3 times... hopefully lucky

Hi all,

well I have been following here since Feb diagnosis, thinking my May surgery and immediate reconstruction and voila, all good.   Instead Ive just been through 6 months and back to the start.. Ground hog day.

Double mastectomy in May, all good after -  no chemo or radiation needed.(hence the double).. expander put in,, all good, recovery back to work and life;  then bam,, massive infections, staph  22 Aug.... 10 days hospital, pic line iv antibiotics, drains, daily med visits etc etc.... infection stayed, grew a nice 'volcano' on my right breast (not the cancer breast either??),,, had to fight to get infectious disease care; pushed it and back to surgery last week - removed the expanders,, hopefully finished antibiotics after almost 4 months.........home recovering yet again or still; not sure which.

Couple of insights - 1. I am happy to have 'my body' back, with no implants, in spite of my new look.. lumpy and flat at the same time;  time to heal.    2.  we have to be such a strong advocate for ourselves to get attention for progressive care; well intentioned specialists - with poor continuity of care - well, maybe not poor, but I realised I am the continuity and had to case manage myself.   

I am still trying to remember the start of this journey was because of cancer; as you get caught in surgery, treatments, hospitals, infections, more treatments and exhaustion - while living your 'normal' life of work and earning a living.  

There is such a strong network of support here; with so many women (and men) with cancer - stops your life, puts everything on hold and terrifies us and our loved ones too - afraid to lose us.     

Sadly, another blow in the middle of this for me, my mother 82, double cancer diagnosis, 2 primaries, lung and ovarian, with bone caner thrown off from the lung.    More sadness ahead. 

Thanks for listening.   I envisage a healthy strong body again, but am stuck with this fear of infection, staph lurking about waiting to kick me again -  plus the idea I may have a hidden ovarian gene for more cancer.....  

Ciao