I saw someone today that I have not seen in a few months other than a drive by in a car accompanied with a quick wave. Right around my surgery her father passed away so her own life was very chaotic. I ran out to get the mail this afternoon without a coat and this friend was driving by and stopped. The normal niceties were exchanged followed by a wonderful statement, “you look fabulous”. What a nice thing to be told! The fact that I was wearing dirty sweatpants, an ill-fitting shirt with hair pulled back since I had been cleaning all day made the comment all the more special.
My surgery seems like a lifetime ago, something I never thought I would say. I have made a full recovery. I still have some numbness in my stomach and in the noobs which may always be there. I have a terrible time with sit-ups but if I am being honest, I could not do many before having the DIEP surgery.. None of these things has any effect on daily life.
I see the scares everyday. I think sometimes I allow this to affect my mental health. I get a little down, excuse to have the extra snack and skip the work out. A kind soul offering a totally unsolicited (but very welcome and extremely kind) comment goes a long way to reminding myself that the scares are only on the surface. They are a sign of a great fight and should be seen as almost a trophy. (alright, maybe trophy is a stretch). If nothing else it is a little boost to remind me of how far I have come.
Decisions for my Family 