Posts Tagged ‘baby girl’

  1. Rejoicing and Mourning

    June 10, 2012 by Julie Moon

    These days I feel like I’m on a roller coaster.  One minute I’m ecstatic about how things are going and then the next minute I’m feeling like I’m never going to be finished and whole.  I remember my mom talking like this.  I remember her feeling like she was never going to feel great again.  She is not without complications even 4 years later but she is in a much better place.

    Last night as I pulled off a piece of tape that has been over the incision on my right breast (all my wounds were sewn up with something that looks and feels like fishing line and then taped over with something I think looks like sheetrock tape) I was amazed.  My right breast looks so very normal.  So much like the me from before surgery.  I have  a 4.5 inch incision on that breast but other than that I’m feeling so happy with the results.  The scars will fade and it will be great.  Times of rejoicing.

    Then I pulled off my no stick gauze from the left breast that is looking so rough. It’s hard to even imagine it looking normal again.  Lots of incisions and a bleb of a “nipple” they are working at creating and the incisions aren’t even closed tight.  Feeling like my insides are exposed and I’ll be eternally doing wound care.  Times of mourning.

    We attempted a nipple sparing mastectomy for both sides.  The nipple has to receive adequate blood flow to survive and Leftie Loser did not.  She bit the dust early and now we have to replace her.  It makes me sad to see how great the right side looks and know what I would look like right now if  that nipple on the left had survived.  Makes me well up with tears right here right now.

    But then I remind myself that I did not go through all of this just to have two fuller, more youthful breasts that look perfect.  I went through this to make sure I’m around to see this little bit grow her own breasts and make a life for herself.  I went through this to live a long life and I can live a very long life with one beautiful breast and one ok breast…neither of them are going to kill me.  And THAT my friends is what matters!


  2. I’ve Hit A Funk

    May 31, 2012 by Julie Moon

    ********warning…there is a whole lot of whining in this post

    i have to get it all out before I can get over it ********

    I haven’t posted since I got home from Charleston.  It’s been a week now since I returned.   Honestly I haven’t done much of anything.  I am having a much harder time with this stage than I expected.  It helps me greatly to look back on photos of myself as a happy, bright eyed woman because right now I am not sure where that chick is.  I have only really gotten dressed once in the past week and that was because some friends came over to celebrate Memorial Day.   I barely got off the couch that day and every day since.  So…let’s break it down so I can process all that I’m feeling.

    1- I hate meds.  It’s good I don’t need them on a regular basis because my body freaking hates meds.  I had to quit taking the dilaudid because even zofran wasn’t taking care of my nausea.  I decided I could deal with a bit more pain if it meant less nausea.  I hate how meds mess with your digestion.  I hate that I have to set a timer to remember to take something around the clock.  I’m finished with my antibiotic.  I’m taking extra strength tylenol but last night I tried some Aleve to see if that helped more.   Medicine makes me feel weak…not myself.

    2- I feel guilty.  Summer started on May 16th for my children. I feel like they are just missing out on the first month of summer, stuck with their sick mom in the house or pawned off on other people.  I want to take them to the pool but I can’t get in the pool…which poses a problem when it’s 95 degrees outside and when you have a three year old.   A few people have taken the kids to the pool and I feel like I’m missing out.  I want them to remember this summer as a fun time not as the summer their mother was laid up on the couch.  I’m tired of hearing the tv blaring but little children don’t find things to do on their own easily without some encouragement.  I just feel like I’m in a fog and the days are slipping by.

    3-I’m scared.  I see my wounds and worry about my healing.  In my head I know things are going to go fine but it’s such a delicate thing.  I pray every day that my body will be whole and complete and healthy but I am scared.

    4- I’m worried.  I worry about my brca sisters.  I know so many of them have been looking to me as a strong example.  They have told me their concerns and fears and I have been the champion cheerleader.  I have encouraged them and been their support and now I’m weak and I worry that this might scare them.  I know they want to know the good and bad but I know how scary it can be also.

    5- I’m grateful.  My friends have not missed a beat helping me out this time as well.  Stopping by with food, to clean up my living room or do a load of laundry.  I’ve had plenty of help with my children.

    Last night one of my friends came and got my oldest two children.  She took my wild and crazy 7 year old boy and my 9 year old with a low grade fever who had thrown up the night before.  She has three of her own.  Her selflessness made me cry.  To take a friend’s children when one of them is sick…potentially taking that on for your own family…loving my children as her own was remarkable.  I have said it before…my village is amazing.  Today my sister came and got the little one and they are off for a day long adventure.  I want my babies close to me…they make me feel comforted even when they are driving me crazy.  To be alone is a bit scary sometimes but I think I need this day to process, let it all out and stand back up.  I know my kids are having the time of their life…they will come home happy, recharged, well fed and loved and hopefully I will greet them with a bit of the same.

