tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56861213506288954322024-03-12T19:41:58.156-05:00Staying Postive: BRCA positiveMy personal journey through life with a BRCA1 mutation.Renee Jadin-Ricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04547209004299727532noreply@blogger.comBlogger144125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5686121350628895432.post-11213620039488700442021-02-20T13:07:00.001-06:002021-02-20T13:15:15.394-06:00Surgery Recap<p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 36); color: #202124; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;">It's been almost 3 months since I had my "Phase 2" so I thought I'd give an update. The surgery went well. I passed all the covid tests leading up to it. The surgery was scheduled later in the day that we initially expected, so we were able to drive to Madison without having to get up at 4am. Later in the day surgeries though are more nerve wracking because I have all of that time awake to think about it. Surgery was scheduled for 12:30. I was supposed to arrive at 10:30. We arrived at 9. I just couldn't sit around the house! The issue this caused though was that Mitch couldn't come into the hospital with me, he just dropped me off. He kept coming up with things that we could do instead of going to the hospital right away, but I had already had 1 covid test and did the hibicleanse shower and I really wasn't supposed to go walk around the mall or anything where I could be exposed to more...so I just showed up very early and read in the waiting room. Mitch went to the Mayfair mall and spent a lot of time wandering Target. </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IMNVmzpjI3k/YDFfjTVFzcI/AAAAAAAAA3Q/TYqGcFCb1qAsBv7AnxyD-9xCQ4VJwI4ZQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/62870313900__65953C59-C5EC-44AA-9A6A-15DAC3D7EF92.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1539" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IMNVmzpjI3k/YDFfjTVFzcI/AAAAAAAAA3Q/TYqGcFCb1qAsBv7AnxyD-9xCQ4VJwI4ZQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/62870313900__65953C59-C5EC-44AA-9A6A-15DAC3D7EF92.JPG" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 36); color: #202124; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 36); color: #202124; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Surgery started a little bit later than expected. I'm not sure what the hold up was, I think I was told but I don't remember it. Everything was pretty standard in the surgery prep other than being by myself. </span><br style="caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 36); color: #202124; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 36); color: #202124; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 36); color: #202124; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;">My ovary removal went first. Dr. Barroilhet. She created an incision in my fake belly button and removed my ovaries robotically. They were sent to pathology and everything came back looking good. </span><br style="caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 36); color: #202124; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 36); color: #202124; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 36); color: #202124; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dr. Affifi then started his work closing up the football shaped patches on my breast. There was more fat grafting done to add more shape and somehow lowered my abdominal scar. The ends of my hip to hip scar created what is referred to as a dog ear, so they were also fixed. </span><br style="caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 36); color: #202124; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 36); color: #202124; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 36); color: #202124; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was supposed to be an outpatient procedure--a few hours in surgery, a few hours in recovery, and then back on our way home. However, I ended up having some issues in recovery. I woke up fine. I had to pass the oathstat test of being able to stand up and not have my blood pressure drop before they'd allow me to walk to the bathroom. I also had a Penrose drain in my back that would leak out a LOT of fluid as soon as I would sit up or try to stand up. It was about 7pm and I hadn't eaten since the night before. My blood pressure dropped every time I would try to stand. I was able to make it about 1 minute before feeling too dizzy. So I'd have to lie back down in bed. I kept thinking I'm just going to push through it for the next try but then there'd be a lot of beeping on the machine and they'd force me to sit down before I passed out. The went on every hour throughout the night. See the issue was that I had to pee really bad, like every hour. So every time I'd think ok, I'm going. to try this and every time my blood pressure would drop and every time after the five minutes of trying this I'd have to use a bedpan. Nurses are saints. I had to do this every hour throughout the night. I bet someone was cursing the person who made the choice to pull my catheter before I woke up! </span></span><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_tr1SjZd0ls/YDFekpnzLQI/AAAAAAAAA2w/gGU-kRk48zcqI3polGoyRdfoHESwqf2TwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/62875043967__9233574C-E6EB-4696-97FA-9FC4B141F725.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_tr1SjZd0ls/YDFekpnzLQI/AAAAAAAAA2w/gGU-kRk48zcqI3polGoyRdfoHESwqf2TwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/62875043967__9233574C-E6EB-4696-97FA-9FC4B141F725.JPG" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 36); color: #202124; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;">They thought that maybe I needed to eat something and my blood pressure wouldn't drop. But because of my food allergies and the time of night, all they could give me was this: an unpeeled orange, a blue Powerade, and jello. Now really, what is a patient with an iv in both hands supposed to do with an unpeeled orange? I ate the jello. I drank the disgusting blue Powerade--blue is the worst of all flavors. It didn't help. Finally, I was given more IV fluids and began feeling better around 6 am and passed the orthostat test after that. Then by 9am I was ready and waiting to go home. </span><br style="caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 36); color: #202124; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 36); color: #202124; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 36); color: #202124; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitch still wasn't allowed to come into the hospital, so he rolled up and met me at the front door and we drove home. </span><br style="caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 36); color: #202124; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 36); color: #202124; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 36); color: #202124; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;">That Penrose drain I mentioned earlier was the bane of my existence for a good week. I said earlier that the drain was in my back, but the most accurate way to describe it would actually be to say it was right above my butt. This little plastic tube sticking out right above my butt crack with fluid oozing out whenever I moved. I had to figure out how to catch this fluid because Penrose drains don't include anything to collect the fluid in. I developed a system of pads and post partum mesh underwear to make ,my own diaper like solution. I sat on beach towels at all time concerned that there would be a leak. Thank goodness, I was able to work from home that week! Finally after a week, I was able to remove the drain. Mitch snipped the stitch holding it in and yanked it out. </span></span><div style="caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 36); color: #202124; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.00625em;"><br /></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 36); color: #202124; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.00625em;">I had to wear compression for 2 </span>months round the clock and now until 3 months I wear it during the day only. I took 4 weeks off from exercising, but am back up to the normal now. </span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 36); color: #202124; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 36); color: #202124; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was very scared of the instant menopause that the removal of my ovaries would cause. I've had some issues with hot flashes and sleeplessness. But nothing uncontrollable. So far I'm doing just fine with it, it wasn't everything that I was so scared about. </span></div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Renee Jadin-Ricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04547209004299727532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5686121350628895432.post-40624620311431286672020-10-22T15:10:00.003-05:002020-10-22T16:21:45.266-05:00I am the surgery that is put off because of Covid<p> At our school board meeting a few weeks back, the president of our local hospital joined to share the medical community's perspective on COVID's impact in our community. We live in a county that has the highest COVID positive testing rate is the state. We've been making national news for our significant spikes...1/3 test came back positive just yesterday. As the board was making decisions about what method of school to be in, this doctor shared that our local hospitals are full. Surgeries are being cancelled because they don’t have the beds. He said some people are going to get calls tonight saying, sorry but your surgery tomorrow is cancelled. It’s not heart surgeries or emergency appendectomies, but rather cancer patients and elective surgeries. </p><p><br /></p><p>There are a lot of opinions about school and the data he shared and COVID. And I think sometimes these facts and figures don’t seem real unless you have a person connection to help you understand this. So I am here to share that this is me. I have been one of those people. What was supposed to be my final BRCA related surgery process started in February and was supposed to be finished in by August. It’s October and I am still waiting. I’m slotted for December 3rd. I don’t currently have a surgery time on the books yet which makes me worried that I am going to be the first one bumped if Wisconsin doesn't get their shit together. </p><p><br /></p><p>I don't mean to sound whiney or really even to complain. I feel very thankful that I was even able to get my phase 1 surgery done in February as the first few cases hit Wisconsin. I was able to have a support person with me in the hospital still leading up to surgery and actually didn’t have anyone stay with me during the stay, so the visitor restrictions that were out in place wouldn’t have changed much for me. But women who had the same surgery just a few weeks later had very different experiences. </p><p><br /></p><p>I was able to go attend a check up in person two weeks later to get my drains pulled but all other checks were cancelled or done through tele-med. I wasn’t able to get an in person appointment until July to even talk about what needed to be done during the phase 2 surgery. By the time that finally happened, their August surgery schedule was already filled with people who had to delay their surgeries during the months of March, April, May, or June.</p><p><br /></p><p>I will absolutely survive if this phase two surgery gets bumped again. But it is still frustrational the ability for a women's body to be put back together as whole is deemed to be "elective" in the first place. The plan during phase one left the incisions in a way that we know doesn't look good; the focus was just to get the tissue to survive. Phase two is when those incisions will be closed up and the shape of everything will be smoothed out. To the outside world, I look fine, normal, some might even say better than before. But I know what it looks like underneath it all. I'm also finally removing my ovaries. I am ready to be done. It will also cost me another deductible if it has to be moved to the next calendar year. Let's go Wisconsin! Wear the mask! Wash your hands! Stay home whenever you can! </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4L_LidVK1CY/X5H2sBZE00I/AAAAAAAAA1I/-8D5aDsl0cMDwTNiwAq4d-U7B1b16gfRACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/61823785028__0A6B4A01-520C-4389-BB60-17D1A19C0778.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1539" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4L_LidVK1CY/X5H2sBZE00I/AAAAAAAAA1I/-8D5aDsl0cMDwTNiwAq4d-U7B1b16gfRACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/61823785028__0A6B4A01-520C-4389-BB60-17D1A19C0778.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--l5RzY4AG8o/X5H2sFjhWtI/AAAAAAAAA1E/EdsLih4KNAEwxgd8VkhkfARHWJviBDZYwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/61824101898__559E1A94-C011-47DE-B2B0-91EC0C9F26EF.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1539" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--l5RzY4AG8o/X5H2sFjhWtI/AAAAAAAAA1E/EdsLih4KNAEwxgd8VkhkfARHWJviBDZYwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/61824101898__559E1A94-C011-47DE-B2B0-91EC0C9F26EF.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mys02XLYkLs/X5H3ElFt5iI/AAAAAAAAA1c/QSb4SqrvbtIge9_v2EDlQhzE8SED6TqiACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_7448.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1539" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mys02XLYkLs/X5H3ElFt5iI/AAAAAAAAA1c/QSb4SqrvbtIge9_v2EDlQhzE8SED6TqiACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_7448.