My Road of Third Cancer

01.28.2009 ~ ONE YEAR AGO & FOUR MONTH TODAY ~ 05.28.2010

My Road of Third Cancer

 

I am FINALLY doing fairly good after a 14mo. of Hell from Cancer.  Had my LAST surgery Thursday the 14th of January. Got the drain tube out Monday 01.24.2010 and took off the bandages 01.29.2010.

It's ONE YEAR (& 4mo.) TODAY that I sat in the Surgeon's office listening to him tell me I had Breast Cancer & would NEED surgery!!! He explained the Options, Pros, Cons and the What If's... the BEST Surgeon I'd ever known... I buckled down to the "hard core" surgery  Skin-Sparing Mastectomy followed by "TRAM-flap" Reconstruction as I REFUSED Chemo & Radiation with having only ONE Kidney!

Yes, I had Kidney Cancer in which the Surgeon removed a Kidney on September 28th, 2007.  And hey, while I'm at it - I had Cervical Cancer in which the Surgeon removed my "garage" in January. of 2001, leaving just the "driveway".

Am I losing parts? You bet! I chuckle when I go in for an Ultra Sound... he says "OK which part you losing this time?" And I say "Better not be on the right side!" As WE chuckle. You see, it would take hours to tell you about all the surgeries I've had and all on the left side except appendix & well uterus 1/2side.

We've got to find HUMOR in even the bad situations or we become stale!!! Thank God that HE created us with TWO sides!!! : )

JFYI... "TRAM-flap" Having first the Mastectomy in April of 2009 and then TRAM-flap in August. What was Unforseen was the Severe Infection in my abdomin incision which was the worst pain I've ever had!!!  It landed me in a w/c.   Because the BEST Surgeon doesn't do Reconstruction I had choicen the next closest distance which was Duluth.  Well, the "Meat Cleaver Surgeon" had used Dissolvable Stitches which disinigrated within two days of being home.  It took MANY trips to Duluth & he still did not believe there was anything wrong tho he did give one wk of anti-biotics.

Finally I got in to see my regular Physician  here in G.R. in October 2009.  He took one look & got the G.R. Surgeon immediately.  They are both such sweet hearts who CARE about their human patients!!! 

Within minutes I was in the Procedure Room.  He cut the opening incision completely open & packed it with gauze of solution.  Leaving it OPEN for the infection to LEAVE my body as the powerful solution cleansed the wound.

Twice daily I had to go thru complete sterilie procedure and re-pack the wound with new gauze & solution for one week then went back for another surgery at which time the Surgeon cut away the dead tissue and closed with Staples.  Two weeks later the staples were removed & the pain was GONE!!!  I was smiling coming out of his office :-)  

What was suppose to be TWO surgeries ended up being SIX -- Thank You so much Dr. Meat Cleaver!

TODAY I'm Cancer FREE!!!  Yes, a 3x Cancer SURVIVOR!!!

If any of you come to face Breast Cancer please know... You are in my prayers for the BEST decision for YOUR health.  It's one decision that was hardest then any I've had to make! And also know that I am always here for you if ever you want to talk!

~Joni  :-)