January 12, 2011

New Year, New Breasts!

Finally, we can put 2010 behind us and celebrate the New Year, in oh so many ways!  My January 6 bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction was successful and without complications.  My parents came up and hung out at the hospital with dear friends, Margot and Joe, Laurie and cousins Randee and Ken. ( I really felt I was missing a party!. ) I spent four and a half hours in the OR  on Thursday afternoon and got to go home on Saturday, pretty fabulous!  Both doctors seem to have been extremely pleased with the results.  The following Monday the plastic surgeon removed  2 of the 5 drains  and on Wednesday received the final pathology report that indicated there was only cancer in one of 24 lymph nodes removed and in the duct where they were unable to get clear margins last time.  In each case the cancer cells showed the effect of the chemo. Yippee!   Thursday, just a week after surgery, the plastic surgeon removed the remaining drains.  Not to be too graphic, but walking around with 5 hand grenade size drains clanking on your tummy isn’t the most wonderful feeling, so you know you are moving ahead when they go bye bye.

Within 3 weeks, I should be able to start expansion and by early February I should start radiation.


Thank you all for your cards, COOKIES, emails, COOKIES, flowers, COOKIES, books, fruit, and well wishes. We love you all and thank for keeping us in your lives, thoughts and prayers. 

January 1, 2011

Finally, It's 2011!

We had a wonderful holiday in Jackson Hole.  As much as I  missed being with my folks, sister and brother-in-law over the holiday, an extended vacation in Jackson was just what I needed to put things behind us.  We had a blast.  Some highlights include  

Look Ma, no tree top!

No problem, we'll just hammer one in!

1) arriving in Jackson to find out there are no Christmas trees anywhere, zero, zip, nada, totally sold out.  Never one to be deterred, I put out an APB to my local network.  Within minutes I had several offers.  One from our landscaper who offered to go in the woods, cut one down and have her goat drag it from the forest.  The second, from a woman who had 2, her sister in law was taking one and we were invited to take the left over for FREE.  You can imagine what it looked like.  If you can’t I am including a photo.  It didn’t have a top, so we nailed a branch to the top.  Very Charlie Brown.  But we loved it!

Cody and friend on the dike!

2) Cody was in dog heaven.  He returned to his native climate of snow and had so much fun.  (Almost as much fun as we had, toweling him off after every adventure).  He found plenty of dogs to play with on our daily 2 mile walks.

3) Ella received an early Christmas present of a banana snow board that she was able to use for the 3 days prior to Christmas.  She did her first Tram run this year in negative 6 degree weather.  It took me two days to thaw her out!

Our favorite things!

4) Steve gave Andie a driving lesson in the snow and we allowed her to take 6 kids to dinner in the Suburban!  What were we thinking!!!! They had a marvelous time!

5)  I decided that downhill is not my sport this year.  I went out for 2 short runs, figured out I had no stamina or lower body strength (no upper body strength for that matter either), had a “yard sale” and went in to hone my apres ski skills

Steve as he looked at Stanford!

6) Steve wearing his 80s moustache stocking stuffer and Santa boxers all day long, including on a 5 mile walk, until   his friend Bill could see it!  

Our beautiful Charlie Brown tree!

My children and husband have been truly unbelievable.  They have maintained their sense of humor.  Shown incredible patience.  And been rock solid in supporting me.  May those traits carry over into 2011 !