Rear View Mirror

I am so excited to finally be saying this - my journey to do everything I can to prevent breast cancer is behind me. It was so much longer and complicated than I ever expected, but I am through it. 

What has this included?

• Aug. 30-Sept. 4, 2022: Double mastectomy and longer than expected hospital stay due to complications
• Dec. 15, 2022: First reconstruction surgery (outpatient)
• April 20, 2023: Second reconstruction surgery (outpatient)
• Oct. 3, 2023: Third and final reconstruction surgery (outpatient). Essentially, I wanted the ladies to be much smaller. I wasn't sure about having this surgery, but my body didn't feel like my own and I felt large and awkward. I requested that they be reduced by 30%. The stiches took much longer to heal with this one, but once I was healed I was so grateful I had done it because I finally felt "normal."
• Dec. 16, 2023: One final minor touch - DONE!

I finally feel 100% healthy and like myself. It is like a weight has been lifted. I will never be 100% the same, but my goal has been to "forget" about how my body has changed for 95% of the time, and that has finally happened. When I see myself in the mirror and as I am moving through my life, my mind doesn't generally think about what I have been through and I don't feel different. I also think it took my brain a bit to catch up to new things. Kind of like when you cut your fingernails and you notice the change for a small while until your brain gets used to the new normal. That had to happen, but on a much larger scale.

While the last 18 months have been more challenging than I anticipated, I don't regret the decision. It feels like people all around me that are my same age are having health challenges and I am grateful I could make a choice to prevent a scary diagnosis that was more likely than not to occur had I not gone through this.

The flowers in the picture were from my friend Lorelei at work. Everyone has been SO supportive. Thank you Jesus for walking with me and protecting me every step of my life.