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Also, for fun, here's a photo of what it looked like the first time I put on my work belt after surgery!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DwAHcXeoCs0/X5H31V-mOKI/AAAAAAAAA1k/o-r1JoWWREkPil50cKFYhWiCC0reGK4qQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/62013499282__DE440363-8932-4D6B-8C71-0764B0E1FB46.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DwAHcXeoCs0/X5H31V-mOKI/AAAAAAAAA1k/o-r1JoWWREkPil50cKFYhWiCC0reGK4qQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/62013499282__DE440363-8932-4D6B-8C71-0764B0E1FB46.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><p><br /></p>Renee Jadin-Ricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04547209004299727532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5686121350628895432.post-53771381506470165872020-07-06T18:18:00.001-05:002020-07-08T12:34:45.130-05:00Peloton Anniversary<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;">As of today, July 6th, I have been a Peloton member for 1 full year. What a year it’s been! </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xfj0gA1TIQA/XwOvERnPUrI/AAAAAAAAAzo/2P5p-2JUnrY0OMroX1mvuj8JUPWVRc9owCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/unnamed-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xfj0gA1TIQA/XwOvERnPUrI/AAAAAAAAAzo/2P5p-2JUnrY0OMroX1mvuj8JUPWVRc9owCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/unnamed-2.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are a lot of opinions about Peloton, thanks to that commercial and the high price. I gave gotten some criticism or side glances for the choice to invest, but here’s my analysis of it.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;">In one year, I did 508 total work outs with Peloton. This includes a majority of them on the bike, but also treadmill, guided meditations, some strength, yoga, and stretching classes through their app. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br style="color: #202124; font-family: roboto, arial, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;">If I had paid the regular price for a Peloton, $2245 and membership $39 per month. The grand total cost would be $468 + $2245 = $2713. That means $7.44 per day for the year. Continuing on though, I will only have the membership cost, so that cost per day will only go down from here as we own and use it longer. If I look at this cost in comparison to the number of workouts I did in a year (508) thats $5.34 per work out. Not awful...that’s the going rate some places where you do a punch card or what you'd pay for drop in for classes. </span><br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cnF7Z3R1cWg/XwOvQc3fVZI/AAAAAAAAAz4/bzwdwCUcf8k-WQZIA0vp5hntj_zt-j6zgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/unnamed-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cnF7Z3R1cWg/XwOvQc3fVZI/AAAAAAAAAz4/bzwdwCUcf8k-WQZIA0vp5hntj_zt-j6zgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/unnamed-5.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">my scoreboard</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;">However, we didn’t pay that for our bike. I started as just an app user. I thought the concept was intriguing, but wanted to try it out before committing. I had a knee injury among all my other reconstruction in the past and wanted to make sure it would be something that wouldn’t cause pain. I started with just the app on my phone and would use the old schwinn bike in the school weight room. I was able to get 3 months of the subscription for free. I would also cast the app onto a tv and use the treadmill or strength workouts both in the weight room and at home. So my cost for the membership is cut to $39 x 9 = $351. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br style="color: #202124; font-family: roboto, arial, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;">After proved to myself that I consistent i consistently used and loved it for 3 months, I decided we should to invest in the actual bike. I dedicated a portion of my tutoring money to the Peloton fund and kept watching the site to see if they ever ran sales. I scoured Craigslist and Facebook market place for used ones. It took awhile to find one locally that was for sale by someone who appeared to be not scamming us. Finally, in October I found the perfect used one that made us pull the trigger. A local person was selling one with all the accessories. As we started communicating about it, he indicated that it was used once. He bought it but never could get himself clipped in/out using the shoes, so decided to get rid of it. He turned out to be a man in his 70s and even said "I don't mind going for a drive on a Sunday, so for $50 more we can deliver it to you." We paid him $1850 for essentially a brand new bike with two of every accessory and delivery. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br style="color: #202124; font-family: roboto, arial, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;">So my cost was actually at $1850 + $351 = $2201 for the bike and year of membership. This works out to $6.03 per day which divided by my workouts = $4.33 per workout. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2rP_tDvERE8/XwOvPyPF_HI/AAAAAAAAAz0/4UyMGaIjwHwJjUqMTOj5S-Q0EOzOnH3NwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/unnamed-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2rP_tDvERE8/XwOvPyPF_HI/AAAAAAAAAz0/4UyMGaIjwHwJjUqMTOj5S-Q0EOzOnH3NwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/unnamed-4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mitch's scoreboard</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;">However, I am not the only one who uses it. Once Mitch saw how awesome of a workout it was, he started riding too. It's now a battle to see who can get on the bike first after we come home from work. That would make a better commercial Peloton! Because the membership is per bike, you can have as many family member accounts as you want, so the kids have one too. So when you add in the 234 workouts that he's done and the 10 rides that our kids have done, our account has done a total of 752 workouts in a year. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;">$2201 divided by 752 work outs means $2.92 per workout </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;">PLUS Mitch works for a company that offers rewards for being active and staying heathy. You earn "Vitality Points" for getting 10,000 steps in a day, working out, buying healthy food, getting regular doctor check ups, etc. These points can be redeemed like credit card points for flights, hotels, Amazon gift cards, etc. In the past ten years we've used them to buy...my DLSR camera, Dyson vacuum, a huge snowblower, and a gas grill. All this for just wearing a fit bit and being willing to scan a card when we shop at Walmart and letting them see how often we buy bananas and spinach. