Wonderlust: Bringing the Blog back to Life

Despite my best wishes I found it very hard to blog throughout the later part of surgery recovery, chemotherapy and radiation. Instead I sent updates out to friends via email at intervals updating everyone on latest news. Though I do hope to resume blogging at some point soon, I want to share these emails here, clumsily fast forwarding the blog and bringing you all up to date on my treatment and recovery.

Here's a time line of my treatment for reference:

Double mastectomy and initial breast reconstruction: 16 August 2006

Estimated surgery time: 10 hrs. Actual surgery time: 20 hrs.
Lymph nodes removed from breast and left axila
Stage III cancer diagnosed
Estimated that without operation, I would have died by February of 2007
Food prepared by Joey's kitchen team is delivered daily starting 24 August.

Chemotherapy--8 sessions every other week: 1 Oct 2006 - 9 Jan 2007

Lost my hair by 15th of October; shaved my head 21 Oct 2006
Lost eyelashes, eyebrows, and pretty much every other hair strand (except in my legs) by the Holidays
Couldn't eat any raw vegetables, everything tasted like metal, survived on cheese, pasta and other bland foods including ice cream
Gained 20 lbs and made Oncologist upset when I complained about it
Immune system completely shot, couldn't fly, attend concerts, crowded restaurants, or theaters for the duration (though I cheated a bit and went to the mall and movies on occasion).
Spent 4 months essential on house arrest. Friends and colleagues delivered lunch, movies, helped around the house and stayed overnight when needed.
Took 5 weeks of recovery time before Radiation started

Radiation Therapy--25 daily treatments (excluding weekends): 5 March - 6 April

Severe internal pain, skin rash, and fatigue
Due to radiation angle, permanent damage to left lung leaves lingering dry cough
Heart tissue is safeguarded
Took 8 weeks of recovery to allow skin to heal prior to second reconstructive surgery