Treatments are DONE!!!!

I’M IN REMISSION!!!

As of yesterday no more infusions or injections are needed to say I’m in remission!!!  Wednesday was my last chemo infusion and yesterday was my last Neulasta injection. 

You might be asking, now what? Now I heal! I still have a lot of that to do. My mastectomy incision is still open in an area on one side. My port removal surgery will need to be completed and a small revision on my right side needs to be done.  They say it can take up to 6 months before you feel semi-normal again.

We’re working with my breast surgeon to see if we can get this all wrapped up in a nice little bow before 2023. If all goes well with the infection side (right) we will move forward with surgery on Dec 27th. She’d do the revision and port removal making it only one more surgery.  If my infected side doesn’t play nice we’ll have to push it out to 2023.  We’ll make that decision with her on Dec 14th. Then we can evaluate the status and see if the surgery is green-lit. 

INFECTION UPDATE

As of today, my incision hole is producing the least it ever has. I  never thought I’d get so happy about the lack of fluid discharge. I still have another 5 days of antibiotics. We’re crossing our fingers, toes, legs, and anything else we can cross… that the infection doesn’t return. 

WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS

With a cancer diagnosis comes the scary part of reoccurrence.  I talked about this in my last post. It is what it is when you’re dealing with microscopic cells that can’t be seen in imaging. I will meet with my oncologist on my birthday, and then again in 3 months.  I can expect lots of blood work and possible imaging at these appointments. After the 3-month appointment, I will go down to every 6 months for the next FIVE YEARS!!! Blood work and CT scans.  

CAN I GET BREAST CANCER AGAIN?

This would be a super rare thing. The surgeon removed all my breast tissue to the pectoral muscle leaving no tissue to become cancerous.  It’s the #1 reason I opted for a double mastectomy. It’s crazy the number of women that have had breast cancer more than once.  More than you can even imagine. All the more reason I know I made the right choice to just remove my breasts completely.  Zero regrets!!! And zero regrets about not getting reconstruction. Boobs do not and will not complete me as a person. It’s not what defines me or any woman for that matter.

DEAR TOBY,

I got the last laugh! You and all your little minions no longer have a hold on me. You’ll never understand the pain you’ve caused me and my family. It doesn’t really matter though!  All that matters is I won this battle you challenged me to.  Game. Set. Match.  You clearly didn’t get the memo I’m a badass. #sorrynotsorry 

Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker…I WIN

Adios & Good riddance!

PS ~ I’ll still be posting here because like I said there’s still lots of healing to be done and still some procedures to go through. 

If you or anyone you know has the misfortune of going through this journey please reach out.  Family & friends go through their own process when someone is diagnosed with cancer. At times a stranger and/or someone that has gone through it can be a great support system. 

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