Journal entry by Joanna Duke —
Merry Christmas from the otherside of my LAST surgical procedure for breast cancer recovery! I was able to undergo "Phase 2" of my reconstruction yesterday after successfully healing up from the Phase 1 major surgery I had back in September. I am so relieved to get to put all of this behind me before the end of the year. Not only does it help financially, since I am getting the work done after having met my deductible this year, but psychologically, I don't have to wait until 2019 for the completion of my reconstructed body. I can say I got the bulk of my cancer recovery done in two years 2016-2018, as I had hoped. I will have one more in office procedure to finalize the reconstruction in 2019, but the two surgies for reconstruction are now complete!
Yesterday, with Brett by my side as always, I had a 2-hour out patient procedure to achieve symmetry and shape and fill in some of the area below my colar bone, that was still "scooped out looking" from the mastectomy, as well as construct the rest of my missing anatomy through fat transfer and skin grafting. I left the hospital with two drains, making these the 12th drains I've had in place over the last two years. I am hoping to get them removed before the week's end, though. I also have wound dressings to care for over the next two weeks, so bathing will be limited. Other than those inconvenices, the pain has not been too bad. I have a lot of brusing and some bleeding, but recovering well. I expect to go back to work on Thursday and even host my mom's Pair Family for Christmas on Sunday!
My family couldn't ask for a better Christmas present than to have my body and life back from cancer. I can't wait to ring in the New Year with all of this behind my family and me! We are going to celebrate by taking a trip to NYC over the Christmas break with my sister's family, my mom, and my dad's sister.
As far as moving forward as a cancer patient, I will continue hormone therapy and regular check-ups with my surgical oncologist and my oncologist. I get a physical exam from the surgeon every six months for the next three years, then can drop down to yearly visits after that. I see my oncologist for blood work, physcial exam, and hormone therapy shot every three months for the next five years, then every six months for just blood work and physical exam and eventually yearly after that.
So although most everthing is in the rearview mirror, I will continue to be a "cancer patient" for the rest of my life. Surprisingly, I am not upset by that reality. I am grateful for it. I have had the first two of these "check-ups" and instead of dreading them or feeling fearful, these visits have been a way to keep perspective (humble and dependant on God) and to continue praising Him for my healing. And if any recurrence should come, it should be caught early with all of the routine check-ups. No matter what happens, I have learned to not live in fear, but to take life as it comes. I have learned that happiness does not come as a result of having no problems, but through perseverance and patience and humility and most of all serving others. The more I demonstrate faith in the unseen hand of God, the more His work is seen in my life and the world around me. In fact, keeping this perspective results in JOY, which is even better than happiness. Having joy in all circumstances breeds HOPE and LOVE and FAITH and a heart for others.
"...let us stop just saying we love people; let us really love them, and show it by our actions." I John 3:18
You ALL have been an excellent example of this verse lived out over the last few years in me and my family’s life and I will aim to continue to pay your love and support forward.
Your love has powered me to keep living in the moment, not waiting for "better days to come" in order to "relax" or "be happy." I have realized that the richest life is living while striving, not waiting to "arrive." (But the act of striving can only be tolerated with the love of others in your life). In God's reality, we don't arrive until we meet Jesus on the other side, anyway. So I will again take the advice of one of my Bible study teachers, Lori Elliott, and just "keep going and growing" through it all...cause the crazy does not stop with beating cancer. There is always a mountain to climb. The hard part is remembering you are not climbing alone, but among many fellow travelers, who not only will support you, but whom you have also been called to support along the way. There is no life more virtuous than the one lived out for others, instead of self. And the irony is that you end up being blessed yourself, as you become a blessing to others.
"The final mark of a saint is not perfection, but lived virtue. It is the striving for holiness throughout the arc of a life that makes a saint." Raymond Arroyo
In this way, my dad, Bob Hayes, was a saint, and I hope that when I die, I can be called a saint, too. I like how Mr. Arroyo sees life as an arc. It helps me keep perspective that life is a circle, only part of it (an arc) lived on this Earth.
May we all make the most of every moment we have, putting our efforts into loving God and serving others well with the life we have on this arc called time. I look forward to seeing life in full circle when we all get to heaven!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from me and my family and again, thank you all so much for your unwavering love and support over the last couple of years! We lived and breathed encouragment and hope and courage and strenghth and faith...because of you, we were not overcome by cancer!
