You are so darn smart!!

Nat


--- Oana Hogrefe <oana.hogrefe@...> wrote:

> Teresa, I am glad you followed your instincts, and I
> wish you a smooth recovery!
>
> hugs,
> Oana
>
> On 11/29/07, lizdavies01@...
> <lizdavies01@...> wrote:
> > Oh wow, didn't know this was happening.
> Congratulations pn trusting your own body. Wishing
> you a joyous recovery!
> >
> > Love,
> > The Davies'
> > Rob, Liz, Carter and Finn
> > Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: "Teresa Howard" <georgiadoula@...>
> >
> > Date: Thu, 29 Nov 2007 23:54:29
> > To:alaboroflove_webgroup@yahoogroups.com
> > Subject: [alaboroflove_webgroup] my surgery update
> >
> >
> > Thanks for all of the prayers and thoughts
> regarding my surgery. On
> > November 15th I went in to Northside expecting to
> have a prophylactic
> > mastectomy with DIEP reconstruction due to my
> BRCA +1 status- meaning
> > I carry the ovarian and breast cancer gene that
> causes my chance of
> > cancer in those areas to be 87%. Since I had a
> hysterectomy 18 years
> > ago- the risk was only for breast cancer.
> >
> > The surgery was an eight hour procedure. I did
> great through the
> > surgery. But due to some scarring from 18 years
> ago, I was only able
> > to have the DIEP procedure done on the left
> breast and for the right
> > breast a bit of abdominal muscle was used to help
> the vascular
> > integrity of the right breast.
> >
> > I escaped the hospital on Sunday and traveled to
> Julie's in Athens for
> > my recovery. I was able to get out two drains
> before discharge. And
> > returned on Tuesday to Atlanta to get the
> remaining four drains out.
> > They were disgusting!
> >
> > If I ever doubted that my surgery was a mistake-
> which in the midst of
> > pain I frequently did- the pathology report on
> Tuesday sealed any
> > regret. Although the lump I had that proved to be
> benign was in my
> > left breast. My right breast proved to have
> cancer cells. The best
> > possible cancer you can have in your breast is
> ductal carcinoma in
> > situ- DICS. So it was stage 0- non invasive,
> slowest growing and non
> > life threatening. I meet with an oncologist in a
> few weeks after he
> > has looked at the pathology report- but the
> thought from my surgeon is
> > that no further treatment will be neccessary.
> >
> > I stayed at Julie's til the next Sunday and
> returned to my home in
> > Lawrenceville. Pam Hannah, my best friend lined
> up visitors with lunch
> > for a few weeks. I have been recuperating and
> managing to keep up with
> > the company emails and getting my TIVO fix on the
> shows while I was away!
> >
> > My recovery is four to six weeks. My new "girls"
> look great but I am
> > sore and tired a lot during this healing time.
> This proves to me that
> > you need to listen to your intuitive voice- and
> move forward in a
> > proactive way. I have no regrets on my decision
> in any way. I look
> > forward to healing and being sure of my freedom
> from breast cancer!
> >
> > Thanks again for your prayers and thoughts!
> >
> > Teresa
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> >
> >
> >
>




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