like a diamond ...: the drain is out!

Monday, December 31, 2007

the drain is out!

The drain is out and I have my life back and I have my body back.

Amazing!

I went for a walk this morning with Jubilee and I smelled so much of sulfur that the bugs would not stop swarming me. And then I went to Dr. Lickstein’s office, not knowing if he would take it out or not, since I still have a fair amount of drainage, and he just took it out. Yeah!

Even though I still have some pain and swelling, it seems that my body now is back to its own integrity and has moved into the driver’s seat. I’m now in active HEALING! I no longer have to take the antibiotics, and I’m beginning to think that I have a life again.

Happy New Year!

like a diamond ...

Before the mastectomy, I saw an MRI image of my invasive breast cancer on a computer screen. This was the day before they did the MRI-guided biopsy. There was nothing vague about it – it looked clear and defined, bright and shiny – like a diamond. When I saw it, I did not know that it was cancer, and I asked the Dr. what else it could be. Oh, a density of fibrous tissue or something, he said. All I knew was that it was different from everything around it, and I have come to trust that my breast cancer is, indeed, some kind of treasure.

Though I write honestly, and sometimes perhaps flippantly and cynically, about my experiences with breast cancer and the medical system, I mean no disrespect to the professionals who treat me. I am incredibly grateful for their knowledge and skills, their very hands(!) – and I am humbled by the way they dedicate their lives (and days and nights) to the health and care of our bodies (my body!). The personalities of my doctors and their assistants, with all of their human variations, truly do bless and charm me.