STRONGER

"Makes me that much stronger

Makes me work a little bit harder

It makes me that much wiser

So thanks for making me a fighter

Made me learn a little bit faster

Made my skin a little bit thicker

Makes me that much smarter

So thanks for making me a fighter"

- Christina Aguilera -

On my playlist: FIGHTER

February 27, 2024

Tomorrow will mark 5 weeks post-op. 5 weeks?! Gosh, seriously... time flies!

My healing and recovery this time was less, well, uncertain. There has been a lot of comfort in knowing what to expect post-surgery. For both surgeries, there were the days immediately following surgery which were doused in drugs and pain-killers, daily exercises, meal trains (THANK YOU friends who dropped off meals and food to keep us going and not have to think about it), sponge baths, medical appointments, lots of naps, skincare and incision management, rest and just hanging out and letting time do its thing.

And now it's just ongoing oncology appointments, rehab and survivorship programs to get me stronger and stronger! And of course, TIME.

This past weekend seemed to be the turning point where cancer started to take the backseat and occupy less mind space. YEAH!

Days have been melting into the other and weekdays and weekends have been indistinguishable from one another. Thankfully, that is starting to change.

I'm stronger every single day. I'm having more structured days and taking on more tasks and routine. There's noticeable daily progress...

🩷 I've started driving again! WOOHOO. We have a manual transmission car so getting back to driving took longer than usual because I need the full use of both arms.

🩷 Received the "all clear" from my surgeon. My margins are clear so with that I have been dismissed from the surgical department.

🩷 My daily cancer medication (letrozole) has exacerbated the arthritis in my knees. This has been a challenge. There are good days and not-so-good days. Still trying to find the magic combination of pain meds, exercises and ointments. It's a work in progress.

🩷 I'm back in the kitchen making some meals and easing back to doing more things around the house. Truthfully, this house could use a deep clean!

🩷 Daily post-op exercises are coming along. I don't quite have full-range on my left side just yet, but I am close, REALLY CLOSE! You can see my progress here.

🩷 My skin no longer feels as if it's on fire. YEAH!!! Oh gosh, that has certainly been the worst of it. Because I received radiation within 12 months of my mastectomy, my skin hadn't fully healed and the discomfort was off-the-charts. Thankfully, I am MUCH MUCH better. I am still unable to wear a bra for more than a couple of hours, but that is progress in itself.

🩷 I've scheduled my appointment to get my breast prosthesis at Melmira! WOOHOO! I get a NEW B@@B!

🩷 I'm getting lots of solid sleep and it's much more sound these days. Ahhh sleep. SO SO SOOOO GOOD!

🩷 My incision is healing nicely. It's a daily processing of what has transpired. I look in the mirror every single day and have a moment. Some days I smile, some days there are tears. There is always gratitude.

🩷 Back to being a Cancer Thriver!

And the recovery continues. I am finally in a place where I have the bandwidth and more brain-focus ability to look ahead and see what the future may hold. I have an opportunity here to examine, explore and make choices.

I have spent countless hours thinking, dreaming, and curating in my mind - the life that awaits me. To say that I will be back to normal doesn't feel quite right. I'm not sure what to say really. I'm marinating on the next chapter...

I am grateful for the gift of time to clarify and explore. Ahhh Breast cancer the gift wrapped in barbed wire. 🩷

R xx