My dad may have left this Earth, but he is still living and thriving, no longer striving. God bless us all with his happy spirit, courage and virtue!
Most sincerely,
Joanna
Yesterday, with Brett by my side as always, I had a 2-hour out patient procedure to achieve symmetry and shape and fill in some of the area below my colar bone, that was still "scooped out looking" from the mastectomy, as well as construct the rest of my missing anatomy through fat transfer and skin grafting. I left the hospital with two drains, making these the 12th drains I've had in place over the last two years. I am hoping to get them removed before the week's end, though. I also have wound dressings to care for over the next two weeks, so bathing will be limited. Other than those inconvenices, the pain has not been too bad. I have a lot of brusing and some bleeding, but recovering well. I expect to go back to work on Thursday and even host my mom's Pair Family for Christmas on Sunday!
My family couldn't ask for a better Christmas present than to have my body and life back from cancer. I can't wait to ring in the New Year with all of this behind my family and me! We are going to celebrate by taking a trip to NYC over the Christmas break with my sister's family, my mom, and my dad's sister.
As far as moving forward as a cancer patient, I will continue hormone therapy and regular check-ups with my surgical oncologist and my oncologist. I get a physical exam from the surgeon every six months for the next three years, then can drop down to yearly visits after that. I see my oncologist for blood work, physcial exam, and hormone therapy shot every three months for the next five years, then every six months for just blood work and physical exam and eventually yearly after that.
So although most everthing is in the rearview mirror, I will continue to be a "cancer patient" for the rest of my life. Surprisingly, I am not upset by that reality. I am grateful for it. I have had the first two of these "check-ups" and instead of dreading them or feeling fearful, these visits have been a way to keep perspective (humble and dependant on God) and to continue praising Him for my healing. And if any recurrence should come, it should be caught early with all of the routine check-ups. No matter what happens, I have learned to not live in fear, but to take life as it comes. I have learned that happiness does not come as a result of having no problems, but through perseverance and patience and humility and most of all serving others. The more I demonstrate faith in the unseen hand of God, the more His work is seen in my life and the world around me. In fact, keeping this perspective results in JOY, which is even better than happiness. Having joy in all circumstances breeds HOPE and LOVE and FAITH and a heart for others.
"...let us stop just saying we love people; let us really love them, and show it by our actions." I John 3:18
You ALL have been an excellent example of this verse lived out over the last few years in me and my family’s life and I will aim to continue to pay your love and support forward.
Your love has powered me to keep living in the moment, not waiting for "better days to come" in order to "relax" or "be happy." I have realized that the richest life is living while striving, not waiting to "arrive." (But the act of striving can only be tolerated with the love of others in your life). In God's reality, we don't arrive until we meet Jesus on the other side, anyway. So I will again take the advice of one of my Bible study teachers, Lori Elliott, and just "keep going and growing" through it all...cause the crazy does not stop with beating cancer. There is always a mountain to climb. The hard part is remembering you are not climbing alone, but among many fellow travelers, who not only will support you, but whom you have also been called to support along the way. There is no life more virtuous than the one lived out for others, instead of self. And the irony is that you end up being blessed yourself, as you become a blessing to others.
"The final mark of a saint is not perfection, but lived virtue. It is the striving for holiness throughout the arc of a life that makes a saint." Raymond Arroyo
In this way, my dad, Bob Hayes, was a saint, and I hope that when I die, I can be called a saint, too. I like how Mr. Arroyo sees life as an arc. It helps me keep perspective that life is a circle, only part of it (an arc) lived on this Earth.
May we all make the most of every moment we have, putting our efforts into loving God and serving others well with the life we have on this arc called time. I look forward to seeing life in full circle when we all get to heaven!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from me and my family and again, thank you all so much for your unwavering love and support over the last couple of years! We lived and breathed encouragment and hope and courage and strenghth and faith...because of you, we were not overcome by cancer!
My dad may have left this Earth, but he is still living and thriving, no longer striving. God bless us all with his happy spirit, courage and virtue!
Most sincerely,
Joanna
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