Feeling Chipper!

Hello everyone I am glad to say the surgery was a success. I am doing well at home just plugging along with the family feels good to get up and move around. I was moving around a half an hour after recovery so proud of myself. The nurse came in to tell me we were going to have a goal to get up at 5pm, but I got up at 2:15 pm not bad huh? I surprised myself at how well I was feeling and how chipper I was after surgery. Could have been all the drugs maybe. I was glad to move around though and by 5 pm I was actually up and walking the halls in the hospital. Mark was nervous about the surgery so he didn't make any calls to anyone, so they were waiting for a call. So when I called people weren't expecting me to call I was glad I did though loved talking to everyone. I had to call my mom first of course she was so happy to hear from me and said I sounded pretty good. I posted how I was feeling on Facebook right away as well to let other family and friends know. When I did get into my room Mark had a gift for me some note cards and a coin pink ribbon coin very pretty. I didn't write in my journal the whole time in the hospital I mostly made phone calls and talked to family and friends. It cheers me up a whole lot to talk to someone. I did a lot of talking to my nursing staff they were all so very nice. I was up every two hours so they had to take care of me I didn't mind good for me to talk it out as well. When I first saw that I was flat chested it shocked me. I lost 11 lbs of weight off my chest. The doctor said it was a good 25 lbs he might have been kidding me actually now that I think about it. I wish it was 25 lbs need to lose some weight bigtime! Mark went home and brought the kids to see me at the hospital. Mark was so tired he woke up with me at 3:30 am on that Monday morning so it was now about 4 pm he drives home to get the kids then they stay until about 7pm then drives home again. He was a tired guy, but stayed up until 10pm that night. It was lovely to see the kids they seemed to be okay with everything. I believe as long as mommy is doing well then things will be fine. They went to school like things are normal as possible and they seem to be doing totally AOK. I ask them if they have any questions about surgery or anything that is on their mind. Sometimes they have a question so I answer them to the best of my ability. Well I came home on Tuesday afternoon felt tired, but in good spirits felt nice to be home, but I have to admit I like the hospital get to have someone take care of me. I rested when I got home from the hospital my mother-in-law was here to help me all week. I really appreciate the help from her. She really has been doing so much for us. I was getting along pretty well at home moving around pretty good. I had to watch out for my balance so mama brought me a cane so I wouldn't fall down. Eleven pounds is a lot of weight on your top part so had to be careful especially down steps. I did fine and was glad to be moving around the house so well. I did a lot of resting while at home in the morning I would take a nap after the kids went on the bus. It felt so good to sleep. I would then wake up and mama would have some lunch started for me. We would eat lunch and talk. One day I had to buy Mark an anniversary card so we hopped in the car and we went down to the Family Dollar Store. I ended up buying a few other items for the kids two books and snacks they loved it. It was nice getting outside and feeling that sun on my body. I loved it when the kids got home from school I actually walked to the bus stop as well and picked up the kids with mama. I think they enjoyed that a lot. The bus driver Carol thought I was a strong woman she said "when I grow-up I want to be just like you." she is cute. Loved seeing my babies off the bus. They come home and play games or watch T.V. that was okay with mommy they needed some down time. Well I am still doing pretty good it's almost been a week tomorrow will be a week since surgery. I am still feeling chipper and hopeful of the future. Mark and I celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary Saturday it was a nice day together with the whole family. We went shopping which was nice to do that having the money now. Mark got to buy things he hasn't in a long while like some shirts for work. He has been going to home depot getting some plants and some items he needs for the garden. It's nice to see Mark feeling good about things. He has been so overwhelmed the last 6 months with our house in Cambridge and financial situation it's been a real hardship on Mark. I felt so bad for him and then his wife is ill on top of that. Poor guy he kept saying "they have a padded room with my name on it some where." Then on top of all this his mom kept having her troubles so that made it hard on Mark too. Well things are going pretty good so far so good. I am in some pain so I take my pain medicine which helps a lot thank goodness for them. I take a half of one most times sometimes I take a whole one if I think the pain is going to be worse. It's time for another pain medicine by the way. So I think I'll close for now. Thank you all for the support it's been interesting for me. I am so happy chemo is over now I can get back to life again and feel good. I am cutting back on my intake of food so working on losing weight as well. Oh when I got home I saw the scars and I felt some saddness of losing my breast, but what really bothers me the most is all the back fat I have it looks like Frankinstien it doesn't look good at all. I am mad at myself for letting myself gain so much weight. I am ashamed of myself for letting myself go for so long. I am worth it to take care of myself and I do plan to do that now that I am getting better. Thank you again! Annette

Happy for Mark!

