Wake me up when Pinktober ends.

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Wait...the federal government is shutting down today AND it's the start of Pinktober? Talk about the double-whammy of suck! In lieu of the ever-present pink ribbon, this year for Breast Cancer Awareness Month I've decided to adopt a logo that I think better represents the suck-fest that is cancer. I think this is a better fit...



Yup, kicked its ass.

Don't get me wrong. It's not that I don't appreciate the pink ribbon sentiment. It's just a little inaccurate. For all of it's fundraising and awareness-raising, the ACA still predicts over 232K new cases of breast cancer in 2013 and almost 40K breast cancer deaths. So, instead of the pink ribbon and, well, pink everything else in the Northern hemisphere, try this on for size this month.

Guess what day it is!

No, it's not actually HUMP DAAAAAAAAAAYYYA! But it is the one year anniversary of my last nasty chemo treatment. Allow me to refresh your memory...

Remember that? It was a good look, right? Right!?! And here we are a whole year later. Like the hair? I grew it myself.

So what else is new? Well...we made it all the way up to Connecticut and visited these fine folk...

Then made the annual pilgrimage to the Eastern Shore...

These dogs are like American Express. Never leave home without them.

And then there was the event at the Pentagon where I got to meet this guy.

Let's see...what else? It feels like I'm missing something...
Oh, yea! Then I was contacted by a reporter from the Chicago Tribune who's read this very blog right here and wants to include my story in an article about young-ish people who have experienced the suckfest that is cancer. Or something like that. I might be paraphrasing a bit. More details on the article (hopefully) to follow.

Post-Op Week 5(ish)

What? I've only been MIA from blogging for three measly weeks. And trust me, you haven't missed anything exciting. Just a six month follow up with Dr. B. That's right, it's been six whole months since my last check up with her. In fact, it had been so long since I'd seen her, I completely forgot that my last appointment with her was pre-exchange surgery. Yea, remember that way back when? So she and I had a lot to catch up on. And she actually spends enough time in the appointment with me to catch up on everything. 'Cause she's awesome. But, long check-up short, everything looks really good and she'll see me in another six months.

And today is my six week post-op check up with Dr. M. I won't actually hit the official six week mark until this Friday, but we have something much better planned for the weekend than sitting around a doctor's office (more on that later). So I'm getting it out of the way early in the week.

Oh! But I do have something slightly exciting to report. And also a pretty darn good excuse for my blogging MIA'ed-ness. My final grades for the Summer semester. 

Just two semesters away from graduation! Mark you calendars for Commencement ceremonies on Saturday May 17th 2014.

Post Op 2 weeks and some change

The last week-ish has been pleasantly uneventful. Thursday was another follow up with Dr. M, who removed the last of the sutures. So the results are looking less and less like franken-nipple. Dr. M for the win! 

He also cleared me to gradually increase activity levels and decrease weight restrictions. So Saturday, we went here...

...were the rocks be trippin'.

High Rock Lookout, MD. I'm told the hang gliding is amazing.

This is gradual enough, right?

"I thought you packed the spray paint???"

Post-Op Day 5

Follow up with Dr. M today and everything is looking fan-freaking-tastic. All of the dressings came off the good twin and most off the evil twin. Though the evil twin is still left with some sutures and the splint. So it kinda looks like this right now...

But by next week's follow up, I should be rid of the remaining sutures and splint as well. And the good twin continues to heal at a record setting pace. Further proof that I just may be part vampire. Ooh! Or maybe part faerie. If I'm not careful, vampire Bill just might try to synthesize my blood...

Cancer humor and True Blood references... where else are you going to find that? I'll tell ya - no where - that's where!

Post-Op Day 3

If you're paying close attention, you may notice post-op days 1 and 2 are missing. You and me both, sister. 'Cause I think they both slipped by me pretty quickly. Time flies when you're still under the influence of anesthesia. But! Friday's procedure came and went with little-to-no excitement. Well, unless you include continuing to beat my personal record for getting kicked out of discharged from the hospital: 6 hours flat this time. 

Pre-op and post-Sharpee. A matching set of "yes" on each clavicle.

Post-op. Clearly still feeling the love of pain meds.

Two days post-ops... goodbye nubbin!

Not pictured above: A fresh, new incision underneath the good twin. There was some asymmetry that hadn't evened out from the exchange surgery in March, so Dr. M re-opened the old scar and swapped out that implant for one that will match the other. Also not pictured here (because this just isn't that kind of blog) the newly constructed nip on the evil twin. The big unveiling won't be until my follow up with Dr. M on Wednesday. Until then it's still "dressed". Complete with plastic splint. You read that right. My new nipple needs a splint. (I guess this is *that* kind of blog.) If you're curious how one creates a nipple where one didn't use to be (or rather, where one *did* use to be but then had to be removed), click HERE. But seriously, it's so not pretty. 

Ahh....now, if I could finally get around to posting all those completely non-surgery related photos from the Fourth. Hope you all had a great holiday!

Deja vu all over again

I had my pre-op phone interview with fine folks of Fairfax Hospital yesterday. Which was pretty quick and easy because it was mostly "Has anything changed since you were here in March?" and "Do you remember where to park?" Yup, same place as last time.

Huh. Not sure how I feel about that. I do kinda feel like me and the anesthesiologist are BFFs by now. I mean, this will make trip number 6 to chemically-induced sleepy town in the last 16 months. Maybe there are frequent flyer miles. Or one of those punch-cards like at the carwash. You know, buy 5 procedures get the 6th one free! That definitely sounds like an amendment to the ACA to me.

Hmmm.... time for a trip down memory lane, shall we? Starting with...

Getting my medi-port in May 4th 2012

Then, the big surgery October 22nd 2012

   

Reconstruction on March 5th 2013

And in just 3 short days I'll bid a fond adieu to the nubbin and put the finishing touches on recontruction.



As Rob would say, "In true Kiki fashion", I just had to squeeze in a summer class before this next procedure. Guess who got herself an "A" in Ethics...


Say it with me now... SUCK IT, CANCER!