Last time I wrote I was to wait nine months and then go back in and see my plastic surgeon. Well nine months has passed so I went and saw him this week!
Everything has been going really well. I ended up having ZERO healing issues this time. Granted it took a lot longer than a normal person but I didn't need to do hyperbaric and everything healed up just lovely! So I got a gold star and he officially cleared me to go back to eating whatever I like. I've been off the cheeseburger diet for quite a while and am finally to the point where seeing one doesn't make me gag! I even had one for lunch last week but its definitely not a common occurance!
So now I will see my breast clinic doctor in a couple months and then see her every 6 months ( I think ) for clinical exams but don't need to go back to plastics until I am three years out from surgery and then again when I am 5 years post surgery!
So all in all things are going fantastically! And as a bonus they are better than they were before!
Friday, April 5, 2013
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Guest Post for Asbestos Awareness Week!
A few weeks ago I was contacted asking if I had considered having a guest blogger. He wanted to share a different side of the cancer spectrum, the side of caregiver. With my blog still getting many hits per day of people stumbling upon it or still following along, it seemed to be a good chance to touch on the role that many husbands play as caregiver and supporter throughout. His story is below:
_______________________________________________________________________________
My Caregiving Experience: A Painful Time of Growth
The most devastating moment of my life occurred on November 21, 2005. Heather, my wife, received a diagnosis of malignant pleural mesothelioma. Without any preparation, I was transformed into a caregiver in a moment. Only a few months earlier, we were blessed with the birth a baby girl, and we named her Lily. We could not have been happier to be new parents. We were entering the holiday season, but instead of celebrating, we were beginning down a long, difficult path to beat cancer. The process began in the doctor’s office. We both knew very little about mesothelioma, and we were given a choice of locations to find a specialist. However, Heather's silence spoke volumes; she was in shock and unable to make this decision. We had to choose between two nearby hospitals, which had no discernible programs for mesothelioma, and a mesothelioma specialist in Boston. His name was Dr. David Sugarbaker. I knew that if Heather had any chance of beating this disease, she would need the best care possible. I told the doctor, “Get us to Boston!” Over the next few months, a whirlwind of chaotic activity ensued. Our lives were completely transformed. Instead of being a two-income household, Heather stopped working altogether, and I scaled back to part time in order to keep up with my new responsibilities. I accompanied Heather to her medical appointments, made our travel arrangements to Boston and took charge of caring for Lily. I tried to be strong for my family, but I was quickly becoming overwhelmed and exhausted. I also feared losing my wife and becoming a homeless single parent. The stress and pressure caused me to dissolve into tears on several occasions. However, even in these moments of weakness I never let Heather see me down. I knew she needed me to be strong for her, and that’s exactly what I intended to be.
Over the following months, Heather underwent mesothelioma surgery, chemotherapy and radiation treatments in an effort to beat this terrible disease. Against all odds, she was eventually able to do just that. Today, seven years after her mesothelioma diagnosis, she remains healthy and cancer free.
I decided to return to school two years after the diagnosis. My time as a caregiver gave me the courage to pursue this dream of mine. I graduated with honors and was given the opportunity to speak at the ceremony. I never dreamed that such a devastating experience could help me change my priorities, manage my time and enhance the quality of my closest relationships. During my speech, I told my fellow graduates what my wife’s journey had taught me – that within each of us is the strength to accomplish incredible things, if we only just believe in ourselves and never give up hope for a better tomorrow.
If you would like to learn more about Heather and Cameron's story their blogs are listed below:
http://www.mesothelioma.com/blog/authors/heather/
http://www.mesothelioma.com/blog/authors/cameron/
Thank you Cameron for sharing your story. It is always nice to hear a story of survival and strength!
_______________________________________________________________________________
My Caregiving Experience: A Painful Time of Growth
The most devastating moment of my life occurred on November 21, 2005. Heather, my wife, received a diagnosis of malignant pleural mesothelioma. Without any preparation, I was transformed into a caregiver in a moment. Only a few months earlier, we were blessed with the birth a baby girl, and we named her Lily. We could not have been happier to be new parents. We were entering the holiday season, but instead of celebrating, we were beginning down a long, difficult path to beat cancer. The process began in the doctor’s office. We both knew very little about mesothelioma, and we were given a choice of locations to find a specialist. However, Heather's silence spoke volumes; she was in shock and unable to make this decision. We had to choose between two nearby hospitals, which had no discernible programs for mesothelioma, and a mesothelioma specialist in Boston. His name was Dr. David Sugarbaker. I knew that if Heather had any chance of beating this disease, she would need the best care possible. I told the doctor, “Get us to Boston!” Over the next few months, a whirlwind of chaotic activity ensued. Our lives were completely transformed. Instead of being a two-income household, Heather stopped working altogether, and I scaled back to part time in order to keep up with my new responsibilities. I accompanied Heather to her medical appointments, made our travel arrangements to Boston and took charge of caring for Lily. I tried to be strong for my family, but I was quickly becoming overwhelmed and exhausted. I also feared losing my wife and becoming a homeless single parent. The stress and pressure caused me to dissolve into tears on several occasions. However, even in these moments of weakness I never let Heather see me down. I knew she needed me to be strong for her, and that’s exactly what I intended to be.
Over the following months, Heather underwent mesothelioma surgery, chemotherapy and radiation treatments in an effort to beat this terrible disease. Against all odds, she was eventually able to do just that. Today, seven years after her mesothelioma diagnosis, she remains healthy and cancer free.
I decided to return to school two years after the diagnosis. My time as a caregiver gave me the courage to pursue this dream of mine. I graduated with honors and was given the opportunity to speak at the ceremony. I never dreamed that such a devastating experience could help me change my priorities, manage my time and enhance the quality of my closest relationships. During my speech, I told my fellow graduates what my wife’s journey had taught me – that within each of us is the strength to accomplish incredible things, if we only just believe in ourselves and never give up hope for a better tomorrow.
If you would like to learn more about Heather and Cameron's story their blogs are listed below:
http://www.mesothelioma.com/blog/authors/heather/
http://www.mesothelioma.com/blog/authors/cameron/
Thank you Cameron for sharing your story. It is always nice to hear a story of survival and strength!
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