I had a very full day yesterday...slave driver Nancy got me up at the crack of dawn (10:00) and we walked at Riverfront. The walk itself was fine, but when I got home I was so hot and sweaty...the shower was great...but I was tired! Then at noon Cindy came and got me for lunch. We went to Uptown Cafe--over by the new Martins near the mall--and had a fun lunch. The cafe was loud, but food was interesting and good. I recommend it if you are looking for something different.
Cindy, god lover her, had called around to help me find something to even out Mr. Ski Slope and Mr. Pizza Pocket. So we headed over to Alick's Home Medical Care (have you all seen the commercials? I expected that same lady to wait on me) When we go there, Cindy and I headed to the mastectomy bras and the chicken breast fake boobs and started looking around. We laughed and certainly weren't shy about what we were looking for. Cassandra, who I think is like a "fake boob guru," came to wait on us and I told her my situation, and as only a trained professional can do, she "quietly" moved us into an office so I wouldn't be so loud I am sure! : ) You know me...nothing embarrasses me anymore! So anyway, we decide I just need a "filler" so I try on a few different fillers (mine was just foam filled, covered in fabric) and settled on a size 7 --the only size 7 I have ever worn in my life. Cassandra told us about her sister who had two 11 pound boobs reduced so we shared notes on that. (no, my boobs did not weigh 11 pounds each!) So, I kept my new filler boob in and went to pay for it while Cindy used the restroom.
Since I had my filler boob in, Cassandra gives the clerk a number for my product and tells me good luck and off she goes. I am digging through my messy purse for my wallet when the clerk says:
"Ok, that is one camisole puff foam filler. That will be $197.34."
I freeze and stifle a gasp. "Really??? WOW." but I hand her my card, stunned at the expense. While she is swiping my card, I come to my senses and say "WHY in the world is that thing so much?"
Clerk says with a shrug, "Because it can be."
Stunned again, I say "Because we are so desparate for normalcy we will pay anything??"
Clerk agrees, and goes on to tell me there are even more expensive ones, yada yada.
I am still stunned and my mind is racing. We are talking about $1.00 worth of foam and maybe $5.00 worth of soft fabric covering this thing. Meanwhile, Cindy returns and I say
"Guess how much it was?"
She says, "Mmm. $2.00?"
"NOPE, $197.00!!!" I say.
"FOR A SPONGE???" she says and cracks up. She then says "I have shoulder pads at home you can have."
Luckily, the clerk says that we have her paranoid thinking about it, so she wants more info. So I pull the damned thing out of my bra and say "This is what it is." She calls Cassandra.
The thing really cost $12.00.
Can you believe I was going to pay it too? That is the worst part! I couldn't believe that it even crossed my mind to pay that. I just kept thinking "well, it is comfortable." Thank goodness Cindy was there to bring me to my senses! We laughed the whole way home of course.
But I do really like Ms. Filler as I call her. She nestles up in between Mr. Ski Slope and Mr. Pizza Pocket and does just fine.
SO today is Wednesday and I get to go to Dr. Nancy in Kalamazoo. She examines me and jostles Mr. Pizza Pocket a little--I think it fascinates her like it does me--and she mentions she is curious what my first visit with the plastic surgeon will bring. She thinks I am ready for injections 'cause everything looks good from her stand point. We talk a little about my future with her--she is going to do my clinical breast exams 6 months opposite of whatever Ansari orders so I will be having something done every six months, whether it is my MRI/Mammogram or a clinical exam. She also wonders Ansari's plans but indicates that it is possible he will do nothing--except watch me from now on. She agreed that this cancer is so rare she isn't sure what anyone would recommend. I appreciated her honesty but told her I wanted my doctors to have all the answers...she laughed and said there are not enough doctors in the world to have that.
She also agrees that I can go back to work half days starting next week. She said that sounds like a good plan but really wants me to stick to it. I also told her I could always call off if needed. So, I get to go back next week for the afternoons. I will also have to leave for doctors appointments but she is releasing me to full time on October 8th.
So that is my news. I am tired and can't wait to take this bra off--but am leaving it on as we expect John and Ginger to be home tonight. WAHOO! I can't wait to see them. Ginger has not seen me since surgery and I know will want all the details. Thank goodness she almost home.
Ansari tomorrow at 2:00. This is a scary thing for me in a way as I know he is now my "god" in terms of helping to keep this cancer from returning and getting me in a worse way. I hope he has done some research about it...and I intend to ask him if he has. I did have a man someone told me about on the internet email me about 9 articles about ACC/breast that I am printing as we speak. I haven't read them yet but plan to take them with me.
Will keep you posted tomorrow.
Life is returning to normal. I certainly think that is a good thing.
Molly
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