Here They Come Into The Stretch!

I love the horse races! And on President’s Day, I had good reason. I went to the races with my husband and some friends and walked away a pretty big winner. I bet on every race, ate and drank all day, and still walked away with $75 MORE in my pocket than when I began. Not bad, eh? I even hit a trifecta bet – that’s where you pick the first, second and third place horses all in the correct order! All in all, I cashed in 7 winning tickets! That’s what you call a phenomenal day at the track! We also got to see Old Fashioned (see photo) win the Southwest Stakes. That means he is now the leading favorite to win the Kentucky Derby – and who knows, maybe even the Triple Crown.

I wish I could say I won because of my genius ability to read the race form and calculate all the odds. I do know how to read the form and interpret some of the data – but let’s be honest – there’s an awful lot of luck involved! One time I bet and won money on a horse simply because I liked her name – Tricky Jo.

It occurs to me that treatment for cancer is a little like the horse races. You do the research, you weigh all the factors, you consider the odds, and then you choose the treatments that are best for you. I think I have done well in that department. I looked at all the options and made the wisest choices in my cancer treatment. I think I have done everything possible to eradicate the disease. But in the end, it still requires a little bit of luck. Did we get every cancer cell that was floating around my body? I sure hope luck is with me.

My mastectomy recovery is still going well, albeit a bit tiresome. Indeed, the first expansion rounded things out a bit and the second expansion is set for later this week. I have to say, these lumps on the front of my chest may look like boobs but they do not feel like boobs nor do they feel like a part of my body. It feels as if someone strapped two tin cans to the front of my chest with tight elastic straps and some days I am simply ready to take them off. Everyone swears the permanent implants will feel much softer and I sure hope they are right. I guess I need to adjust and set my own heart straight. These lumps will be with me until the end of May or the beginning of June. I still have a ways to go.

One of the best parts of the horse races is when you hear the announcer say, “And here they come into the stretch!” It means the horses are nearing the finish line. The tension builds and everyone jumps to their feet with excitement. Can the leader hang on? Who’s that coming up on the outside? People screaming, “Go horse! Go!” And then in a blink… it’s over.

I can’t wait for the day when I can say, “And here she comes into the final stretch of her cancer treatment.” It won’t be too much longer, but there are a few more months and a few more surgeries to go. And then in a blink – it will all be over.

Isn't it funny how I can turn even a fun day at the races into a cancer analogy? Ah well... this too shall one day pass:)

Mark Twain

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. "

Mark Twain (1835-1910)

Just Call Me Skipper!

I'm not crazy - she did exist! Growing Up Skipper was released in 1975. Turn her left arm backwards and she grows a modest bust line, slimmer waist and becomes 3/4" taller! Turning the arm back again reverts her to the previous shape. Here she is in all her glory:

And just so you can see that I'm not making this up, here are photos of Skipper's "expansion:"

I wish my breast expansion was as easy as turning my arm around. And I wish a slimmer waist and a bit of height came along with the whole package!

What a crazy world we live in. Just call me Skipper!

Blow Up Doll

I am now officially a blow up doll! I had my first expansion injection on Thursday. What a strange experience!

The doctor uses a magnet to find the metal port in the breast expander and marks its location on my skin with a a sharpie pen. Didn't you think it would be something more high tech than a magnet and a sharpie? Next he inserts a needle into the port and begins to inject saline into the expander. Since I don't have any feeling in my breasts, the needle doesn't hurt. The saline, however, feels quite strange. It's kinda hard to explain, really.... I guess you would call it tightness and pressure. Certainly not a feeling I've had before. He injected 50 cc into each breast.

I felt a little tender and sore later that afternoon, but nothing too severe. I did take a sleeping pill that night and it worked like a charm. I have been sleeping on the couch since my surgery because I am still uncomfortable lying down. I have developed a nest of pillows that allows me to sleep propped up. It seems like the couch would be an uncomfortable place to sleep, but it's not for me.

The doctor says I will probably have 3 more injections spaced out at every two weeks. Once we reach the size we want, we will sit for two months before the exchange surgery. Two months! I didn't realize it was quite so long. What a strange process this is!

I have been having these "memories" about a doll that grows boobs. You twist her arm over her head and her boobs pop out. Twist it back and the boobs go away. Did I make this up in my imagination or was it real? I tried a google search but didn't come up with anything. Did I dream this? Maybe I just have a vivid imagination! If anybody remembers such a thing, please let me know. I feel kinda like one of those dolls.

So.... one injection down and three more to go!