Another Post-Op Appointment

Today I had a post-op appointment with the plastic surgeon, and he thought all looked well in my healing and recovery. I'll see him again in 3 months, and we'll set a date at that appointment for reconstruction surgery. I need to be completely healed from radiation, and usually reconstruction takes place 3-6 months after finishing radiation. Right now my best guess for a surgery date will be mid-April to mid-May, depending how far out they are scheduling when I see him again in February.

The radiation oncologist's office called today, and I was hoping it was to schedule my radiation treatments to start next week ... but unfortunately, I have to go back next Tuesday and completely re-do the CT/mapping scan that I did last Monday. That wasn't what I wanted to hear, because not only do I have to endure another 15 minute scan, it also means I can't get started with radiation until the week of November 12 at the earliest. She said it's "common" for them to need to be redone. I'm not sure what happened except that I had a really hard time holding my breath for the length of time they needed me to during the scan. It was a really long time, and I got a little panicky in the "tube" when I started feeling pressure from holding my breath so long. Probably due to that, the scans were not good quality. Starting radiation later now means I'll still have a few treatments after Christmas, and I had this goal in my head that I wanted to be done "by" Christmas ... but in the big scheme of things, it's not terrible. With doing this over the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, now it will be closer to December 29 before I can finish, at the earliest. I'm not looking forward to going back and doing the scan all over again.

It's no secret that I've been wanting to take a short getaway trip, preferably with the whole family ... but nothing has worked out so far. A last minute opportunity came my way, and Abby and I are leaving tomorrow morning for a weekend trip to Atlanta to visit some families who have children from the same area of China where she's from. We'll stay with a friend who knows how tough this year has been and generously offered up a retreat from reality for the weekend. Tomorrow we'll let the girls spend time in play and crafts, the moms will take in a screening of a special China adoption documentary, "Somewhere Between" ... then on Sunday we hope to visit the Atlanta Zoo and see the pandas, and have more time for the girls to get to know each other.

In addition to the fun for Abby ... I'm selfishly happy to just get away for a couple of days, to take my mind off the never-ending calendar of doctor's appointments, tests, scans, medicines, blood work ... especially with today's news of needing to redo the scan ... not to mention to have a distraction from the never-ending thoughts and fears that work their way into my mind during idle times. It hasn't been a great year on a personal level, even though I do appreciate all I have to be thankful for. This will be a short escape from the things I've experienced over the past 7 months that you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy. Here's hoping the words "breast cancer" and "doctor's appointment" don't cross my mind or lips all weekend!