The worst is over & we got the best news!

My surgery was Wednesday, and it was as awful as you can imagine. It took almost the entire night to get ontop of the pain but once I did I felt much better. Within a few hours of that I was ready to go home. I have much more range of motion with my right arm than I had anticiapted so that is good. I have 2 drains which makes me look and feel like an alien. They will be gone Tuesday!!! I feel like I am doing well given the circumstance.
We got the best news possible on Friday for those of you who haven't heard, all 16 nodes were negative! The cancer was not visible to the pathologist eye during surgery but was there under the microscope. They did get clear margins around the cancer cells. The Dr. called and said this should make you so happy! Me and my pain meds were already happy when she called but I was even happier after that news!!
We are all doing better now that the surgery is behind us. Especially Rick! I made fun of him in the last post but I don't think I could have watched him go through this type of thing, it's harder for the care-giver (in my opinion) because you feel so helpless. He and my mom have done great at taking care of me, and so many others caring for our family. The stress has been reduced with so much great support and such good news from pahtology. We are so thankful!
No sprouts of hair yet, I expect something in the next 4 weeks. Who knows???
We love you all so much! Shauna

Surgery Update

Shauna is out of surgery, and everything went well. They say everything looks great and they didn't see any signs of a tumor. Great news! She is now in her room but is still in a lot of pain. They have given her more pain meds and are working on getting it under control. She will stay overnight and hopefully be able to come home tomorrow afternoon.

Wednesday...Surgery Day!

Feb. 18th is my surgery and I am totally aware of how hard it is going to be but anxious to get it over with. For me it will mean I am halfway through all the awful stuff and that is a great milestone! I have not told my kids exactly how difficult this surgery is to recover from because right now they are not worried and I want to keep it that way. Isaac and Megan wouldn't understand anyway but Josh would work himself to tears. I don't want that. Rick is enough for me to handle. They all understand that I will be limited and uncomfortable.

Anyway, Rick is mad at life (I have been there) if he seems more grumpy than normal he's just angry and scared. For the most part I have moved past the anger and I am able to see the one road to get my health back, however unfair, this is it. I also am already looking forward to the reconstruction and know that what tomorrow brings in temporary. Just so you don't have to wonder, I will have a tissue expander placed tomorrow that will be filled as much as possible. I should only have to have saline added a few times. What that means is it probably won't be extremely noticable especially as time goes on.
Cancer has taken away so many things, my health, my energy, and my hair. I am reminded every morning of what is at stake when I see my kids sweet faces, I am fighting for so much and it's all worth it. I have my moments when it weighs heavy on me and by the time I am done we will have had an entire year of really hard things to go through. But that being said tonight (Tuesday night) we are doing something silly to break up the awfulness. I chose to have a Farewell Party for my boob! Rick is not laughing but I think it's great! I wanted to have my family come over for a blessing anyway and decided to make it a party. So tonight we are making lemonade out of the lemons we have been dealt or what ever way you want to say it.

I need all the positive things that so many of you have sent my way. The emails, letters, cards, etc. I really do cherish what you send and from time to time totally depend on them to pull myself together and go on.

I will have my sister post something to let everyone know how the surgery went. Thanks for all your love and support! Shauna

Finally!!!!

Wow! I am so happy to be feeling better I can't even tell you! That one was my last of the "bad" chemo's and it was exceptionally awful but I am feeling better now! I just wish my energy would come back but I have to be patient. We are preparing for surgery next Wednesday, no getting out of it this time! I am not exceptionally nervous (only a noraml level of nervous) because I have had so much time to think about it and get it straight in my brain! It is going to be hard but only for a while. I will be rid of cancer at that point and that is what I have to focus on. My oncologist expects everything to come back negative (which is a positive thing, LOL)and the best outcome possible. These are good steps in the awful ladder of breast cancer. Radiation will begin 3-4 weeks after surgery. That will be another roller-coaster but only for 6 weeks. I am so thankful for everyone taking care of our family. I am also thankful for those following the blog and keeping in touch with our family. You mean so much to us and so do all of your words of encouragment. I love it! Shauna