Level Once Again

Ahhhh, the days of leaning further left from more weight has ended. I am walking taller and straighter than ever before. Well, since I was twenty anyways. The breast reconstructive surgery from my partial mastectomy was a success. And they are a work-of-art. The post-surgery gauze bandages have fallen away and lo-and-behold two bobbing mounds of joy. Two! Count them. Not one and a bit. Not beauty and ugly. I have mirrored twins! I can't stop looking down or raising my hand to make sure it is still there and not deflated again like the past few weeks. It's not moving?
Aw, come on you say. There must be a downside, right? Nope. Really- they're sore, but nothing, and I repeat nothing like any of the previous surgeries. A few days of pain killers and now I'm on straight chocolate with no codeine involved.
I tried walking the 10 km Terry Fox Run on Sunday but after 2.5 km found I was handling myself and was getting strange looks so we turned around and completed only 5 km this year. We made up for it at the silent auction shopping. Okay, it needs to "set." I knew that would happen. No jumping for joy, no post-cocoa work-out. Two weeks. I can do that. If I can do a year of cancer treatment, you KNOW I can handle a week of anything.

For anyone considering having a breast reconstructed, please take this as a massive endorsement for the positive. I have myself back. I am whole once again! And , courtesy of the BC Medical Plan, I had the other one raised to be in the same area code. No more pencil or beer can  holders- I have a set of boobs that can float. I could be a stripper- call myself the Joker with a brown lunch bag with a big question mark on it pulled over my head! Look out Mexican wet t-shirt contest- I'm JOKING, people.

No, I am able to get these gals all the appreciation they need right here at home. Starting from myself. Now I have way more appreciation of what I own. What I will protect a lot better this time. Don't ask me if I want a glass of wine anymore. I've traded in the bottles fora perfect set of  boobs. For free- well, almost. There's the cost of the years off my life from the treatments and the stress, but it's a nice trade off all the same.

Would I go through it all again- yes, if it was just the one-time I probably would! I think it's important that I came out of this cancer journey ready and eager to help others in avoiding it.That wouldn't have been the same if I had avoided the chemo and the reconstruction.

I have found my path and my gift to the world. I went through the full cancer gambit with as little horror as one could have and still be considered a survivor. Now to tell everyone about it!

BEFORE....and you'll just have to imagine the fully rounded, plump after.