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;">While it would be awesome if the Vitality company would partner with Peloton to offer some discounts on the machines or something, they do not. COME ON, Vitality and Peloton! However, Vitality does offer each member a gym rebate for up to $400 in gym fees per year. So we get a rebate for our monthly membership paid out by Vitality, making our grand total paid for membership per year $68 rather than $468. Also with the Peloton we are now maxing out on the activity points you can earn each year, which is in turn earning us more Amazon gift cards that I'm already itching to spend. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;">So our final calculation for our cost of our Peloton for 1 year is: </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;">$1850 + $68 (membership) = $1918 / 752 work outs = $2.55 per workout--a rate that is totally worth it to me. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Between the Peloton work outs and my recent surgery to explant and revise my reconstruction, I have never felt better. I am stronger both mentally and physically. I feel good in my skin again. I turned 38 years old and feel better than I since I began my BRCA journey over 8 years ago. Hell, I wore a bikini at beach the other day for the first time since our honeymoon 14 years ago! And what's been amazing to me is that it hasn't been about the amount of weight loss. I honestly have no idea where that's at and I really don't feel a need to check because I'm feeling good and that's all that matters. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The instructors and community of riders have been awesome to get to know and are incredibly supportive. I've been able to get to know a group of Peloton riders that are also breast cancer survivors, teachers, and fans of a type of ride called "Power Zone Training." There is a camaraderie and sense of teamwork that I had no idea would be part of this. While it's not the same as those friends that I met while working out at Energy Fitness, this is a good fit for me and where I'm at in life right now. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;">We don't have a beautiful work out room and haven't put our bike in front of a window with some amazing view. Come on Peloton, get some more realistic commercials! But it has been a great addition to our home and well worth the investment. If you're considering getting a Peloton, please use my referral code 79YDQD as both you and I get bonus swag! See you on the leaderboard! </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;">Wearing my Century Club shirt that arrived while I was recovering and had drains still on the hips.</span></td></tr>
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#peloton #powerzonepack<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>Renee Jadin-Ricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04547209004299727532noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5686121350628895432.post-37903655844252067712020-03-15T14:53:00.002-05:002020-07-08T12:24:26.697-05:00Not any higher riskSeveral people have reached out by text or Facebook/instagram message (not in person right now thanks to the social distancing that we are doing) asking if I am considered at higher risk for COVID-19. I appreciate you thinking of me, but no, I am not.<br />
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I am not at any greater risk than the general public when it comes to the coronavirus. If we were talking MRSA or Staph, then hell yes! My incision is still healing in one small part and any exposure to those bacteria would be a major issue. If we had any reports of that in our building, which does sometimes get passed around in high school sports, I would be looking at a few more weeks off. </div>
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I was scheduled to return to work (which is in a school setting) on March 24th which is exactly 6 weeks post surgery. With schools cancelled right now, I'm not exactly sure what my return will look like, but I am thankful that I get a few more weeks in which I do not have to think about what I am going to wear to work. </div>
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We are doing social distancing, sticking to ourselves as much as possible. Which is basically what I had been doing for the last 4 weeks anyway. I am out of the house for physical therapy and to go to the grocery store and maybe library, but that's it. Now the rest of the family joins me! Cribbage and Rummy games, movies and books.<br />
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I did have to say good bye to my rental chair as we only rented it for 1 month. I liked that thing! It was an old person lift chair. I'm happy to say that I never needed it for that purpose, but did need the power feature to recline backward. I did not have the arm strength or ab strength to pull the lever on a normal recliner to get it reclined. </div>
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Have fun staying in everyone! </div>
Renee Jadin-Ricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04547209004299727532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5686121350628895432.post-59088351662621935182020-03-11T15:28:00.001-05:002020-07-08T12:26:11.575-05:004 Weeks <br style="caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 36); color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.19999994337558746px; white-space: pre-wrap;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.19999994337558746px; white-space: pre-wrap;">It's been a full month since my explant and DIEP reconstruction. I am healing well. In fact at my two week appointment, everyone oh'ed and ah'ed and made a big deal about how great I was healing and walking. My incisions look good. I have a few spots where they opened up a bit. It's just a little half inch or less that splits and then starts to reheal. We believe this is happening because my body doesn't like the internal plastic stitches. My incision will open up, then spit out the stitch, and then reclose. THE HUMAN BODY IS AMAZING! </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.19999994337558746px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.19999994337558746px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I've been walking well. This is a big deal because they pull your belly skin so tight that you have to walk hunched over for a long time. I've been 90% upright since my two week appointment. I think that I'm already 100% upright, but occasionally after being in one position too long, I am very stiff getting up and still hunch for a little bit. I have been walking on our treadmill just going slow and steady. I have been able to take the dog for short walks in the neighborhood and even met a friend to mall walk. This week, I have been able to get back on the Peloton. (If you are at all interested in a Peloton, use my referral code! 79YDQD as it means both you and me get $$$) I'm staying safe and just doing only short warmups, cool downs, scenic, or low impact rides, but it definitely helps with my sanity to do something active. I am active most of the morning, setting a few goals for myself each day, but then by the afternoon I am tired and rest for a bit. It's a good little pattern that I've got to my days. