Fighting Fancy

Recovering from surgery is well… A real bitch. My new implants actually feel amazing. Not sore at all. It’s like I never had surgery. I can raise my arms, move like normal, no bruising… 100% better than the expanders. And then there is my stomach…. I had extensive scar tissue on either side of my stomach from the drains from the mastectomy. You could almost see the formation of where the drains were with the naked eye. It’s had bothered me ever since my last surgery so the doctor removed my scar tissue and made the scars from the first drains a lot smaller. The bruising and pain from that is UNREAL. As my friend Suzanne put it “you look like you have been hit by a car.” And I feel like it. Every time I stand up I feel like my stomach is going to fall out through my stitches. When I walk I hold onto my stomach, not my chest, for fear it will literally fall off. Good news is, recovery for this is a lot quicker than standard breast implants and I should be back to sleeping on my stomach in no time! Which if you have every heard me complain about my spacers… you know sleeping on my stomach again is my ultimate goal.

For now sitting up is even a challenge. I work a bit at my computer and then have to lay flat on my back and email from my phone. I have been trying to cut out the pain pills but then I sit up to fast, feel like my stomach is literally on fire, and burst into tears. So… Pain pills it is for just a bit longer.

As if surgery wasn’t enough for us last week, Derek and I decided to move into our new house as well. Here is how the past week has been…
TUESDAY, MAY 7: surgery, stay in hospital
WEDNESDAY: get released from hospital
THURSDAY: pack
FRIDAY: move
SATURDAY / SUNDAY: move and unpack
MONDAY: try to work and end up violently throwing up… so back to bed rest (my body was clearly giving me the middle finger) so after sleeping all afternoon I persevered and worked until 10. Then unpacked again….

This brings us to to today. Scan day. Today was supposed to be my first set of scans to see if the chemo worked. I was scheduled for a CT of the head, chest, abdomen and pelvis. As well as a bone scan. My oncologist nurse called me this morning to tell me that my insurance wouldn’t pay for my scans so we are having to postpone them until we can figure something out. This is a huge disappointment. I want to be positive and know I am cancer free but without those test to prove it it’s just a phrase I’m hoping is true. For anyone who has been through chemo you know what I’m feeling. Any lump, bump, bruise, ache, cough or anything abnormal you think is cancer. The truth lies in those scans. It’s just one more thing to make me sleep better at night. If any of you chemo girls have dealt with this same insurance problem and have some advice please let me know!

I do have a follow up appointment with my surgeon at 2 today. I’m hoping I can get my stitches removed and I can use my new Jason International Hydrotherapy bath created to help heal and sooth patients going through chemo and various surgeries. I’ll have to do a separate post on that. It’s pretty amazing.

Then at 3 the movers are coming again to move the rest of my belongings. Never a dull moment at the Owens household!

Thanks to everyone who has been checking on me and special thanks to my aunt Beth and Katie who packed and moved me Friday and Saturday! Now that’s a good aunt and friend!

Now, if anyone would like to borrow Pitkin for the day and take him for a walk he would greatly appreciate it. He is so bored and won’t stop following me. Everywhere. Everywhere I turn he is there. Here are a few pics to show you what I mean…..

With me being “handicap” I can’t help pit on the bed. He doesn’t understand. So he keeps going from side to side trying to get my attention….

Someone save me from this creep!

xoxo,

heather

May 9, 2012 Derek wrote his first blog post, “Today we received some very unexpected news… our doctor informed us that the “lump” is in fact Breast Cancer.”

Those two words still get me. Breast Cancer. I can’t believe how far we have come in one year. It has been the most terrifying and gratifying year of my life. It has taught me so much about myself and who I want to be as a person. Life is not about responsibilities and accomplishments, but love and relationships. I have never felt so loved in my life and for that, THANK YOU!

Here is a look back on what a crazy year it has been…

Two days before I found my lump….

Two weeks after I found my lump…. time for a change!

Two weeks after my first Chemo… bye bye hair!

My friends threw me a wig party for my 29th birthday party…

Not ONCE was I ever left alone at chemo. Thank you. Thank you.

Humbled by what all has happened in a year…

And then the cancer was removed!

Now, onto growing Fighting Fancy and my hair back!

xoxo,

heather

Just talked to her doctor. He said everything went great and she is in recovery now. He still wanted to play it by ear on whether she will have to stay the night or not, it will depend on how she feels when she wakes up.

I’ll update again after we get to go back and see her or she gets moved to a room.

Thanks for the thoughts and prayers.

A couple of pre-op pics I know she will be excited I included on here!

Tomorrow is a surgery I have been looking forward to for the past six months: the replacement surgery. Out with these rock hard expanders and in with the new implants! For months I haven’t been able to sleep on my stomach. And if I would, I would pay for it the next morning. It was definitely a side affect of the mastectomy I wasn’t prepared for. I can’t wait to feel like myself again!

Surgery is scheduled for 5 am tomorrow at St. Vincent Hospital. I will be staying one night and then home sweet home. Derek will keep you updated on my status. Thanks for all your prayers and text!

xoxo,

heather

I am going over all the applications sent in this week for Fighting Fancy bags and I am always in tears, laughing and proud of these women whose stories I get to read. I can’t stop thinking about one girl in particular, Kirsten Greer. In September of 2012 her husband and her got the news they had been waiting for a while to hear: Pregnant! In January she found a lump….. On March 1, 2013 their worst fears came true when they found out that Kirsten in deed has breast cancer (Grade 3, Triple Negative). At 27 weeks pregnant, Kirsten made the decision to start four rounds of chemo. Her first four treatments are Adriamycin and Cytoxan. (Two of the most aggressive chemo’s to get, trust me, I had four rounds of this as well) She is three chemo’s down and one more left until she gives birth to her new baby girl. Kirsten will then have four more treatments of chemo, a mastectomy and five weeks of radiation.

What amazes me about Kirsten is her spirit and ability to make the most of this bitter sweet situation she has been put in. I have been very open with how bad I want children and the possibility that I most likely won’t be able to give birth myself. But to finally be pregnant and THEN learn you have Breast Cancer. Wow. I can’t even imagine. Kristen, I think you are an amazing woman with a strong will to fight for yourself and that sweet little girl! I will be following your journey! To see Kirsten’s full story you can follow her blog at abumpandalump.blogspot.com How cute is that? Seriously.

Now meet Kirsten…. You would NEVER guess what she is going through. I told you she is awesome.

xoxo,

heather

Off to get my lab work done! Woke up with a black eye and I’m pretty sure I broke my leg when I ran into the nightstand this morning. I’m not off to a good start today.

I’m at the Women’s Expo today at the Convention Center. Come see me! PLEASE!