Tag: post mastectomy

Black Friday, Christmas Decorations, More surgery and a Happy Birthday

The day after Thanksgiving for years was a huge headache for me due to my years in retail. Many that I worked with love the day, I dreaded it!  Arrive in the building somewhere between 3 and 6 am after eating enough to last a week and then work 12-15 hours. I am first to admit I am not exactly a “people person” and the crowds of crazy, pushing people who are annoyed that tens of thousands of other people had the same idea to shop, does not help my feelings toward people. The lines are longer than any other day of the year, yet many seem annoyed and openly want to share that annoyance with any and all who wish to listen.   Now many stores are opening on Thanksgiving which I find ridiculous.  IF they are only having employees working who volunteer to do such then fine but my many years lead me to believe that people probably working for minimum wage or close to it are not given a choice to keep their job or spend time with family.

But I digress.  So once I left retail, Black Friday became Christmas decoration day for us!  I have more Christmas stuff than I do normal everyday knick knacks.  I collect statues of Santa Clause.  I have the cheerful soul in many occupations, fireman, golfer, pirate, toy maker I even have a wall street santa, (don’t tell the occupy folks!)  I have them in Lenox and cloth, big and small, standing and seated and I love them all!

It hit me Sunday that this year that may not be possible since I once again have surgery Monday.  The breast revision, revision. Although it should not be too earth shattering, I do expect that I will have lifting restrictions and soreness for a bit.  Next weekend we are swamped and then surgery so the decorating had to get done this weekend.  It took the better part of yesterday and a few hours today but everything except the Christmas tree itself is up inside the house.  Frank is in charge outside.  Just like before each of the surgeries, going through my checklists of everything that must be handled before my forced down time.

The best gift ever! Took me 6 years but I finally did it!

Saturday was Madison’s birthday party.  It was a nice day.  The kids all had a great time at the karate school party.  The family also seemed to have a nice time back at the house.  Madison was thrilled with her gift, Baby butterscotch.  She is one spoiled child!  I can not believe my baby is six.  Time flies!

My baby and I with a giant Hello Kitty Balloon. Can you guess the theme?

Just another day

One week after Superstorm Sandy, we are in the midst of another (much smaller) nor’easter.  For my area it brings an early snow.  The roads are still too warm for it to lay but it is enough to cause stupidity.  I was driving to my radiology appointment earlier and was the third car in line at a red light.  All three of us were waiting to turn left.  The light changed, the first car started through the intersection just to be broadsided by some young girl who either was not looking, on a phone, a terrible driver or caught up in the “sky is falling” early snow syndrome that hits so many in my area the first few times the white stuff shows itself.

So once I was able to continue on my way, I made it to my much-anticipated pelvic ultrasound.  I quickly downed my 32 ozs of water int he parking lot and headed in. The tech was a very nice young woman who was very chatty.  I guess many woman come in nervous.  After years of biopsies, two child births, a miscarriage and the mastectomy this was just a few minutes of inconvenient time for me.  I was pleased that the appointment was timely and really pretty quick.  Can’t ask for much more than that I suppose!

I did think of how funny it would be if my husband or any man for that matter were to have to switch places with me (or any woman) undergoing these procedures.  Don’t get me wrong, Frank has been wonderful with me during this entire process, but I could not imagine what he would be like if we had to switch places.  I mean the common cold is earth shattering.

Tomorrow I start my Prep for Friday’s colonoscopy . Today my instructions were to stay away from fruits and veggies, nothing was said about the girls bowl of halloween candy :-)!  I find it somewhat amusing the it is called Moviprep.  On a quick glance you may think that some great film may start playing as you mix up the fine concoction.  At closer glance it stirs images of other types of moving.

I think in my mind I will hang onto the first!

Revisions, colonoscopy, ultrasound and “Frankenstorm”

With the end of the year quickly approaching I finally have everything scheduled and barring any unforeseen  circumstances, it will all be completed before the end of November!

I saw the Gastroenterologist today.  She agreed that a colonoscopy would be a wise move.  I have stopped fighting it and have scheduled for November 9.  I have my instructions and my script and am SOOO looking forward to it, NOT!

I have scheduled the revision surgery for November 19th.  I have to go for blood work sometime this week for that.  I am hoping the recovery from this one is quick since Thanksgiving will only be a few days later.

Since the rest of the schedule fell into line today, the only other thing I needed to get onto the schedule was the pelvic ultrasound.  As soon as I walked through the door I jumped on the phone and scheduled for November 7th.  Two and a half weeks in November are looking pretty ugly but if all goes well, by the end of the month it will all be over!

In other interesting news, we on the east coast are preparing for Hurricane Sandy or the more fun name being given to the storm, “Frankenstorm”.  They are saying it will be a 1 in 100 year storm.  I am not right along the coast so no evacuations for my family but my sister lives on the coast.  We may have a visitor over the weekend.  If things align the way they think,  we could be looking at over 10-12 inches of rain.  possibly one heck of a mess!  We ran to the store for extra milk, bottled water and batteries and a new lighter for candles.

Now I guess we just wait, for everything.