Recovering from bi-lateral mastectomy

Wow, Christmas has come and gone and it’s January already.  I had my bi-lateral mastectomy on December 2nd and am still recovering as well as going through reconstruction.  I plan on posting more about my journey later but right now I am still dealing with emotions and lots of pain!  This has and still is a very painful recovery for me.  The good news is I do not need chemo or radiation and once I get through my reconstruction this ordeal will be over with. 

On another note my bowel and bladder machine battery is dying so it needs to be replaced so I am scheduled for surgery on January 20th for that. 

The weather has turned off extremely cold and it’s suppose to get even colder tomorrow and last about a week.  I dream of day that I can once again move back into my home on wheels and go to warmer weather but right now that just isn’t going to happen.  Health issues have to take first priority. 

I want to wish you all a Happy New Year and May 2015 bring you many blessings and I’m so praying that it’s the year that my health issues turn around and I’ve saw the last of cancer.  I pray that 2015 is the year that I can once again enjoy my home on wheels.

Fall has flown by

The season’s just seem to be flying right on by this year.  Summer has left, Fall is gone and Winter has appeared as it’s been cold with the blustery wind and yesterday we even had large snowflakes falling.  Tomorrow night they are calling for an inch of the white stuff!  Where O where has my time gone?  I had hopes of heading south for the winter this year but those hopes are left behind. 

My spring and summer were spent recovering from bladder surgery and fighting that dreaded word of Cancer, it seems my winter will be spent doing the same!  I am scheduled after Thanksgiving to have a bi-lateral mastectomy (which means double).   I have a mass (tumor) in my left breast that was found and so due to family history of breast cancer it’s been decided to do go ahead and do both, might as well get it over with.  I do not know what the future holds in regards to treatment until my biopsy comes back.  After I recover from this I will be having a hysterectomy as well due to a family history of ovarian cancer.  Once again I will be spending my winter months in the blustery cold Illinois. 

I have hopes and dreams of one day again enjoying taking my home on wheels where ever I choose to roam.  But for now I need to concentrate on my recovery and getting my body healed. 

On a good note I have lost 66 lbs and have a bit more to go.  Here are my before and after picture, this picture was taken the 2nd week of October of this year the the other picture was taken in November of 2013.

I want to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving!

Summer is almost gone!

Wow, it seems like spring just arrived and now summer is almost over .. it has flown by and I have nothing to post about what I have done.  My entire summer has been running back and forth to doctor visits, treatments and therapy.  I’ve also spent a lot of time with my grandkids this summer.  I only got to stay at my home on wheels a couple times this spring and I have to admit I have missed it but it has also been nice not having to deal with steps and living in a stick home during my illness. 

Sometimes in life we have to make decisions that are best for us even though their not what our heart desires.  My heart still has the desire to live in a home on wheels and travel and see new things.  I miss old friends I have bonding relationships with as well as making new friends in the places we travel.  But health issues and family seem to take a back seat to all those things.

I have put a ticker on my blog so that you all know that I am still alive and kicking and you can see how I’m doing in my weight loss struggles.  I have to admit the weight loss is not going as fast as I want but my doctor assures me I am doing great and losing at a good safe pace that is better for me in the end.

It’s been a beautiful summer and just a few weeks of extremely hot days, but I have to admit with pride I’m been good and haven’t complained during those heat spells.  Today it feels like fall and a reminder that its just around the corner and before I know it Ole man winter will be here again.  I had hope to be able to hook up to the home on wheels and spend some of the cold months where it was warmer but that isn’t appearing to be a option this year either.  So it’s looking like I will be spending another ole cold winter living in the stick home. 

I have to admit I do love the fall colors, the smells and all the great foods that go with it and I’m hoping to get to spend a bit of time at the home on wheels but it’s very doubtful at this point and time.  Convention for RVers is coming up the first week in October and I so want to go but I’m just not sure my health will be up to it so for now I am taking life one day at time.

I pray you are all having a great summer .. until next time .. God Bless

Wow where has the time gone?  It's been a busy summer with the grand kids.  Running to and from doctor appointments and treatments.  I'm dealing with health issues and it doesn't appear to be an end to it at this time.  My Aunt (who raised me until i was 6) is also having health issues and i've been going with her as well for appointments and testing.  Between her and I at least 4 days a week are spent at the doctor or hospital.  Weekends have been spent enjoying family time or trying to catch up on rest to get ready for the next week.

The grand kids have returned back to school so that has helped let up on that part.  Although the first few days was nice to have some alone time but now i'm beginning to miss them :)

Until this past week we've had a very pleasant summer weather wise but wow it's a hot one this week with horrible humidity and as you all know my asthma and MS does not like this weather.  But i am being good and not complaining as winter will be here before i want it to be.

I am still living in my dad's home and in fact I've only been to the home on wheels a few times .. just too many things going on in my personal life.  I'm still having health issues and at this time i am not really ready to get into all of that.  I just ask that you continue to keep me in your prayers.

On a good note my son's both seem to be doing good, the oldest son is getting his life more normal and has seemed to be free of so much drama (fingers crossed it continues) the youngest son has made a job career change and that seems to be going well for him.  The fur balls are doing great and i'm enjoying spending time with family.

Well that is all i have for now, wishing you all a great Labor Day weekend!

Day 3

Today is the 3rd since my surgery and I thought I was feeling pretty good until I tried to sit up and found I was not ready for that step yet!  It was a beautiful day, the temps were in the low 80’s and I was stuck in bed!  Go figure!  I have waited all winter long for these days and now that they are here I’m stuck in bed! 

Surgery went well

I just wanted to post a quick update.  My surgery went well and I’m looking at a recovery period of 6-8 weeks.  Right now I’m mostly sleeping.

where have I been?

Wow, it’s hard to believe it’s been almost 2 months since my last post!  I can imagine your all wondering where I have been or what I’ve been doing?  Well there has been very little down time and lots of personal, family and health issues going on in my life.  It’s been cold and what a very cold and nasty winter it has been.  Ole man winter has hung on till the very end and finally it seems Spring has finally Sprung!

I am still living in house and there doesn’t seem that there will be any changes in that department for sometime.  I have to say that I have been enjoying spending time with family that I missed while on the road, but my heart also longs to be back on the road again but at this time my health and family is top priority. 

So let’s see if I can give you a bit of a run down, after I posted my last blog post.  My son and family moved in and was here around a month in a half and my days was spent driving the kids back and forth from school, in between that I was doing physical therapy 2 times a week and dealing with more deaths and illness in the family.  Then my sister’s grandkids moved in temporally due to a illness of their mother.  So I was still dealing with kids back and forth to school in a different town and lots of ball practices and older activities for the 8th grader.   Not only have I been dealing with these issues but also my own illness.  I will be having surgery Thursday and recovery time could be up to 3-6 months.  Of course I’m praying for God to heal me much faster.  I have also been struggling with losing weight!  It’s been a hard winter and this has been one ruff battle with the weight struggle.  For health issues I need to shed 50 more lbs and at times I’m ready to throw in the towel and have gastric bypass surgery.  The doctors keep telling me I’ve done good to lose 20 lbs in such a severe winter and not being able to exercise due to health issues and the extreme temps.  So for now I will continue to fight the battle of the bulge and other health issues.

Life seems to be a roller coaster ride for me that I just can not get off of .. I want to wish you all a Happy Easter tomorrow and may God bless each and everyone of you.  May we celebrate the true meaning of Easter and remember the sacrifice that Jesus gave for all of us.