Hello, Well in four days I'll have some weight lifted off the ole' chest..bahahaha got to laugh at myself. For those that know me I am a triple D so yeah a lot of weight coming off. It's going to be strange losing my breast, but I have to remember what I am doing it for. To prolong my life. I believe I told you before, but I tested positive for genetic testing so there is an 80% chance of getting breast cancer again if I keep my breast. I don't want to go through chemo again and I don't want radiation again either. Yeah had full body radiation back in 1996 no thank you! Gosh I wish I could win the lottery instead of getting all these rare diseases. Well a wish came true I was hoping people would have brought dinners for me during chemo, but they are going to bring them the week of recovering for surgery. That is so awesome I am so happy about that. It will take a huge load off my husband's and mother-in-law's mind. I am so appreciated of it I can't even express it on paper...computer...LOL You see I went to church one Sunday yeah I don't go that often which I should. I know should've, could've, would've. Anyway I noticed this lady singing up at the church and thought how beautiful her voice is. I thought she was the friend of my new friend Lenae, but it turned out the gal by this lady was Lenae's friend. Well after the service this gal I noticed came up and asked if she could pray for me. I said I would like that so she said a wonderful prayer for me. She didn't know I had cancer but wanted to pray for me. Well fast forward to Saturday's Easter egg hunt at the park. She saw me bald and all and she wanted to give me her business card so I can call her any time. Well I did call her two days ago and now she has started the meal train for me. her and a lady named Janet. It's so sweet. This lovely new friend is Melinda an angel from God. I am so grateful for the help it makes me feel so good to have such the love and support from people from the church. Well do you want to know how wonderful God is he answered my prayers, but they were on his time. You see I've been praying for my husband to get a good paying job and one that he loves. Well I kept praying and praying and nothing happened. My husband kept having all these interviews, but no one would hire him. I started to feel bad for Mark because how many times could someone be rejected and not feel the burn? So I kept praying and praying. Well all of a sudden pretty much when I started to feel better after chemo the phone rang for another interview for Mark. This time the prayers were answered Mark got hired. He was thrilled and so was I. Then another job interviewed him and they were going to pay 40 dollars an hour. It does sound to good to be true so Mark is still up in the air with that job. Also another interview happened for Mark and this one is for the State so if this one calls him he will have a decsion to make. God is so good he waited until I was done with chemo because you see Mark got to go to every chemo treatment with me and if he gotten a new job that wouldn't have happen. So I believe God waited until I was done with chemo and I felt better for Mark to get a new job. Isn't that grand? I am so happy for Mark. He is happy too now that he is making what he is worth. Well he is worth a whole lot more in my book, but you know what I mean. His other job just wasn't paying good. Well there you go God does answer prayers and I have proof. Thank you God! I want to thank everyone that is supporting me it means a lot and thank you so much for the prayers he is helping me cope with this so well. I am grateful for not becoming depressed he is keeping my spirits up and it feels great. God is giving me a sense of humor about all of this breast stuff from the cancer and from getting the mastectomy and even from the chemo. I heard a new one chemo fog. I was calling it chemo brain which I had it pretty bad a lot of confusion, but got by okay the kids didn't laugh at me too much forgetting things or saying weird stuff too. Well look at me staying up until 1 am better get some sleep now. I'll write more later~ net

Getting Energy Back

Hello, Wow a good day yesterday didn't feel like sleeping all day that is good for me. I cleaned my daughter's bedroom yesterday and felt normal what a great feeling! Today I didn't go right to sleep after putting the kids on the bus. I got to say this is very good for me. I even feel good to write on my blog Yay for no more chemo!!! So what is next is the bilateral mastectomy April 22nd. I am nervous about the surgery, but I met a lady at Costco that went through a double mastectomy herself. She came up to me and asked if I was bald under my hat. She said she was bald three years ago and had the mastectomy also. I got all her info so I can keep in touch with her about the mastectomy. It helps to have someone to talk to about all this. I have joked about my breast how big they are they are about 40 lbs a piece well it sure does feel like it..LOL Also I'll have 6 million dollar breast once the reconstruction is done. They can rebuild them they have the technology..bahaha. Yes going to have reconstruction I'll have perky breast again and smaller size. I am going to feel so strange with no breast it's going to be weird it kind of freaks me out a bit. I think I am going to have Mark take a picture of my breast just to have a picture of them because it is hard to think that they will soon be cut off. It will be hard to lose my breast just writing about it now makes me feel scared to lose my breast. I have had them now for 47 years so I have grown very fond of them. The reason why I am doing this is because I don't want radiation treatment and there is an 80% chance of getting breast cancer again. I just have to do this to prolong my life. Also if I don't do the mastectomy I will have to have a mammagram every 6 months and an MRI every year. Have you had an MRI on your breast oh man I barely fit in the machine it's the worst 35 minutes ever. I guess I shouldn't really say that for others that have to go through this. I am sorry, but I did get through it it's just tough process. You can do it!! Well I am going to close for now and get busy having some energy. Yay!! I do want to take a few mintues to think about all the victims of the Boston Marathon my prayers are with the families and friends. more later!