Lucky No. 7

So it’s surgery time again…. I will be heading in for another reconstruction surgery on Thursday, April 20. This will be the seventh surgery in 21 months.

I’ve been going to the hospital every day for a month now for my hyperbaric oxygen treatments to prepare for this surgery. I get there each day at 7:40 a.m., treatments are from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., then I spend 15 minutes getting ready in a public restroom afterwards as I can’t wear any makeup/contacts/skin care products, etc. in the chamber each morning. So that means I’m getting to work at 11:00 a.m. each day and I stay until 7:00 p.m. or later, so that eats into any social time I used to have.

I will have to do 10 more treatments starting the day after my surgery too, so that means I’ll spend six full weeks in the chamber daily, Mon-Fri.

Many friends have asked how the treatments have been going. Everyone assumes that I will just feel awesome every day due to what they’ve heard about HBOT. Actually, I get a lot of headaches and cramping in my chest from the treatments. The only person that will know if the treatments are working is my surgeon once he cuts into me. The goal is to promote healing and new blood vessel growth in the skin that was damaged from the radiation.

I went in for my pre-op appointment and learned this would not be my last surgery. The doctor will want to do another surgery 3 months after this one. My doctor will cut out the radiated skin and insert a bigger implant on the left side this time and my recovery time will be 1.5 to 2 weeks. The next surgery will not be as invasive, only requiring me to be out of work around 4 days. It will still require me to go under full anesthesia, but he will just be inserting some filler and doing some stitching to provide symmetry.

Every time I think I’m getting closer to the end of this journey, it just keeps extending. I am so ready to get my health, strength and stamina back. Going under full anesthesia every few months is hard on your system. Plus, I’m ready to have my free time back and not spending so much time on treatments and procedures.

I keep reminding myself that I cannot control this journey and I’ve almost become numb to getting excited about getting my life back. Originally, I thought it would take a year out of my life. Now it will be more than two. Right now, I just refuse to put any expectations on anything that would get my hopes up. Every time I do, I just keep getting let down. It is what it is. I will cross the finish line when it happens and just celebrate every day in between the best I can. Every day is a gift. No one knows that more than a person whose life has been touched by cancer.

Wishing everyone a happy Easter! I will be recovering at my parent’s house again for the weekend following surgery, so hopefully the Easter bunny will know where to leave the chocolate!

Love to you all!
Marcy