The C-word! Here’s the Dish on me….

I’ve decided to go with the times and blog/vlog my journey through the dumb-ass disease called Breast Cancer.

If you’re reading this and haven’t heard the news yet…I was diagnosed November 8th with Invassive Ductal Carcinoma. It is currently considered a stage 1b ER+PR+. The staging could change pending the lyphnode testing during my surgery. Let’s keep our fingers crossed the nodes are CLEAR.

I am scheduled for a bilateral masectomy with immediate DIEP flap reconstruction on December 10th. I chose this route for many reasons, but mainly in hopes of eliminating radiation and decreasing the # of surgeries I have in the months to come. If lymphnodes are clear, chemo could be prevented completely as well. It is a 6-8 hour surgery that will have a few rough weeks, but nothing I can’t handle. Hell! I walked on a broken hip for 8 weeks prior to my hip replacement 5 years ago so I think I can handle pain.

I AM SO BLESSED with amazing friends and family that all want to help and know how I am doing, which is one (of many) reasons I’ve decided to start this blog.  I will be using this as my means of keeping communication easy and seamless for family and friends, but also as a bit of therapy or a place for me to vent. Who knows what the future holds.

Regardless of whom visits this blog, I do hope that by sharing my journey it may help someone else that finds themselves in my shoes. I have watched videos, read articles and talked with many BC survivors since diagnosed to help me decide what treatment surgery I would endure, therefore hopefully I too can pay it forward to the next person diagnosed.

With all that being said, I have a few disclaimers, or caveat’s:

1. No Judging – I may have a typo or 100, maybe a run-on sentence or even a curse word or 2. I’m not here for a grammar test people, so set the bar low!
2. PRIVATE vs NOT SO PRIVATE – You may read this and think I’m nuts for putting myself out to the world. Or maybe you’re a little judgy and think I’m attention seeking. Well, you’re probably a little right and wrong. If you know me well, you know I’ve NEVER shy’d from attention…but this type of attention is sooooooo out of my comfort zone. I could have chosen to stay quiet and private and put the game-face on and/or disappear for a couple months, but its not my style. I mostly don’t want my children to think this is all taboo. Sadly, it’s life and needs to be embraced. Don’t get me wrong, this is going to be tough. The openness, sharing of emotions, being vulnerable, wearing it all on my sleeve is 150% out of my comfort zone.
3. I’M THE SAME PERSON – I may have evil poison growing in my ta-ta’s but I am still me. PLEASE do not shy away from talking to me about this if you want. Or ignore it all together. Whatever YOU are comfortable with works for me. Unfortunately the stat is 1 in 8 women are diagnosed with BC and we all know far to many folks that have or are dealing with this stupid disease. So again, its life. I’m the same sarcastic, loud laughing, (obnoxious at times) chick.
4. MY FAMILY – They’re dealing with this in their own way. Julia is a smart cookie but still may be to young to understand. Gina has a huge heart and feels for everyone and may struggle the most. Maria, well, shes a teenager and a bit like her parents when it comes to emotion, so she’ll need a little prodding to not always wear the “game face”. So please treat the girls the same as usual also, but if you notice they may seem off…just ask. Now the husband, we may need to cut off the supply of Jack Daniels for a while and force him to go for a walk or two because this is all hitting in the middle of his busy season and we can’t add more health scares to the mix? But he’s amazing and can handle anything thrown his way too:)

So, it feels like I just wrote a book. I need to try to get some work done now and am off to the pre-op surgeon appt. Will keep you all posted as we roll along.

Stay tuned….