The week of June 15th, I called Dr Schwartzberg office to say that both my consults went well and I was happy with Dr Capraro and Dr Sedlacek. I was ready to move forward with the new team. Dr Schwartzberg’s office said they would check schedules and let me know the date of my mastectomy surgery; it usually could be scheduled in 2 weeks.
At the end of the week my surgery was scheduled for July 7, 2015.
Continue reading Scheduling Surgery and Preparation – June & July
The last of the 3 big consults (surgeon, plastic surgeon and oncologist) was today Friday June 12th. Again we had an early appointment to see Dr Sedlacek at one of the Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers. He was in the same building as Dr Schwartzberg, so it was easy to find. We already had a route from the house, knew where we were going to park. I wondered how routine these trips would become. It’s a good that we only lived 20 minutes away and the drive was a nice 30 mph through treelined residential streets (Monaco to 13th to Claremont). Though today Chris drove via Colorado Blvd. and the traffic was thick. I worried a little about being late. I don’t know why I do that. Out of all the things to worry about, why should I give a shit if I’m a little bit late, it’s not like the the doctor is hanging around tapping fingers on the desk. You always have to wait for doctors, no matter how early or late you are.
Between the consult with the Plastic Surgeon and Oncologist I met with a physical therapist to discuss mastectomy rehab and discuss what I could do before surgery that may help my recovery.
I got an extensive list of exercises I would need to do after the surgery. The exercises were organized into 4 phases and exercises didn’t start until 3 weeks after surgery when I would be on serious drugs and have drains coming out of each armpit. If I felt I wanted to do something she suggested I use 3 lb weights and just excercise my biceps.
Is the cat out of the bag? Has the dog escaped?
Monday June 8th started the rollercoaster week of consults. Monday – Surgeon, Wednesday – Plastic Surgeon and Friday – Oncologist.
I woke up early and tried to calm myself before I went off on a surreal thought where I would stand outside my body and look back at myself and say “Can you frikkin believe this? I have cancer just like my mother! This wasn’t supposed to happen. What would she think, she’d be so upset. I’m almost the same age she was when she was diagnosed, and she died 6 years later. Holy Crap, am I going to die too?” My mother had died almost 20 years ago and I had worn her wedding ring on my right hand. I look like her, I can hear myself saying things like she would say. I loved my mother, but at this moment in time I needed to follow my own destiny, I needed to be me. I took my mothers ring off and put it in my jewelry box. I felt a little naked, but I also felt a release a freedom, Removing the ring had somehow liberated me. This was going to be Mandy’s story and it was going to be different and today I was going to start the week off with Pancakes!
