Post Surgery

Well, the surgery is done.  What can I say about it?  It was life changing.  I know that it was for the best and that it is my best chance for a longer better life.  That doesn't change the fact that I feel changed.  I've lost my hair, nails, eyelashes and now my breasts.  I don't feel like myself.  It will just take time, I know.  The people at Huntsman were excellent.  I feel like I got the best care possible.  I got three of my five drains out on Friday.  I still need another week recovering at home before the doctor will let me go back to work.  He actually said that most people take 3 weeks off of work.  I am just dying to see how my students are doing though.  I hate missing the first weeks of school.  What bad timing?  How dare I get cancer at such a bad time of the year. 

                          Here, I am.  Just minutes before surgery.  Don't I look just wonderful?



Huntsman Cancer Institute, Salt Lake City, Utah

These are the tissue expanders...they are not the most pleasant things in the world.

My pathology report looks good.  I had no cancer on my right side.  The chemo did its job on my left side.  My tumor went from 5 cm X 3 cm at the beginning of my journey to 2 mm when extracted by my awesome surgeon, Leigh Neumayer, MD.  I also have a great plastic surgeon, Jayant Agarwal, MD.  My lymph nodes looked liked the chemo totally killed all the cancer in them.  Yeah! for my great Oncologist, Dr. Haslem.  He is totally supportive and knew what the right course of treatment was for me.  I have all these Drs helping me and I am so very greatful.  My sister in law, Cindy was also there to help me out.  She is an amazing doctor but most of all, she is my friend.  I don't know what we would've done without her through this.  Todd and I got many visitors.  My mom and dad came, they were there for the entire ordeal.  My awesome professors, Ann and Don Barnes came to see me.  My aunt Rozanne and uncle Gary came and my friend Dezirae came to cheer me up.  I just want to say thank you to all those people around me that have supported me through this journey so far.  I love you!