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.19999994337558746px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.19999994337558746px; white-space: pre-wrap;">My doctor gave me the choice about wearing compression. Some doctors say, you must wear compression 24/7 for 6 weeks, others don't. I've chosen to wear compression because it feels better that way. My swelling is going down. I still have bruising and I think the compression helps that feel better too. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.19999994337558746px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.19999994337558746px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I start physical therapy next week to regain the movement in my arms and to work on the scar tissue across my abdomen. I will go back to work in two more weeks. </span>Renee Jadin-Ricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04547209004299727532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5686121350628895432.post-16939340978753931242020-02-26T18:46:00.001-06:002020-03-15T15:40:35.175-05:00Surprises<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;">There were many things that I thought I knew going into this having already had a mastectomy and reconstruction once and having read like everything out there on DIEP. But here are something that surprised me. </span><br />
<br style="caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 36); color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;">1. The bruising. My breasts are bruised all over. My arms and legs am have bruises from the shots from the blood thinners. My abdominal scar has bruising at the ends of it. They are all at varying points of healing so I am a beautiful mash up of purple, pink, and yellow. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;">2. Diet restrictions. I was given a strict no caffeine and no chocolate diet in the hospital. I’m not a coffee or caffeine drinker so it wasn’t a big deal, but chocolate! My heavenly hunks had to wait until I got home. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;">3. Rib pain. A small portion of a rib connected to the sternum was removed to have a blood vessel to connect the flap to. This area was more sore than expected. </span><br />
<br style="caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 36); color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;">4. Drains. I was completely mentally prepared to have 6 drains. I came home with only 2. It was quite a bonus. However, my predictions of what I would wear to manage these was so off. Last time, I loved my drain camisole. This time I struggle with it because I don’t like to have anything on my breasts initially and that zip, even though it’s not tight, still feels like too much. Also the spot where the drains are held is too high and feels like it actually hits where the drains are stuck in me. I also did not have drains in my abdomen, which was a total bonus for me! </span><br />
<br style="caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 36); color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;">5. Penrose drains. I was surprised to have penrose drains while in the hospital. I hadn’t heard of this before. The best way to describe them is a silicone straw stuck halfway in your body and half out. I also pictured these (because I couldn't actually turn my body or lift my arms enough to see them) similar to the spigot that Katniss was gifted in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire to get water from a tree, except drilled into my body. THEY HURT! These drains resulted in a lot of goo just coming right out and soiling the hospital gown, sheets, pillows, that I had anywhere near my sides. Thus, the clothes that I thought I might wear in the hospital were useless. </span><br />
<br style="caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 36); color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;">6. Occupational Therapist visit while in the hospital. Maybe this was because of my length of hospital stay, but it was awesome. She came in each day and helped me learn exercises to do for PT but also how to get out of bed, tips for how to shower safely, how to get clothes that aren't button up on safely while having T-Rex arms. This was another great surprise. </span>Renee Jadin-Ricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04547209004299727532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5686121350628895432.post-22488818127685480162020-02-16T19:32:00.000-06:002020-07-08T12:34:59.211-05:00Surgery Recap<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I'm almost 1 week out from explant and DIEP reconstruction and I'm finally feeling ready to think back about the week. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">It started on Sunday with a drive down to Madison. We dropped the kids and dog off at my parents and made the 140 mile drive in a snowstorm. It usually takes us about 2 and half hours, but because of the snow it took closer to 4 hours. There were several areas where we were either completely stopped or down to 5 mph on the highway. At one point it felt reassuring that there were two UW Health Ambulances following us for a portion. Mitch, who never takes a break while driving this route, suggested we stop at a gas station for a little stretch break, so you know it was rough. Eventually we made it and checked into the hotel that is right across from the hospital. We ate a good meal out at a restaurant fittingly called "BRAsseire V." We enjoyed dinner and spent the night watching The Office on the hotel TV. The first episode on was the one in which Jan gets implants. Fitting on two regards...implants obviously but second because there is a student at school who insists that I look just like Jan from the office. I don't see it. I think it's just because I'm the only female she sees that wears a blazer like Jan. Oh well. I did the Hibiclens shower and tried to sleep. Sleep didn't work very well. I had a drink with dinner, I listened to peloton sleep meditation, I prayed the rosary in my head, I did 4-7-8 breathing, all thing that usually help. But sleep really didn't happen the night before surgery. I forced myself to lay there until 4 am. