RA, but after this surgery and the recovery, you will see us hitting the pavement again! Plus, maybe my sister can get her pool open and I can start water aerobics! Hint Hint!!!
Anyway, if the cancer does come back, I at least can rest assured that I have choosen the most radical approach to getting rid of it (a double mastectomy and 8 rounds of chemo) and I have done what I have  needed to do to keep it at bay! Even down to changing the deordorant I use......
I have learned, this is my body and I will fight and do what I can to keep it as healthy as I can. I want to be here for my kids and grandkids!! Cancer does not need to happen to you to think this way, go check your boobs and ask yourself, are you treating your body like you need to, in order to be healthy?