    How I look has become secondary this week…how I feel is so much more important right now.  I need to feel better.   I’m planning on going out today…somewhere.  I’m going to get out of the house and go somewhere that makes me feel normal.


  3. Feeling more human

    March 1, 2012 by Julie Moon

    Monday morning one of my besties volunteered to drive me to Charleston to see the doctor and to get my last two drains pulled.  If you don’t know what drains are, consider yourself blessed.  Having them for a month has been a drag.  I was so excited for this day to come.  We drove straight there…nearly running out of gas because evidently noone thought it was a good idea to put a gas station on I-20 for what felt like 100 miles.  Thankfully we made it to our hotel without having to walk to any gas stations.

    We relaxed for a bit and decided to go out to dinner in downtown Charleston at a great little place  called Blossom.  It’s wonderful to have friends who have lived there because they always give us the best restaurant recommendations.  I love being in Charleston!  We turned in early and watched some crazy tv until it was time to fall asleep.  Isn’t hotel tv the best…you watch things you never would have watched at home.  We watched some TLC show where a child had a parasitic twin removed from his body…wha?

    Tuesday morning we went to my favorite breakfast spot…Hominy Grill.  I have yet to have dinner or lunch there but I have plenty more Charleston trips planned this year.  It was delicious as always. It reminds me of our very own Athens restaurant, Mama’s Boy just with more seafood.   We killed some time shopping at TJMaxx and Homegoods and found a dress that might work for the baby girl to wear as flowergirl in May.

    Finally it was time for a visit and I was so excited.  In the waiting room we met another BRCA 1 family.  A young girl from Atlanta.  It was great to share stories and realize that we were going through much of the same journey.  She had a failed flap in her first surgery….such a small percentage of women have this happen.  So she was there having her second reconstruction.

    At last it was my turn to see Dr. Craigie.  He came in and sat down like an old friend ready to hear how I was doing.  We discussed my recovery and then he got to work.  I had nipple sparing surgery which means we attempted to save the nipple to be part of the reconstruction.  This is difficult because the nipple has the weakest blood supply after mastectomy.  One side has healed beautifully and managed to get a very good blood supply.  The other side has not been so lucky.  We have been using silvadene cream for the past 3 weeks trying to help it heal.  Dr. Craigie cleaned the wound and cut away the dead tissue and now we are working on my protein and letting the skin continue to grow to heal the wound.  Please pray for this to heal.  It is by far the scariest part to me…looking at my body with an open wound.  There still is a chance that there is enough healthy tissue for part of my nipple to survive.  The second stage of surgery we will be able to repair/construct anything that we need to though.  I have full confidence in my surgeon and his ability to make me whole again.  I have seen AMAZING pictures and I believe I will be one of those too.  THEN HE PULLED MY DRAINS!! Woo hoo! It was glorious to be free of those darn tagalongs.  They did a great job but I’m glad to let them go!

    After my wonderful appointment we celebrated with frozen yogurt and then headed on our journey home.  I got to see my baby girl before she went to bed on her birthday! What a wonderful trip!

    Look what my family had on the door waiting for me!

     


  4. What’s Your Fortune

    January 31, 2012 by Julie Moon

    It was a beautiful day driving here to Charleston today.  Sun shining down on us and clear skies…easy sailing.  Baby girl has been sick for several days and today she was really happy and perky and feeling so much better.  That was exactly what my soul needed.  I was so worried about her.  My mom and I went out to dinner tonight and these were my two fortunes.  I thought they were pretty awesome.  I think the hardest part about this whole experience is that it is a bit of a surprise…I don’t know exactly what to expect on Wednesday.  I don’t know what it feels like to be in a hospital not giving birth.  I haven’t ever been intubated.  I haven’t ever had surgery (minus removing a couple wisdom teeth..hah).  I certainly haven’t ever spent 5 days in a hospital.  I’m definitely unsure of how my body will react to all the drugs.  How quickly will I recover?  Will it hurt lots? some?  beyond belief? less than I could imagine?  I don’t feel anxious but I feel calm, serene…I am peaceful but quiet.

    I did get a call from the breast surgeon’s office today and they decided that based on my MRI from last week that they would like to do a sentinel lymph node biopsy on my left side during surgery on Wednesday.  Just another little bump in the road but another thing that will give us more information and help me have a healthier future.


  5. I love you too much!

    November 1, 2011 by Julie Moon

    My baby girl is 2 1/2 and full of fiery soul.  She’s the youngest of three children.  She is a firecracker, full of opinions and ready to try just about anything.  One of my very favorite things though about her if you tell her that you love her she will ALWAYS say “I love you too much!”  Oh it just melts me.  It’s so true baby girl!  I love you too much too.  But too much is just right sometimes!