Something Sweet, Surgery Date and a Hair Update

First for something sweet . . . My friend Megan sent me a picture that her daughter Madelyn made at school for a first grade Martin Luther King Jr. "I have a dream project." It says, "I have a dream that no one will be sick." When Megan first saw it she said, "Oh, that's nice," but Madelyn clarified for her, "So people like Miss Fran won't get sick and will feel better." God bless my little friend Madelyn.

Last Tuesday I drove through the snow to an appointment with my breast surgeon. She checked me out and noted that the tumor had gotten smaller but that I would still need to have a mastectomy. I expected as much. I told her that I was opting to have a double mastectomy since my other breast contains several fatty and liquid-filled cysts and I am concerned that those may make it difficult to detect possible cancerous growths in the future. She said that was a valid reason and agreed to do the double mastectomy. She told me she works with my plastic surgeon on Tuesdays and how asked how next week sounded. Next week?!!! I didn't think doctors worked that fast. I was not prepared for that on many different levels. This coming Tuesday is the first day of a new semester, I have no lesson plans prepared for a long-term sub AND a week wouldn't give me ample time to contemplate the whole ordeal and prepare myself mentally. We decided to go with January 31st so that I can get to know my students for a couple of weeks and get lessons ready for a substitute. I will be requesting a month off, but will be hoping to return after two or three weeks.

As for my hair. Since I see it every day in the mirror, I don't think it has grown much. But when I took the photos below and compared them to the ones taken at the end of December, I an see an improvement.



Hopefully by the time my recovery time from surgery is over and I go back to work my hair will be long enough to color and I can get rid of the wig! My new concern is my eyebrows and eyelashes. I find myself staring at other people's eyelashes with envy. Every day I look in the mirror, hoping for some sign of new growth, but nothing.

So that's my latest update. I know that those of you who read this are always praying for us, but say a special prayer on Jan. 31st. I am a little nervous - not so much about the surgery itself, but about how it will feel coming out of it. I have never had a major surgery in my life and have only been under general anaesthesia once before for an orthoscopic procedure and I remember that feeling really bizarre. I know I will be fine, but I can't help but worry a little. Hopefully, like all I've been through already, this aspect of the journey will be smooth and relatively pain-free, too.