Breast Cancer, Surgery Recovery Update – GOOD NEWS!

Breast Cancer, Surgery Recovery Update – GOOD NEWS!

Wednesday afternoon May 25 2011 (twelfth post in this series)

As has been the case all along, we have been spending a great deal of time with Kelly and her family helping out doing whatever we can. Over the past week or so, we are seeing signs of the “old” Kelly coming back. The pain that was engraved on her face is mostly gone and the wonderful smile comes out a bit more often.

As you will see in her update, she is FREE AND CLEAR OF CANCER!!! We could not ask for a better outcome. 

She still faces a great number of doctor visits as the reconstructive process begins. Those treatments, followed by at least two more surgeries are not pleasant to think about. It appears that the final surgery will take place early next year, so it will be a lengthy process.

As we have said many time, SHE CAUGHT IT EARLY AND THAT MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE!!

Pasted below is the update she posted last night:

Hello Family and Friends!

We hope you’re all doing well!

The good news just continues for us!  My drains were removed last Thursday as expected and, although it was a pretty painful process, it was so FREEING to have them out.  I could actually dress myself without any assistance because I didn’t have any attachments!

Sunday was my first shower and that was a wonderful gift!  Spongebaths are fine, but can only last for so long!

This week is a busy one with doctors’ appointments.  Yesterday we had an appointment with the oncologist who had nothing but good news.  It was a short appointment and she hugged me and told me that I no longer need her (she confirmed that I don’t need radiation or chemo).  It doesn’t get much better than that!  I guess we can check that one off our list and know that we’ll have one less appointment to think about.

Today we had a follow-up appointment with the medical surgeon who said that everything looks just as she would hope and that we will see her in a year when we go for the first of our annual follow-up visits with her.  Another one to check off our list!

Thursday we will see the plastic surgeon again to continue the reconstruction process.  It sounds like we’ll continue to meet with him on  a weekly basis for a while.

I feel really good considering the major surgery I had just over two weeks ago.  I’m down to pain medication on a very occasional basis and I really have no complaints!  I haven’t loved sleeping partially upright every night and I’ll look really forward to sleeping on my side soon, but that doesn’t seem like much to worry about.  I tire very easily, but I know that, too, will improve with time.  I’m still working on that ever-important patience!

The girls have three days of school this week plus next Tuesday and then we’ll be out for the summer!  We’re looking VERY forward to moving at a much more relaxed pace and doing some fun things.

Thank you all for being part of this journey!  It sounds like there won’t be many changes for a while, but we’ll continue to keep you updated.

With love,

Kelly and Damon