I can’t believe it’s been 2 months since my last update; time seems to both fly by and stand still these days. Overall, I’m hanging in there but I feel like that sends the message that I’m doing fine even though things are still very hard (maybe even more so now because so many people disappear once they hear the cancer is gone). Meanwhile, I’m still detoxing and healing from chemo, surgery, and radiation plus adjusting to 10 years of daily medication, painful monthly injections, and alllllll the side effects.

Thanks to hormone therapy, I’m perpetually hot, achy, exhausted, and cranky. I can’t sleep because of the hot flashes, I wear a compression sleeve for lymphedema, and the meds ruin my immune system so I’m always sick now too. For someone who’s been so durable my whole life, I don’t feel at all like myself and it’s a massive adjustment to be in this new body that seemingly aged 50 years overnight. That said, I'm very happy to share that my first follow-up mammogram was all clear and my cancer markers are back in the normal range!!!

As of now, my reconstruction should be late Feb / early March. Because DIEP flap (natural reconstruction via tummy tuck) is such an invasive surgery, I’m going to be in the hospital for 5 days with an 8-week recovery time and I'll have to use a walker until I gain my strength back. To those of you who would be willing to help out during my recovery, please let us know because we wound up having little to no hands-on support after my mastectomy. It made things so much harder than they needed to be and I don’t want that to happen again.

This time last year, I was getting ready to start chemo so difficult as life continues to be, I’m beyond grateful to be alive and on this side of it all. Another bright spot has been all the time I’ve been able to spend with Brandon (and Trooper too). He has been the best caregiver I could’ve asked for but I know this has really taken a toll on him too, especially with all he was dealing with before I was even diagnosed. Cancer is a dark and lonely experience, but we deeply appreciate everyone who continues to check in and offer support because this journey isn't over yet.

Wishing you and yours a happy holiday. Here’s some pictures we had taken to celebrate my being NED.

Lots of love,
Linz