Bye, Bye, Third Boob

Last Monday, September 23, I had (hopefully!) my last surgery due to breast cancer.  I had a port that had been in my body for a year.  As I continued to lose weight, it continued to protrude more and more to where I called it my third boob.  I joked about it, but Jack confirmed it for me.  The first time we put on swimsuits this summer, I was holding him.  He "grabbed" my port and said, "Mommy's chi chi!"  (That is what we call the breasts in our house.)  I explained, "No, Sweetie, that is my port."  He got upset and said more emphatically, "No!  Mommy's chi chi."  And so it was.

                                                       

My port outside my body.

I am so mad that I didn't take pictures of it sticking out of my chest before they took it out.  I thought about it for 3 days before, but knew I would be waiting around at the hospital before surgery and that seemed like the perfect time to do it.  I guess my nerves got the best of me.

We arrived at the hospital at 9.  My surgery was scheduled for 10:40.  We waited in a pre-op room.  For the past year, I didn't not need any IVs because of my port.  My port was mainly for chemo.  But when I ended up in the ER, they accessed my port to take blood.  Kind of nice.  So I had my first IV in over a year.  My arms do not like IVs.  But this one wasn't bad.

They wheeled me back around 10:30 and I started shaking.  I really don't like being put under.  I started asking questions to try to calm my nerves.  They gave me some meds in my IV and everything started spinning.  I closed my eyes and tried not to think too much.  I just began to wonder when I would "fall asleep" and that was the last thing I remember.

I woke up in a recovery hall.  It is a big square with desks and activity going on in the middle.  I was given some anti-naseau medicine and some ice chips.  I was back there for about 30 minutes.  Then I was wheeled back to a room and my wonderful husband.

We were released about an hour later.  I wasn't supposed to lift anything for a week.  Not easy with 2 little boys.  I didn't run or do sit-ups or do lunges or do any other exercises.

But tomorrow I am going running.  I am done not doing things because of cancer.  I am going to go running any time I feel like it because my body is on the mend.  I will drink beer whenever I want because I can and it finally tastes good again.  I will go and get manis and pedis without worrying about my low immune system and possible infection.  I will wake up every morning knowing that there is no more chemo or surgeries or multiple doctor's appointments in a week.  I am ready to start doing.

So, Bye, Bye, third boob and Hello, Life-With-Two-Boobs again.  I have missed you.