Long time no communicate! So sorry I have been missing in action. After I last wrote in October, I have been plugging along and very busy with my little one.
I had surgery in January to remove the expanders and replace with the implants. That procedure went very well and I healed very well - or so I thought. I began seeing a lymphedema specialist who noticed that the radiated (cancer) side of my chest was getting increasingly more red so I rushed off to see my plastic surgeon who was on a plane to Maui that night. He warned me that there was a possibility that the radiated skin would not hold the implant- and it looked like this was the start of it. He bandaged me up and instructed no heavy lifting or physical activity involving my upper body.
I carried on and on March 4th, I was knocked down hard with the chills and fever. I was extremely sick and it turns out that the skin had opened up and the implant was now exposed. My amazing plastic surgeon answered an email from me while on vacation in Maui to tell me that this is what he feared would happen, and it is now contaminated and needs to come out. He got back from vacation on March 12th and I was in surgery on March 19th (again). I am recovering now - but we are set back now about 6 months as we cannot begin any further reconstruction until this one heals. I am also going to have to have skin grafting (alloderm) to repair the left side before we can even consider reinserting the implant. Good times!
Other than that, I saw my oncologist for my first follow up visit after chemo. We are waiting on the results of my CT scan to rule out any metastasis because of the abdominal/ovarian pain I have been experiencing for a while now. We had a long talk and both agree that, in my case, an oopherectomy is a good thing to do. My cancer was fed by estrogen so as long as I am pre menopausal and producing as much estrogen as I am, its not a great situation for possible reoccurence. This means I will have my ovaries and fallopian tubes removed - and with this means no more babies :( - and I will go into menopause literally overnight. Those are some hard consequences to digest so I am crossing my T's and dotting my I's by talking to all the specialists and cancer doctors in this field to get all my options on the table. Again, good times!
On a more positive note - Keira is now 20 months and she is walking and talking up a storm. She is just a doll and I am amazed by how intelligent and funny and creative she is every day. We sing and we read and we laugh. I couldn't think of a better way to spend my days than being an influence on my daughter's development.
Oliver and the business' are doing well. We had a crazy January when the snow hit and Oliver worked 80+ hours over 5 days with almost no sleep. He is a machine that man. We got some great customer contracts this season - but unfortunately we didn't get that big snow fall we were hearing was on it's way. We recently had our Kubota Front End Loader stolen, but thanks to the power of technology and word of mouth, and some good simaritan, the Langley RCMP received a tip of it's whereabouts not 24 hours after it was taken, and it is back in our possession and in the same condition it was when it "walked" away. We are looking forward to spring and the sunny weather to help take things to a new level!
We are heading in to Burnaby today to wish a very good man a happy retirement from BCAA. Looking forward to seeing all my BCAA family!
What's next for me? First and foremost, living, laughing and appreciating all that I have each and every day. In addition, plastic surgeon hopes to remove all stitches by next week. Appt with a second oncologist on Apr 12 to discuss the oopherectomy further (second opinion). Two surgeries to follow in the next few months. Physiotherapy to regain movement in my left arm.