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">At that point, I got up and did my second Hibiclens shower following the directions from the pre-op appointment. I boxer braided my hair and double checked my bags to make sure that I left Mitch with all the things I thought he could take home and I had packed all the things I thought I'd need in the hospital. We took the brief drive to the hospital. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">We were told to arrive at 5:30. We pulled in at 5:13. Valet parking wasn't open yet. Mitch dropped me off because it was still quite a snow storm and I wanted to leave my jacket in the car and found a spot to park. We quickly found our way to "First Day Surgery" which was also not open yet at the time that we arrived. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Surgery Day 1-Monday</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The First Day Surgery department handled everything for my check in. I got dressed in Bear Paws gown, vitals taken, and pryed my wedding ring off my finger to leave with Mitch. At 7:00 all the action started. They started my IV putting it in the vein in my wrist because the front of my hand wasn't cooperating. Dr. Afifi came in and drew all over me. The Anesthetists came in and explained all their part as well. Throughout all this the nurses kept apologizing that I had to wait so long and that it was so rushed. They explained that they prioritize the order of people based on who they think is going to take the most time and I was someone they thought would be very simple, which is true...other than these BRCA related surgeries, I'm really a very healthy person. The wait also didn't bother me because it was nothing compared to what I experienced during my mastectomy.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">My surgery was scheduled for 7:30, I said goodbye to Mitch and was rolled into the operating room. The last thing that I remember is the surgery team doing the check in thing where it felt like they were all standing around me and one leader was naming off the different responsibilities and each person would respond. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The next thing I know, I woke up in the recovery room. I spent some time in and out of it in there. I remember taking breath and feeling so surprised at how it felt. Now, I'm sure I was on significant pain meds, but I remember thinking it was so much easier to breathe. I took like three breaths and couldn't believe it. The nurse thought something was wrong and came over to ask me about it and I tried to explain but clearly didn't do it well. Then was rolled into the room I stayed in for my time in the hospital in the F6/6 section. Sometimes after DIEP surgery, hospitals require a stay in the ICU. UW Healthy University Hospital has this section designated for higher risk surgeries like this so I didn't have to move from ICU to normal room at any point. Mitch met us in the hallway, squeezed my hand and gave me a kiss. The first thing I said to him was "It feels so good to breathe." Apparently, I was trying to explain what breathing felt like. He didn't quite get it either. I think that I was so used to breathing with my implants which felt like rocks attached to my chest that I didn't realize how their weight felt or how restricting it felt until they were gone. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">While I was in surgery, Mitch found the waiting area at the hospital. He was given a buzzer that provided him general updates every 2 hours. According to him, the waiting area was a really big open area. He left once to eat a breakfast burrito from the cafeteria. He read a book, dozed off, watched American Pickers because that was what was on TV and he didn't want to change it. He was intrigued to learn that the former ESPN anchor George Smith was now an anchor on a Madison station. At 4:45, Dr. Afifi came out to meet with Mitch. He let him know that they were able to get all of the capsule that surrounded my implant out and that everything went well. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I remember the staff coming in checking my vitals and using the doppler to listen to the flaps. At first it was every half an hour, then moved up to every hour. The room had to be 74 degrees to help the flaps adjust. They monitored the color and temperature of them as well. I dozed off a couple more times and by 8:30 Mitch decided he would go back to the hotel.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Post op day 2-Tuesday</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was in and out all night. It felt like day 2 started when Mitch came back to the hospital at 5am. They told him that the med students do rounds at about 5:30, so he wanted to be there to hear what they had to say. They had nothing new or earth shattering to share, but it was my first experience in a hospital with med students and it was a chance each day to see scenes from Grey's Anatomy or Scrubs in real life. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Feeling good</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Later that morning they determined it was time for me to get up and moving around. They pulled my catheter and had me start to sit up. I had to be able to roll onto my side, put my feet down and get my body up without using my abs or arms to push against anything. That was horrible and painful and the only thing that was worse was when they said I need to stand up. Holy hell. That was awful. I had to do that three times while they monitored my blood pressure to make sure that it was steady before they would let me walk. I didn't want to walk. I cried it hurt so bad and I sat back down and quit. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I drank a ton of water because of the sore throat and dry mouth. They provided a little cup with a straw and a mini pitcher full of extra. I remember thinking how on earth am I supposed to be able to refill this water cup--I don't have the strength to pick up that pitcher, but eventually I was able to do that and it was good exercise for me. Because of all this water though, it was only 20 minutes before I really needed to go. I pushed through the awful pain. Did the blood pressure checks again and waddles to the bathroom. I figured out that if I relied upon my leg strength getting up was much better. I couldn't stand up right because of how tight by stomach skin has been pulled, so picture an old lady hunched over a walker, minus the walker, and that's what I look like walking anywhere. </span><br />
