In haste: I'm having surgery now!

Hi friends,

I mentioned at the end of my last post that I'd be having surgery: well, it's tomorrow (or today, depending on if you read this Sunday or Monday)! Or rather, it's in about 12 hours. In fact, I only have one hour left to have any food I want before I go under so that's one reason I'll need to be quick. The surgery itself is a single mastectomy, which didn't make sense in the past but which does at this point. As I mentioned, this current treatment--like the one before it--proved to be effective at keeping the metastatic sites stable (no new locations, no clinically significant growth) but not at all effective on the main tumor. That means it makes sense to do a more localized treatment and, long story short, that treatment is taking the whole thing out.

It's a radical step, but in a way one I am very prepared to take because at least it will be something very clearly proactive that is likely to make a difference to my quality of life; the tumor hurts all the time and its presence causes me constant anxiety, not to say great distress.

It's a big surgery, especially since I'm having reconstruction at the same time. Since I had worried that this wouldn't even be possible due to the size of the tumor and the amount of skin that will have to come off with it the whole thing ends up feeling "lucky," though only in context. (The breast reconstruction I'm having is "autolycus reconstruction," which means using your own skin instead of an implant to rebuild the breast. The skin comes from my stomach which, as I told the doctors to their bemusement, is great because that's where I keep ALL my fat!)

I'll be under for about 5 hours, with four surgeons working on it, and in the hospital for the rest of the week. The recovery time is 6-8 weeks. So...it's kind of a big deal! I'm scared, of course, but eager to get it over with. My parents have both flown out from St. Louis and are here to support and help me for the next couple weeks. It's wonderful to see them since the 6 months we've spent apart has felt longer than usual. One of us will, I know, update you when we can.

Be well and be kind,
Rebecca