Monday, March 7, 2011

Receding necklines and plunging hairlines

It's off!  I'm done!

I've been awake for four hours.  I ate Pita Pit for dinner.  (My crazy-thoughtful friends printed off a packet of menus for restaurants that deliver to the hospital so that this vegetarian doesn't have to eat coleslaw the whole time.)  I just took a walk around the "block".  My pain is totally managed by Tylenol 3.  I THINK I'm "with it", but I'm pretty sure I'm not totally "with it".  Evidence for this is the crazy amount of typos I am committing and fixing, and the fact that it has taken me 10 minutes to compose this post thus far.  I am usually much speedier than this.  Zoom zoom!  ha ha ha

I was super excited about this post title, but everyone I've run it by has needed an explanation.  See, with only one breast I probably won't be wearing any low-cut shirts any more.  Even if I do, they won't achieve the proper function of showing cleavage, you know?  Plus, I'm currently wearing this enormous sports bra contraption to hold all of the bandages in place, and it zips up in the front, practically to my neck.  That's the "receding necklines".  In contrast, I see my hairlines as "plunging" because my head hair has finally grown in enough that I can see my hairline again.  No more forehead blending into bald head.  My new hair thus far is as dark as before, giving me a distinct hairline in the usual place, which is much lower on my forehead than my chemo stubble.  Hence, "plunging hairlines".  I thought it was a clever juxtaposition, and I've been pretty excited to make this post just for the sake of the title.  I'm hoping that someone laughed before they read the explanation.  :)  

So...not sure what else to say.  I'm sore, but I'm great.  Absolutely fabulous.  Oh, and did I tell you that the initial pathology of the breast skin looks good?  No initial evidence of abnormalities, although there are more tests to perform on the tissue and official results will come through Dr. Oncologist on Friday.  These biopsies from the remaining skin are important because inflammatory breast cancer lives in the skin, and so negative biopsy results from the skin surrounding the removed tissue give us hope for a cancer-free recovery.  It's too soon to celebrate, but this is a promising result that will allow us to breathe and sleep until Friday.  Also, no skin graft!  My surgeon must be wizard because she took a ton of skin and I thought for sure I'd need a graft.  It's definitely the small victories at this point.      

Yea, there's probably way more to say, but this is all I can do for now.  Smiling, check.  Pain managed, check.  Family here, check.  Blog posted, check.  My love to all of you!

20 comments:

  1. I laughed before I read the explanation :)

    Glad that you are feeling good and crossing my fingers for clean results from Dr. O.

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  2. That post brought tears to my eyes. So good to hear from you whether your news is bad or good. But I'm glad for good news and high spirits.

    Love you!
    Martha

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  3. love the title! I giggled the second I read it! Wasn't even sure what it meant!!!! GLAD THE SURGERY IS OVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! woo hoooooooo

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  4. Lyd and I still toasted to this good news of the day. Lauren and Max had conferences tonight, and in your excellent honor, Lauren, who now is scored by letter grading received all A's and was disappointed in her 1 A- (as I said, IYEH). The kids were both rewarded with a book fair visit and they picked out a book for A and E, and they can't wait for them to see them!

    Rest easy, your work here tonight is done sweet Heather, you absolute freaking ROCKSTAR.

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  5. We are so happy it well! Here's to a speedy recovery.
    Can't wait to see your new hair line, I'm sure you will be clogging your shower drain in no time.

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  6. Second consecutive bedtime accomplished. New trick - Miss A wandering to my room for one last hug :-) Going to rock the library and a quick trip to Lowes tomorrow. Rest well, I'm so glad you were able to post. Love ya and ya.

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  7. I thought of you all day! I'm so happy that it's done and went well. Miss you!

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  8. Thought of you all day traveling home from Austin. Glad everything looks good, went well,and did not require too much skin, pain, or brain fog. Will check in tomorrow. I love you!

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  9. Woot, woot, woot!!! Imagine we are pumping our arm in the air like Julia Roberts in the Pretty Woman polo match scene. Lot's of love! S&R

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  10. So glad the cancerous Death Star is finally gone!! Even more happy for the initial pathology reports!!!!

    Bec

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  11. I thought the humorous title needed no explanation but then, few people understand my humor either :(

    :)

    Super happy to hear the good news yesterday!

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  12. For those reading these comments, I just want to say that Barbara, Holly and I saw Heather last night and she looked absolutely amazing. Her humor and radiant smile were lighting up the room. To see the look of pride and immense love in Ian's eyes every time Heather said something cute and whitty-as Heather always does-was to say, "how does she do it?" We exchanged a look that just said it all. Ian couldn't be more proud. We are all so proud of you Heather :)

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  13. Thanks so much for the report on Ian and Heather.

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  14. Hilary- that is the most darling update ever. I love that pair.

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  15. Great, great stuff! Soon as I read the title, I knew it was a good day. Toasting you & the family tonight.

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  16. Heather - home already!!!!!!! Way to show cancer who's in charge. I suggest that for future treatments and procedures you get the "Everything You Need to Know About Cancer Treatment" series of books and skip the medical facilities and personnel all together! Perhaps you can use your lunch hours as times to take care of these procedures so you'll have more quality time with the fam! Full day of work tomorrow - right??? :-)

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  17. Heather-Way to go babe. You and Ian did it. Cancer-free would be fantastic. That's what we will shoot for. I loved the title. We are working on "visualizing" in school, and I made a very funny, irreverent picture in my mind. It was fun!!! Keep updating us. Love Aunt Andrea

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  18. Ironically, each step back is actually a step forward. Stepping back {from negative thoughts} opens our minds and hearts to see the rhyme and reason of the road we're on. This gives freedom to totally step forward in the redemption of Love's bigger picture.
    Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it." ~Isaiah 30

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  19. I don’t think there’s much you can do about it. The only thing you can do is to cut your hair short so that the hair fall will be reduced.

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