A Wondrous Day

Today was a wonderful day. It started at 2:30 am with a look at the lunar eclipse. I then welcomed the winter solstice. This afternoon I went to see my plastic surgeon and my post op drains were removed. For those who have been there, you know how good it feels to have them gone.

Recovery is going well with only a little discomfort. It will take 3-4 months for the entire reconstruction process to be completed.

I've been enjoying many of the Christmas movies that are on t.v. this week and I'm actually getting into the holiday spirit.

Last Saturday, I got to Skype with my family in Washington at the annual family Christmas party. It was great to see and chat with so many family members. Next year I plan to be there. My NC family will gather here on Christmas Eve. The tree is up and decorated and my Santa Claus collection is displayed on the mantle.

Merry Christmas Everyone!!

Home again, Home again, jiggity jig....

Thursday Dec. 16, 2010
I was discharged home yesterday. We had no trouble with icy roads, thank goodness. I continue to do quite well especially with a little help from my pain pills. The entire process of re-contsruction should be completed in 6-8 weeks. Then I plan to go camping somewhere south and warm. Chris has been great and is helping with my "health care". No easy task when your wife is a nurse.

Surgery

10:45 pm:
I'm in my room at Mission Hospital in Asheville, NC. Surgery took about 3 hours and I was in recovery room by a little after 6 pm. The surgery didn't get started until after 3.
I had a little bit of unexplained but not too worrisome fast heart rate so I stayed in the Recovery Room until 9pm for observation.
By all accounts, the surgery went well. I am feeling quite good. No real discomfort but I feel sure that they did some nerve blocks as well, which haven't worn off.
Chris was a real trooper and hung out here from 11 am until after ten. I sent him back to our hotel, where we have been staying since Sunday. With the snow and freezing temperatures, I didn't want to take any chances about being unable to get to the hospital. It worked out well and we extended so Chris could stay the night and not have to drive home and back.
Thanks to everyone for your thoughts and prayers. I love you all! More updates later.

"On The Road Again"

After more than a year, I was finally "on the road again" and we were not unlike gypsies. Last week we went to Edisto Beach SC on a camping trip. Our goal was to head far enough south to actually find weather nice enough to "warm my bones". As luck would have it, the last warm day was the day before we got there. We arrived at the same time as a strong cold front. It was cold, it was windy and one day it was even rainy. That night the winds were strong and the entire island lost power. I did manage to take a walk on the beach every day but as you can see I had to exchange my bikini(sic) for my winter wear. The weather being what it was, we came home a few days earlier than planned. It was fun to be in our camper, AKA "Moby", again. We plan to head out again later this winter but the destination will be somewhere further south.

Yesterday, I had my pre-op visits with my surgical oncologist's NP and at the hospital. My surgery is scheduled for Tuesday Dec. 14th. I will be staying over night and will be doing some serious recoverying over the holidays. I will be glad to get this behind me and have a fresh start in the new year.

I'm also including another picture of Declan. Isn't he cute!!

Wishing Happy Holidays to one and all.

Introducing..

Declan Craig Braswell

Born 11/22/10 at 8:24am

8 pounds 6 ounces, 21 inches.
Proud parents: Patrick and Karen
Big Brother: Liam Joseph

Hairless Halloween

I'm still waiting for hair. Why does it seem like my husband's hair grows an inch a week and mine doesn't seem to grow at all? And now, my eyelashes and eyebrows are gone too. It did make it nice for Halloween. I could go as Uncle Fester from the Adams Family without even having to "dress up". We had a fun time with Harry "Leigh" Potter and the rest of the Gryffindor "Reece" Family.

I've had my consultation with the plastic surgeon but a surgery date is still to be determined. Both the plastic surgeon and the surgical oncologist have to coordinate schedules. Hopefully, it won't be too long.

This past week I have been back in the Washington DC area. Elizabeth had her back surgery on 11/1 and "Mom" came to help. The surgery went well and she is expecting a speedy recovery. Also, she received notification on Friday that she passed the NY Bar!! Great news!!

As luck would have it, on Friday I missed the first snowfall of the season in the NC mountains. I am a snow lover and I seem to always miss the snow. The temperatures will be back in the 60's when I get home on Monday 11/8.

Only 2 weeks until my newest grandson arrives. Pictures will be posted.

Anything but....PINK

October is almost over and I'm spending the end of the month at a lovely place with beautiful fall colors. Nothing pink about them. It's hard not to know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and pink is the chosen representative color. All of that is nice but, as the month ends, I can't help but wonder about a couple of things. Why, after all of these years, is it even necessary to still "find a cure". And, are too many profiting from the "power of pink"? There seem to be so many pink "breast cancer" items for sale. All promising to to donate anywhere from a few cents to few dollars of the purchase price to breast cancer research. I'm thinking that more than a few dollars go toward their "bottom line". Enough said.

I am at the Kripalu center, resting and rejuvenating. I've taken lovely walks in the woods, eaten healthy food and had several healing arts sessions which include massages and facials. On my walk to the lake yesterday, I passed many maple trees with their fallen leaves along the path. These leaves were from the type of maple that were in my childhood school yard and had a fragrance that I hadn't smelled in years. Instant transport back in time. I gathered a few pretty ones like I used to do as a child and pressed them in my journal. I'm trying hard to live in the moment but memories of the past are wonderful too.

On a sad note, I pay tribute to my cousin Susan Benton Small who died on Friday 10/22/2010. She was a remarkable, strong woman and my inspirational role model through chemotherapy. She will be missed.