Champagne it is!

Thanks for the idea Steph...I think it is time for Champagne! The Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Cannova, said the "boob" looks beautiful. That is not quite how I would describe it, but I am encouraged by his comment. I was right on the border with my drainage, but he said I was doing so good that he was willing to remove the drain a week earlier than planned. I tried to get him to add some saline to the tissue expander, but he did not want to push our luck. I will make a trip to see him next Thursday for my first expansion. I did get released to drive and that is a relief. I do still have a lifting limitation and am supposed to stay within the 5 lb. range. Dr. Cannova asked me if I needed another Rx for pain meds and Dan told him I had not even taken any. So, then he commented that he was impressed I was able to control the pain with Tylenol and Ibuprofen, but Dan quickly corrected him and told him I did not have any pain and had not taken anything at home. He was completely impressed that I had no pain. I am ever thankful for all the prayer warriors and support!

This may be TMI, but you know me by now...the breast skin on the "boob" is completely numb. We have talked and we guess that the skin will always be that way, but I have made a note to talk to Dr. Cannova about that. It is a very strange sensation. It is also very strange to feel the squishy expander below the breast skin. It just feels like a plastic bag under there. The skin is fairly dark and I blame it on the radiation, but others have suggested that it appears to be bruised. I promise that it does not feel bruised. I have also noticed that the saline in the expander shifts, especially when I bend over to do something. It almost feels like it is going to gush right down to the floor. Funky...that is the best description I can think of. Still no pain or discomfort, just simply getting used to my newest body part and lopsided profile.

God is Great!

Whew!!! Still not an ounce of pain or discomfort since surgery. I am in the best spirits and continue to pray the reconstruction process is truly this easy. I was elated to hear the doctor say there was NO RESIDUAL CANCER in the breast tissue...NONE. Dan immediately asked if I regretted the decision for the mastectomy and I told him, "Absolutely NOT!" I am simply thrilled to know the cancer has not been in there for several months doing its thing. NO CANCER. I can handle that message.

I will see the Plastic Surgeon on Thursday and hopefully it will be a big day for me. I will hopefully get the drain removed even though I am scheduled to have it for 2 weeks. And I will hopefully be released to drive and lift. We will see what happens. Currently, I am basically helpless and do not get much accomplished. My daily routine consists of a shower and lots of rest while everyone around me pampers me and takes care of my family.

My Mother and My Sister have been Angels of God! No one deserves to go through this alone, but not sure I deserve to have such wonderful care for my family and me. Our mass on Sunday concentrated on Heaven and THIS must be Heaven...Love to Eternity without need! I need nothing because they have already given me more than I could have ever wanted and I do Love them to infinity and beyond. Thank God for the love, support, help and prayers! God is Great!

My Aunt Marilyn is planning to come home from the hospital today and we continue to prayer for her health and happiness. She, too, is fortunate to have a strong family and support system and we will continue to be her prayer warriors!

The Power of Prayer

This is Mary's sister. Wow, my sister is AMAZING!! Surgery is over and the tissue expander is in place. What a wonderful feeling it is to know that all that stupid monster is out of her body. The surgery was two hours long and recovery one hour and it went really fast. The surgeon told us that he didn't see any tumor but would have to send off and hope to have the pathology report back next week. He really feels all they will find is scar tissue or dead cells but to have it out of her has eased all our minds! It will take a couple months of putting solution in the tissue expander and then they will remove that and put in the implant. Both the surgeon and plastic surgeon told us she would be very sore and warned her that it would be very tight and uncomfortable. She had to prove them wrong and when we got to see her she had a smile a mile long on her face and just relieved that the monster was out of her!! She tells us that she has no pain and she finally took a pain pill at 9 p.m., just so we could go for a walk and she did absoultely great! I left the hospital and came over to our cousins apartment for the night, thanks so much Kim and Amy for letting us bunk with you a couple nights, and am excited to get back this morning to see how her night went. They told us that she could go home after dinner today as long as she didn't get sick, so I pray we will be on the road home around 2 p.m. I know Mary is very excited to be home and see the kids, they are her life!! Please say a extra prayer for our Aunt Marilyn, she is at KU having surgery today as the monster has reentered her body. It is up and down her spine and has broke her vertebrae. We pray that all goes well with her today! Thank you all so much for the prayers, they really do work. Fr. Emil Kaupan Please watch over and heal my baby sis and Aunt Completely, AMEN!