Thanks To A Friend

There are some benefits that joining Face Book that you may not think about. When you think of Face Book you think about people reconnecting with old loves and old friends but you don’t think about getting incredible support in your journey through cancer. I have found that cancer has touched a great deal of lives in my old hometown of Woonsocket, Rhode Island. There are many of my former classmates that have battled cancer. It was surprising to me to see all the people that have either battled cancer themselves or a loved one of theirs did. It was … Continue reading →

Nipple Reconstruction

Well ok I need to make a decision as to whether I want to have the nipple reconstruction surgery or not. I really don’t want to have any more surgeries but the Barbie Boobies that I have now don’t look all that real without the finishing touches if you know what I mean. The doctor said it is a real easy surgery and I finally agreed to do it. A few weeks before Christmas I decide to go and have the surgery done. The doctor explained how they make them but it sounds weird so I won’t even explain it. … Continue reading →

It Makes You Think

My oncologist suggested I join the support group and I did. I met some interesting older ladies but now I am dealing with the loss of one of the ladies I have become friends with. Lynn’s cancer had come back and this time it was stage 4 that had metastasized to her lungs. I did not really know how the oncologist thought that joining the group was going to be beneficial to help with my stress. How can meeting people who are going to die help me feel like I am not going to die? Lynn was an incredible woman … Continue reading →

First Support Group Meeting

My oncologist thought that if I joined a support group for breast cancer survivors that it may help me with some of my stress. When I first walked into the room I was the only one not a member of AARP! I really did not understand how sitting with a bunch of older ladies would be beneficial to me. None of these women have small kids, a full time job and the life of someone under 40. While I was getting to know the women I found that they all were diagnosed post-menopausal well into their golden years. The ladies … Continue reading →

Inspirational Survivor

So I have been chosen an Inspirational Survivor with a local Breast Cancer charity called the Jim and Joanie Hatcher Charitable Trust. Mr. Hatcher started this as a way to celebrate men and women battling breast cancer the disease that took his wife from him. Every year the organization would throw a luncheon for survivors celebrating another year in the fight. I received a gift bag with some pink pearls and pink pearl earrings and a photo shoot with a portrait studio. Anyone who knows me knows that I hate having my picture taken. I am not really feeling super … Continue reading →

Celebrate Everything

A lady from my breast cancer support group nominated me for The Inspirational Survivor award for a local breast cancer charity and I got chosen. She had to write a letter telling me why I was an inspiration and she said some wonderful things about me; I paid her a lot to say them, just kidding. The letter mentioned how we had adopted our three kids, how my husband had battled cancer first and then I did and how we were making gift bags for cancer patients as they were completing their treatments. The bags were nothing fancy just a … Continue reading →

What Not To Say

Some things you should not say to a person going through the cancer diagnosis and treatments even if you mean well. Some of these comments are just plain rude but others were said in a well-meaning way. 1. “God would not give you more than you can handle.” I cannot even begin to count the number of times I was told this. My standard reply was that God must have been looking at someone else if he thought I could handle this. I do believe in God but I don’t think that he gives people cancer. The way I was … Continue reading →

Follow Your Instincts

For now I am done with surgeries I am still uneven but I need to heal and honestly I am tired of being sliced and diced. My surgeon still wants to balance me out but I am in no rush to have another surgery. I need time to heal. I am feeling better and stronger and as long as I don’t wear a shirt with stripes the girls look great. At my visit with my oncologist this would be my 3 year mark. I know hard to believe all this has been in 3 years. I am finally getting to … Continue reading →

My Bad Luck

Have I ever mentioned that I have horrible luck? If I have not let me tell you that now; I definitely have bad luck. I mean first I am diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 35 I actually found it before my 35th birthday but diagnosis was at 35. I develop MRSA, which if you don’t know it is the medicine resistant staph infection, also known as the flesh eating staph, from the lumpectomy and get hospitalized. I choose to have prophylactic bilateral mastectomies and TRAM Flap reconstruction and the plastic surgeon over stuffed me causing me to … Continue reading →

Side Two

I liked my newest “girl” but one side still needed some surgery to put a new implant in. We waited for this side because we wanted to see how the other side came out so we could make sure that they balanced out. I was finally healed and time was here to fix the other side. Before the surgery I had to decide if I wanted to go for a saline implant like I had already or if I wanted to try the silicone. According to the doctor there had been substantial improvements in the silicone implants. They are now … Continue reading →