Great news . . .

Saw my surgeon today – she took out the last drain – YAY!!! Such a relief, those things are so uncomfortable. Anyway, she says I am healing well, things look good (and they do, or rather I should say “it” does look good – since I have one newly reconstructed breast now). Although, there are minor things she will do, it is quite apparent now that she does excellent work.

Also, my surgeon’s bedside manner has improved (hopefully permanently). Today it was like being with a totally different doctor. I have a feeling I know why. She was on vacation last week. So I asked her how her vacation went and she explained that it had not been a vacation or time off. That instead, she went to look after a good friend who had very bad thyroid cancer. I believe that my surgeon went to visit her friend while she was going through her staging exams (CT Scans and MRIs that they put you through to determine if the cancer has spread to other areas of your body – a very scary time in a cancer patient’s life).

My surgeon said it was just really hard for her friend and that it was such a difficult time. And then she said to me, “Well, you know . . . you know what that is like.”

Yes, I do. But, now, I think my surgeon has an idea of what it is like and suddenly has a totally different perspective on what her patients have to suffer through.

I am very sorry for how she has had to gain that perspective, but, hopefully her friend will be fine. I know that thyroid cancer is very treatable. But, like with all types of cancers, the key is early detection. So, hopefully her friend’s cancer was detected early enough. I will say some prayers for her.

I don’t know if that is why my surgeon was so much better towards me today. But, I have a feeling it might have had something to do with it. It certainly felt like she had empathy for me – and it really is the first time that I have ever felt that from her before.

So, to recap, the great news is that my drain is out (this will surely make sleeping more likely) and I appear to be healing well from surgery. My surgeon does want me to stay on the IV antibiotics a bit longer, but, my other doctor will likely have the final say on that. So, I anticipate that I will be free from the IV line nonsense this Wednesday or Thursday. I hope so. In any case, things are improving.

Thank you for your continued prayers, I greatly appreciate it.

Much love,

Lisa