Shout Outs!!!!!

It is really too bad I didn't think of it sooner, but the picture above is a mere sampling of the wonderful gifts, flowers and cards received!  (If you don't see your gift here it just means I could not carry it or retrieve myself.)  Isn't it amazing?!  All so thoughtful, creative, comforting, entertaining and delicious!

I thought you would enjoy seeing and hearing about some of the items.  So every day or so, I plan to add a couple of specific "Shout Outs!" over on the right hand side of the page (no particular order....so you may have to check the site everyday to make certain you see your "Shout Out!").

Speaking of everyday....sorry I don't blog everyday.  And that sometimes it is actually a few days in between.  Honestly, typically that means I am either in a "dark" mood or really tired.  What, you thought I was positive, perky and upbeat everyday?!  Silly!  Just ask Steve and my sisters....they can tell you I am not always the pleasant, funny Susan you have come to know and love.  :-)

Today, I am feeling pretty good (and relatively strong)!  That is very welcome because I had about three days where that was definitely NOT the case.  Lot's of pain which is just exhausting to manage.  I figure there will probably be phases to this recovery process and that is to be expected. 

Update from the Doctor visit last week -- the breast surgeon was pleased with my overall progress.  She reviewed some test results with us which were encouraging to hear.  First of all, while the tumors were only in the right breast, the left breast revealed clusters of atypical cells (soon to be cancer).  So the double mastectomy was definitely the right thing to do!  The lymph node was negative so they don't believe the cancer has spread.  (These of course are my very simple layman's terms and I couldn't remember if we had previously revealed these details or not.)  And as expected, she did recommend an oncologist and I have an appointment next Thursday, September 16th.  (Really?!  This was the soonest you could get me in?  Are you kidding me?  Do you know how much "stuff" hinges on this consultation?!)  So I am still setting my expectations of having to go through chemo (but there are some outside chances this could be where I get "lucky").  More to come on that next Friday!

Back to the picture above.  The gift display area is doubling as my "home" for the past three weeks.  So that couch you see under the gifts is my bed!  :-)  This is a side room to our house and we chose this area because it is on the first floor, very sunny and open (plus if you look in the background you will also notice it is our "bar" which is quite convenient ;-) ).  So generally a pretty cheery place to be.  I am really looking forward to sleeping in a bed again (soon) but until my drains come out (one on each side) this just seems the safest thing to do.  Can't roll over and no one to bother me or "the goods". 

Well, here's hoping I post tomorrow!  :-)  Hope you had a great holiday weekend!  Just think, this work week is already half over!!!!

Take care!