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The Good Pizza vs. The Original Cheeseless</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I learned how to order my hospital meals. I took the meds, which was a variety of the big pain meds, tylenol, aspirin, stool softeners, miralax, potassium, shots for blood thinning... it felt like every 2 hours they had something for me. I watched some tv and dozed off. I moved from the bed to the chair several times. I managed the drains with the help of the nurses.That afternoon Dr. Afifi came by to check on me and I was allowed to shower. Mitch eventually headed back home because we agreed that it was a waste of time for him to be off work and it'd be better for the kids if they had the normalcy of him home. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Post op day 3-Wednesday</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I continued with the routine of meds, drains, and flap checks, sleeping and small amounts of walking. Flap checks moved from every hour to every 2 hours then to every 4 hours overnight. The nurses began asking about passing gas or bowel movements. This was the last task that needed to occur before I could be considered ready to be released from the hospital. UW Health has these awesome posters to help you describe poop so that when it happens you can accurately let them know. I understand that I'd been given twice daily stool softeners and miralax because of concerns about the anesthesia and narcotic pain meds having an impact on everything down there. They may have overdone it though because imagine this situation, someone who doesn't move very well or very fast, experiencing the sudden urgency of these meds. It wasn't pretty. Nurses and Nursing assistants are saints. Due to how hard it was to move around, I decided to ask Mitch to order the recliner rental and he got right on that. It was a little bit lonely at the hospital that day. Between my digestive issues and being by there by myself and pain, there were some tears. That afternoon the Occupational Therapist visited and gave me plenty of exercises to do to regain range of motion in my arms and shoulders. That afternoon, they started talking about when I could go home. We had planned with Dr. Afifi to do Friday because of the distance to the hospital in case something came up. I let the resident know this plan for Friday despite how lonely and homesick I was feeling because I thought it would be better incase something happened with the flaps and because I needed to feel reasonably sure I could make it throughout the drive without needing to use the bathroom.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Post op Day 4-Thursday</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Same old, same old with the flap check and vitals. I started to slow down the pain meds and they promised they wouldn't make me take any more stool softeners or Miralax. They were able to turn the temperature down in my room. During rounds, they declared me allowable to be discharged whenever I was ready. I stuck with the idea of waiting until Friday, but by lunch time I was again feeling homesick and my stomach had settled, so I asked Mitch what he thought about this. He made some re-arrangements to cover the kids and was on his way. By 5:00, I was discharged from the hospital and on my way home. I used a pillow placed between my and the seat belt to help feel comfortable on the ride. By 7:30, we were home! It felt so good to be home and to hug the girls and sleep in my own bed! I used a wedge pillow to keep myself at about 45 degrees in bed with more pillows under my knees and by my arms. It was such a comfortable nest! </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Post op Day 5 Friday AT HOME</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was able to sleep through the night with just one wake up for more pain meds. Mitch helped with the drains and dressings before heading to work. I got to spend the day with the girls because they had the day off of school. They took good care of me, making me breakfast, refilling my water, picking up whatever I dropped and couldn't pick back up. We watched a movie together, they played while I napped. Mitch came home for lunch with us and then again at dinner time. Pain wasn't horrible and I was walking a bit more upright.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Post op Days 6 and 7 Saturday & Sunday AT HOME</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Each day felt a little bit better. I continued to wean off the pain meds switching to only tylenol. I am progressively standing more upright. Days are spent in the recliner with several slow walks around the house. I've had some great afternoon naps and then crawl into my nest at bedtime. My drains are putting out less each day. My penrose drains have scabbed over so they don't need dressing anymore. I even attempted putting on the abdominal binder for a few hours today. My incisions look good and I've almost got the adhesive goo off most places. Hopefully this continues with feeling better everyday! </span><br />
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Renee Jadin-Ricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04547209004299727532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5686121350628895432.post-9770096729853042542020-02-08T09:58:00.002-06:002020-02-08T09:58:59.545-06:00I like lists<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I like lists. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here’s a list of things I did to get prepared for this surgery (no semblance of order here.)</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Deep cleaned the house...like ridiculously. Every room, every closet. I even moved the oven and fridge and vacuumed behind them. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Bought a few more button front, zip up, or super soft shirts to be extra cozy.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Moved all of my leggings, sweats, and shirts to a spot in my closet where I won't have to reach or open a drawer for them. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Made soup...lots of soup. Every week I made a big pot of soup, we ate it for our meal and then I froze the rest in small containers that I should be able to each for lunches at home. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Prepared a stack of books to potentially read. Some are work related; some are pleasure reading. Last time, I remember thinking I'd read a ton but not actually doing it because I'd fall asleep too easily. We will see how it goes this time. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Asked friends for recommendations of what to watch on Netflix, Prime, Hulu, etc. So far my plan is to finish Parks and Rec (already started season 7) and the 8 episodes of This is Us from this season that we haven't watched yet. I need to do season 2 of Big Little Lies and season 3 of Handmaids Tale. After that maybe Ms. Maisel, Schitt's Creek, One Child Nation, Imagineering, or You.