Today is happy, happy, joy, joy in the scheme of things!

One year ago today I had my breast cancer surgery.  A lumpectomy a/k/a partial mastectomy.

One year ago at this time I was in recovery at Pennsylvania Hospital, and hopefully wasn’t drooling on anyone post surgery.

One year ago at this time I was wrapped up like a mummy and could  NOT remember if they told me coming out of surgery that I still had a left nipple or not….but I can still tell you to this day the fabulous necklace and cool clogs my surgeon, Dr. Dahlia Sataloff was wearing!

“It’s not whether you get knocked down. It’s whether you get up again.”~ Vince Lombardi

So here I am, still 1 6/8 boobs and a year later, yes my left breast is smaller and slightly lopsided, but I can deal with it.  My scars have virtually fades away to nothing because my surgeon quite frankly has magical hands.

I have been waiting for a year to write this post, and today is a very big milestone to me.  I count June 1st as my official cancerversary.

I have learned a lot about others , as well as myself.  I have learned a lot about life and love and what really matters.  In the midst of breast cancer, I also rediscovered a lot about myself and parts of myself I thought long gone.

“This above all: to thine own self be true”  

~ Character: Polonius/Author: William Shakespeare

My first post-surgical and radiation mammograms, ultrasounds, and MRIs are all clear!

I will tell you that since I had my surgery, Penn no longer will bill out co-pays, which means that the expensive ones like MRIs and such have to be paid up front.  I think if a patient has a clean payment history with a hospital system that is a bit unfair.  And I am having issues with a switch in generic Tamoxifen , but lordy overall, minus a couple of bumps, what a difference a year makes.

This time last year I was a lot more scared then I let on.  Being told you have breast cancer does sort of suck the air out of the room.

Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of. ~ Benjamin Franklin

But here I am.  I stuck to my guns of remaining positive in the face of the big C, and I have the most amazing support system near and far.  I also have the most amazing doctors and nurses who have cared for, and continue to care for me.   A big thank you to Dr. Samantha Pfeifer for pushing to get my lump tested, Dr. Dahlia Sataloff for my surgery, and thanks to Dr. Marisa Weiss who did my radiation.  Up ahead of me, I do have to get the BRCA gene test, I think that is important.

My life has changed so much in a year, and the amazing negative breast cancer is?  Well it has ended up being a positive.  A couple of hours from now, my sweet man was bringing me home to his home to heal from surgery.  A year later? I live here and have my own family unit.

They say God never gives you more than you can handle?  Well, I finally believe that.

As I sit here, with a breeze coming in, looking out at my garden and my plants starting to bloom I am grateful…reall grateful.  I have made it one year so far, and that brings great peace to me.

To those of you out there just beginning this journey, hang tough.  If I can survive, so can you.

To those of you out there who support breast cancer survivors, thank you.  Your positive reinforcement helps more than we as survivors can ever articulate.

A special shout out to Gwen M., Nicki D., Pamela B., Ilene S., Liza B., the Eileens,  and all the others who are among the fabulous survivors and previvors I know, thank you.  The Driving Miss Daisy League?  The Karens?  Regina and Lynn? Sherry? The Lindas? The Barbs? My sister? You ladies continue to inspire and are awesome. And of course … lots of love to my sweet man , as he is the best a girl could ever ask for.

Wow. One year.  Tomorrow I start working on year two.

Take life and live it folks.  It’s not for the meek and faint of heart sometimes, but wow, look something like breast cancer in the face and you sure do appreciate it more.

Love you guys!!  Onward and upward!

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have  imagined.” ~ Henry David Thoreau