CAN YOU BELIEVE ITS BEEN A YEAR SINCE MY MASTECTOMY SURGERY?
Many of you have asked me lately how its going, so I thought I'd give an update.  Things are going real well and I'm grateful!  Life has resumed with much more normalcy than I imagined, and yet I'm forever different - but in a good way I'd like to think.  Radiography school is in full swing and going well with about 8 months remaining.  Its nice to be back with the patients.  My schedule is as follows:  Monday is Radiation Physics class at CTAE in Ocala.  We usually get out by noon which allows time to do the online work for that class in the afternoon.  Fridays we have two other online classes to work on:  Radiographic Pathology and CT Basics. Then Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday I'm currently working clinicals at Lake Medical Imaging at Lake-Sumter Landing in the Villages.  Its a beautiful facility (you know the Villages!) and 90% of the patients are great - and unlike the hospital are "walkie-talkies"- they can walk in on their own and tell you what's the matter.  No catheter bags, hospital beds, slide boards, poop, or MRSA, well....

I will be rotating back through LRMC and the Villages Hospital at some point which, despite the aforementioned negatives, is exciting and different in its own way.
(One correction - as of NEXT week, I'll have clinicals on Wednesdays too.  I've actually been doing only Tuesday and Thursdays for the last 3 weeks.  My school has been so good to work with me in starting at a slower pace.)

OUTSIDE OF THAT, I go to zumba with my sister on Tuesday nights, try hard to walk or ride bikes about 4-5 nights a week, choir practice on Thursday nights and just started helping with the 10 1st and 2nd grade girls on Wednesday night church.  Its hard for me to wrap my head around the thought that just a few months ago my life consisted of chemo and couch and doctor visits and which scarf was going to cover my bald head for that day.  For all you current breast cancer patients, BE ENCOURAGED to know that the strength, the eyelashes, eyebrows, and hair has come back.  In fact I REALLY miss not having to shave my legs.  That's probably the only thing I miss about cancer.  The neuropathy has dramatically improved as well as the arms and the chest I do believe, or my body has gotten used to the rest I guess.  

IRONICALLY, MY SHORT HAIR seems to be all the rage with my patients.  I've gotten SO many compliments on the short style and even the gray (eek!).  I've felt weirdly obligated for some reason to respond that its "growing back from chemo" to which most of them are very surprised.  I guess they just think I'm bold and trendy - imagine that!  Sometimes I just say "thank you".  So many patients have been very kind and supportive.  Only if they inquire further do I share briefly that I've survived recent breast cancer, doing real well, blessed, and glad to be back to work.  After all, its supposed to be about them and their health need, but I hope it encourages them.  My first week back, one older gentleman, not even my patient, actually called me out front and asked if he could give me a hug.  His wife had died of cancer and he said that this was his way of encouraging any cancer survivors he might see.  People are good and after all, we're all in this "cancer-fighting" world together.  And of course, GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME!

JUST A NOTE:  I'm participating in two upcoming events to fight breast cancer if anyone would like to join in, let me know.  Zumba To Fight Breast Cancer at Venetian Gardens Sat., Sept. 22 10-noon.
and Making Strides for Breast Cancer at Silver Springs, Sat., Nov. 3, 9 am.