4.17.24

I can’t believe my surgery was a week ago already. The human body is such a fascinating thing. Our ability to heal and our resilience. You can just see God’s handiwork in it all.

I’m happy to say that I haven’t noticed any differences (so far) between having my ovaries removed and getting the shot. I was a little concerned that maybe I’d have more hot flashes or some other menopausal symptom with the removal of my ovaries. But so far, everything seems the same so that’s nice! I’m healing nicely! In fact the last two nights I’ve laid on my side for a little bit (and it didn’t hurt right away!!) The incisions are still tender if I bump them, but I can tell even that gets better each day. It does hurt on my left side when I stretch or stand up straight. That’s the side that has the two cut marks one below my ribs and the other a couple inches below that one. Those two cuts have a little bruising around them as well. The one above my belly button and the one on the right I barely notice. As I’m typing this, I’m wondering if the reason I feel the ones on my left side more, especially the one just below my ribs, is because I’m not really numb there. However, I am pretty much numb from my belly button down across my abdomen. It’s the weirdest feeling ever! I’m guessing at some point I’ll regain normal feeling. I only say that because after my c-section with Emersyn I was numb at the incision site. Then one day I noticed it felt normal again. Yay!

I was hoping to get back to doing physical therapy, but after messaging with the nurse I’ve decided to wait until after my one month follow up with the gynecologist. I’ll see what he says about massaging my scars and what I can do/not do. The nurse told me this:

... the 10 lb restriction would apply. Very gentle on the scars as we now also have the laparoscopic incisions that we noted intraoperatively are under quite a bit of tension due to the stretching of the remaining skin after the DIEP reconstruction.

I’m not looking to pop open any incisions! 😉 Every once in awhile I get random back spasms. They seem to happen more so on my left side than my right. I can’t really stretch it out without hurting my incision sites (especially that top left one.) I kind of wonder if its from surgery- like if I’m subconsciously babying my incisions by not standing up straight or if its from laying on my back for the last week. Just things that are not my normal… I don’t know. I’m hoping that it will resolve itself sooner than later! And I have to remind myself: my body has gone through a lot!

I had a bone density test scheduled next month but that is getting postponed until next year. I am now considered post menopausal and because of the medicine I have to take I am at an increased risk of osteoporosis. We’ve pretty much fast tracked that for me by like 20 years. Typically a woman in her 60’s would start to see bone loss after having gone through menopause. I’m there now at 39. I’ve started taking a calcium and vitamin D supplement. And once I get the go ahead to do more physical activity I would like to add some light weight lifting to my work out regimen. Hopefully that and walking will help counter the osteoporosis stuff. Plus I think it helps with the hormonal stuff too. 😉 UW Eau Claire has a program for cancer patients in their kinesiology department. I have to commit to 2 days a week for a semester, but I’ll get paired with one of the students and they will determine a work out plan for me. I have to wait until the fall semester for that but am looking forward to it. I’m hoping to regain some of my muscle back. I have lost so much of that going back to October 2022.

I had a quick doctor appointment with Dr Naqvi to go over my thoughts about the possible side effects of Tamoxifen. Since I seem to be doing better now we’re just keeping everything the same. I’ll continue taking that for at least another year. At that point I’ll discuss with my oncologist if I should continue taking Tamoxifen or if I should go to a different medication. Tamoxifen is the recommended medication for women premenopausal. Since I’m not considered that any more it opens the door for other possible medications. Dr. Naqvi would like to let the dust settle a little though before we make any other changes. And I’m ok with that.

The bumps on the road reminded me that I did in fact have surgery recently. The pillow helped stabilize the motion so it wasn’t as painful.

On Friday there was cosmic bowling and unlimited games for x amount. Pretty sure Kade could be a lawyer 😉 He pleaded their case and won. The four older ones went bowling from 7:30-11:30 and the two younger ones got Mc Donalds and some time at the play place.

When you have similar tastes in fashion… What do they say?? Great minds think alike! 😉

Aaron’s grandma Julaine makes these little scrubbies and I love them!! She brought me a couple when they brought the kids back from a couple days stay with grandpa and grandma. 🙂

Gave the boys a haircut! Easton said he wanted a mohawk (Ev promised candy to whoever cut their hair that way.)