Welcome to our Caring Bridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement while I undergo this Breast Cancer Journey. My family has been super supportive, and we have ways to help Danny and our two boys in the Ways to Help tab above.
I was diagnosed with Stage 1 Breast Cancer on March 16th while we were vacationing in Sedona with the kids. While most would have thought the timing of the diagnosis was awful, I was so grateful we were together as a family, and I had God's beautiful landscape all around me to distract me from the scary news. The picture of me on this site was taken that week while we were in the Grand Canyon, and it is one of my favorites of our trip.
We met were able to get in to see my Oncologist quickly on March 22, and we began many tests to determine, type of cancer, stage, and ultimately my treatment plan. I made the decision to remove both breasts, so it further reduces my risk of cancer returning to my body down the road. I also consulted with some amazing women who have been on this journey and decided to go further and have a complete hysterectomy to further lessen my chance of cancer of coming back later in life. My Oncology team fully supported both decisions, and we began setting up appointments to make this all happen.
My first surgery will be the mastectomy on Monday, April 19th, and I will have partial reconstruction at the same time. I will stay in the hospital overnight, and hopefully come home on Tuesday the 20th if all goes well. This is a 6 week full recovery, but I should be able to head back to work after two weeks. My Hysterectomy was completed on June 3rd, two surgeries down, one to go! I am scheduled for the final reconstruction surgery on August 16th. This is the most difficult surgery and recovery of the 3 procedures. I will be off work for a full 6 weeks. I have regular appointments with my reconstructive surgeon every two weeks before surgery to start the expansion process to get me ready for the final procedure.
Our boys know what is going on with me, and most importantly, they know I will be okay. We are so grateful that this was caught early, this will just be a surgical journey with no chemo or radiation based on all the surgical pathology. Prayers that the big reconstruction surgery in August will be my final procedure.
We appreciate your support, prayers, and help! This has been a difficult and overwhelming journey, but I am so grateful to be cancer free and almost done with all the surgeries. Special thanks to my family, friends, coworkers, and my amazing margarita crew here in Round Rock offering to help with meals, kids, driving me places, etc. We are incredibly blessed to be surrounded by some amazing people.
Good morning, I thought I would post an update post surgery. I am home, and working on sleeping off all the anesthesia. The pain creeped up a bit yesterday, and probably will linger through today. The 2nd and 3rds days post-op always tend to be the worst.
I am walking around well, and able to move pretty easily. We are closely watching one of my flaps, from the previous surgery. It is not too happy and the doctor prescribed some cream to increase blood flow to that area. I am sending in pictures to the doctor every morning, so we can monitor the progress. Prayers that that resolves would be greatly appreciated.
We are again surrounded by the sweetest friends helping me change dressings, walk the dogs, pick up the kids, and bringing us food. We are so lucky to have some amazing people in our lives.
Thank you for your continued prayers. I ask for prayers for uneventful healing, so we can get through this next hurdle.
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