The Final Chapter

I had my follow up appointment with my plastic surgeon this week! I am now about 3 months post exchange. Things are looking good! Everything is pretty much healed up. I had three stitches that had worked their way to the surface so he pulled those out. The incisions look good and are will be fully healed in a couple weeks once the stitch spots heal over. I was lucky enough this time to not need hyperbaric! What a blessing! I am able to come off my cheeseburger diet once the stitch spots heal up (BIG YAY for that!)!! The fat graft sites are tight still so he said to massage those spots and they should loosen up but they took the fat right down to the muscle so that's why I can feel it so much. And then I asked the big question... "Do I need to see you again???" And the answer.... Not for 9 months! 9 MONTHS!!!! So that means almost a full year without an appointment! I'll also see the breast clinic in about 9 months and then they will continue to follow me for twice a year clinical breast exams and an MRI every 3 years. No more mammograms for me! 

And so as this journey comes to a close (and so will this blog), I've taken some time to reflect back on my decision and my current progress. In the past year, I have known a few people who were diagnosed with or relapsed with breast cancer or ovarian cancer. Every time I hear their story, their struggle, it reaffirms that I did the right thing and feel so blessed that I had a choice. I was able to know my risk and make the right decision for me. Having already had bone cancer and going through chemo, radiation, BMT etc. then, I knew what I would be in for if I developed breast cancer and with two little kids I just couldn't take that risk. I've been able to network with others who have had the same surgery as I have and we have helped each other through this process. I've been able to answer the questions of others who have been contemplating this surgery as well and give them insight to my journey (always with the disclaimer that my complicated healing path is not the norm and that it was my previous radiation that caused my issues). I've been able to reassess our life and determine what is most important to US and to use that to guide our life choices.

So where do I go from here..... Well I have a stack of 36 bras that will never be worn again!

I'm sure my cholesterol is through the roof with a year of cheeseburgers and my arms are weak from the surgeries so I'll be working on getting in shape more (I'm not a big work out person so we'll see how that goes). My goal is to do the Dirty Girl Run next August (2013)!

And most importantly I've got two lovely little kids who even though they may fight sometimes,
(photo compliments of Bliss Photography)   they really are best friends.(photo compliments of Bliss Photography) 


They are the loves of my life (along with hubby) and so we will move forward living life Choosing A Future and leaving behind the fear.

(photo compliments of Bliss Photography)