I’m getting super antsy being at home wanting to organize this or that, move this chair or that chair, paint a room, move a dresser. These are just the sort of things I do when I’m home a lot. I get these ideas and want to change things up. I’m advised to not lift over 10 pounds for the first 8 weeks post op. I’m also advised to do nothing strenuous as there is a risk of a hernia following my recent surgery. I hate asking for help, I hate to sit and I also hate thinking of things to do then not being able to do them. I’m venting. I’ve noticed that I’m in a much better mood if I keep myself busy. however, getting out in this cold isn’t my cup of tea either. A cup of tea. Now that’s my thing. (But you can only sit and drink so much […]
Category: Recovery
Post-Op & Commit30
Hi All. It’s Julie. Remember me? Oh my gosh, so much to talk about! Post op updates, 2018 Goals, 2017 in Review, Tracking my food and WW Freestyle I’ll save “2017 in Review” and “Tracking my food and WW Freestyle” for my next post, otherwise I could be here ALL day……..and you would be really bored. Heck, that might happen anyhow! Post Op My daughter Tess came in town December 6th and ended up staying through surgery and didn’t go back to Dallas until December 28th. I loved having her here and so did Mike. Recovery would have been so difficult without her here. She actually came back this past weekend and organized an un decorating afternoon for me with our son and daughter-in-law. Everything is put away and organized just like mom likes it. They all did a great job! I’m now 4 Weeks Post-op! I can not believe […]
In Limbo
I feel In Limbo right now and I’m trying really hard not to feel that way. This time in between surgery one and surgery two is uncomfortable, full of overwhelming information and at times mentally draining. That being said, I am doing my best to stay positive and take one day at a time. The last few days have included walks, a little Yoga, I’ve enjoyed being back at work and I’ve tracked my food. The weather has been great for walks outside! It’s been nice to count steps too! Routine has felt good, and I even got a short visit from my daughter Tess. On Thursdays I have an early morning WW meeting and a lunchtime WW meeting. In between the two, I picked up Tess at the airport and she came to my lunchtime meeting with me! It was nice to have her there with me and also […]
Breast Cancer Awareness, Weight Watchers
I crossed that line of “I feel like crap” to” I feel like myself and I think I got my spunk back!” in the last few days. I’m four weeks post op of my double mastectomy and finally feeling like myself. It has been a very busy five days, but I feel really good physically and mentally and I’m looking forward to these next two and a half months before my reconstruction surgery in December. I went to my girlfriends farm Tuesday through Thursday. We sipped on coffee, sipped on wine, ate yummy food, hunted bittersweet, snuggled up around the fire outside, listened to music, shared stories and got a little sleep in there too. I’m never ready to come home when I go there. This is the only picture that I took…..but it sums up my two days of peace and quiet and enjoying being outside. Chemo? Nope. […]
Stitches and Sleep
The Hubs Thursday was Mike’s procedure and I would have updated you sooner, but honestly, it was a really long day and the only thing that the two of us did for the next three days was rest, and by rest, I mean sleep with a little bit of eating thrown in there. I may have overdone so went back to the narcotics for sleep, and Mike was sent home with his own med cocktail. I feel like we lost three days of life just sleeping. On Thursday, we had to arrive at the hospital at 11:30 am for a 1:30 pm procedure. The surgeon had two surgeries before Mike’s and they both had some unexpected complications (those patients are fine, we did ask), so the surgeon was running behind and Mike’s 1:30 pm surgery began after 5:00 pm. It was a really long day and we got home at 9:00 […]
The Oncologist
I met with the oncologist this morning. It all still sounds so strange coming out of my mouth. I met with the oncologist this morning. Yep, still strange. I blogged about the fact that we met a few weeks ago, but that’s about all I had to say. The first half of our appointment a few weeks ago was fine, informative, interesting. The last half of the appointment a few weeks ago was odd. He made it very clear to me towards the end of my appointment that he thought that I should not tell many people about my cancer or my surgery. He said that I would be surprised at what people would say to me. Unwanted advice and comments. He basically advised me not to talk about the fact that I had cancer. I told him that it was too late for that. (so did Mike). I told him that I write […]
It’s Me! Julie
Let me first start with this. My breast surgeon called yesterday to tell me that the pathology report did show breast cancer markers of a different type of breast cancer in BOTH of my breast, so I feel really good about my decision to have a double mastectomy. I was certain that was the route I was going to take in the beginning, but I am feeling even better about my decision now. This increases the chance that I may have to have some chemo after all, but I won’t know that for certain until my appointment with my oncologist. Please remember, if deciding to have a lumpectomy, a mastectomy or a double mastectomy is a decision that you or a loved one is facing, this is a very personal decision that only the patient can make, and the best thing that you can do as the patient is to […]
Post-op Update from Tess
This is Tess! If you’re one of the newer readers, I’m Julie’s 26-year-old daughter who lives in Dallas. Mom wanted me to share a post surgery update with y’all from my point-of-view. Want to know more about me? Check out my blog here. Yes, we’re a mother-daughter blogging duo, adorable, huh? This really isn’t how I saw out first guest post going, but life had other plans. Thursday Surgery was fast. Mom was all done and in recovery in less than 4 hours! Lymph nodes came back negative, GREAT NEWS! Still TBD on if she’ll need chemo or not. When we got to see her I joked that she looked like she always does (something she tells me whenever I say I look like crap and she’s trying to be sweet and say that I look fine, except mom really did look great, perfect hair and all). Mike and I went […]
Feeling Great!
Edit: Jan 4, 2020. This post was the day after my double mastectomy! So far so good!! (Posting from my Phone, so I hope it works.) Tess will fill you in later, but I wanted to say that these drugs are great 😜and I feel really good. I get to home today! No nausea, pain is under control, incisions look good. I even feel good enough to post this little blog! “Love the life you live, live the life you love”