So, it's been a while (*singing Staind* it's been a while). I haven't felt like I could write an update being in the middle of recovering. Every day was essentially the same for a long time and it was difficult to see the forest for the trees.
I'm currently in my second week back at work and feeling pretty okay. I've only been working 5 hour days so far, and by Thursday afternoon last week I was completely beat. However I think that was because I was still trying to do stuff around the house in the afternoons and forgetting to rest (story of my life).
The first week of October (which is breast cancer awareness month) is dedicated to hereditary cancers. Today is Previvor day. A Previvor is someone who has a genetic predisposition for cancer and is taking active steps to mitigate their risk. I am a Previvor.
Getting the BRCA1+ diagnosis was not something I ever expected for my life. Having to make life altering decisions at such a young age was not even on my radar. But here I am, a Previvor, putting my double mastectomy behind me. I have joined the ranks of many women before me and many to follow after. I'm now in Facebook groups for women with mastectomies; learning from the wise ones and guiding the new.
It's October. It's breast cancer awareness month. Get checked! What I went through is so much easier than those who have been through cancer. If you have family history, talk to your doctor about potentially getting early or more frequent screenings. Maybe getting genetic testing is the right thing for you, maybe not (also, don't trust screening results from someplace like 23andme, they only test for a few submutations of BRCA). Be proactive.
It’s really not that bad, even Bart says so.
I'm feeling pretty good now. I still get tired a little easier than I did before. Every once and a while I still have some pain. But those things I can imagine will only get better with time. I'm going back to the gym today; hoping to get my strength to somewhere near where it was. Life is settling back into normalcy.
Aside from being hereditary cancer week it is also International Babywearing Week. Babywearing is something I have loved and wanted to do since before I was even pregnant. I posted just before my surgery that I was terrified I would not be able to wear Cirilla again. Well, fear dispelled! I tossed her onto my back last weekend, wrapped her up, and wore her to the mall without any pain! Needless to say, I am thrilled!
No real wrap-up here, my journey is not over. In about a year my plan is to get some really awesome tattoos to cover up my surgery scars (more on that in a later post). And in ten years I will be looking at options to surgically reduce my risk of ovarian cancer, but I’m trying not to think too much about that now. I’m working hard on daily healthy habits and being the best me I can. Thanks for being on this journey with me, friends.