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">- Overthought the need for a recliner and whether to purchase or rent. I still didn't buy one. Worst case scenario, I rent one from home medical supply company and they deliver it. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">- Increased my protein intake and added collagen as well. You should see my nails!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">- Hydrated--water, water, water!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">- Prepared for a substitute taking on my role at work. I thought planning for a long term sub for my classroom during maternity leave was hard..prepping for someone to stand in as Assistant Principal was even more of a challenge! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">- Moved all of the kitchen supplies that I will need to use into a basket on the counter so that I don't have to reach up or open doors. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">- Worked out focusing on leg and core strength. I was NOT supposed to lose any weight before this surgery, so for the first time, pretty much ever, working out took on a new meaning. I worked solely on heart and lung health instead of trying to burn calories. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">- Purchased a ton of food to stock the pantry and freezer so that I don't have to grocery shop for awhile.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">- Prepped everything I could possibly take care of that I will or could miss out on while recovery. Taxes done. Swim meet info ready for Mitch to write on the kids arms. Carpool organized. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">- Made a list of the simple things that I can do during medical leave that meet my movement restrictions...wash my makeup brushes, use that little wood colored marker to color in the scratches in the woodwork, catch up on podcasts. I have big goals! </span>Renee Jadin-Ricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04547209004299727532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5686121350628895432.post-74586442494535756782020-02-07T21:14:00.002-06:002020-02-07T21:14:37.855-06:00I'm readyI am ready!<br />
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My bags are packed. The house is clean. My inbox is cleaned out and my away message is set. I have a list of books to read and things to watch while on leave. I don't want to jinx myself, but I think that I made it to surgery day without getting a cold, flu, or fever at the last minute that would keep me from being able to<br />
<br />
On Sunday, Mitch and I will drop the girls and dog off at my parents and make our way to Madison. There's a predicted snow storm, so it may be a slow drive. We have plans for dinner out Sunday night--a good meal and a glass of wine to hopefully help me sleep. Then I hit the shower to wash my body with half a bottle of Hibiclens. I get to do that shower scrub again early Monday morning before our 5:30 am arrival at the hospital. 7:30 Surgery time.<br />
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I am nervous. But I am also ready for this. I'm confident in my doctors. I'm happy that this could mean that I don't have to have maintenance that I would have and with implant reconstruction. I'm 100% sure this is the right decision. I'm curious what everything will look like in the end. It's hard for me to predict what the pain will be like and what things will be like during the recovery. I'm very much a planner, so this unknown is hard for me.<br />
<br />
I was struggling more with this before Christmas, just feeling overwhelmed by the unknown. I started writing though again, journaling for myself. I really loaded on the workouts to keep my sanity. I have a 11 week streak on Peloton that I plan on keeping up through recovery by using the Peloton meditations.<br />
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On surgery day, Mitch will be in charge of my phone. It's a long surgery and I've been doing my best to convince him NOT to stay at the hospital the entire time, but we'll see what he chooses. He'll be handling the texts to update. I've also heard that I should let him keep it for a bit after as you never know what will happen on those pain meds and I don't want to come home to a million Amazon boxes. Renee Jadin-Ricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04547209004299727532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5686121350628895432.post-9686299180671580442019-11-25T18:26:00.000-06:002019-11-25T18:26:34.907-06:00We have a date! February 10th!<br />
<br />
We have a surgery date!!<br />
<br />
77 days away.<br />
<br />
It feels so good to have a date and be able to make plans. I’m stuck in this awkward place of not being happy with the way I look or feel and not really being able to do anything about it. Being able to see the end in sight makes me feel a lot more settled.Renee Jadin-Ricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04547209004299727532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5686121350628895432.post-69582737323603268072019-11-24T19:45:00.002-06:002019-11-24T19:45:16.748-06:00I don't like CT scans any better than MRIs<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 36); color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I had to do a couple more medical things to prepare for this surgery. I had my regular breast MRI along with a CT Angiogram to map out the blood vessels in the abdomen and make sure they are in good shape to handle microsurgery. I found out quickly though that I have an reaction to contrast dye. I’ve always had a negative reaction to the MRI dye where it makes me puke and just feel yucky, but for the CT Angiogram they use a different contrast dye that is stronger and push it through the IV at a faster rate. Of course, I immediately felt the warm sensation all over from the back of my throat to my toes which included the feeling like I peed (but I didn’t!). Then the dry heaving came. I was able to hold still and hold my breathe for enough time to get the scan but as soon as that breathe was let go, the puking feeling came right on. I knew that this was likely so the technicians hooked a puke bag on my finger before pushing me in. Thankfully, the scan with the dye is the last scan, so the technician came back in right away and helped me out. As my dry heaving calmed down, I noticed her looking at me funny. She asked, “Did you have a blemish on your forehead when you came in!” I explained that No, I didn’t. She said ok, let’s just take a look at your arms and while she disconnected the IV she said “Ope, there’s another one...yep that one on your head is getting bigger.” I had broken out in hives! She told me to stay lying down and that she was calling the doctor to check me out and get me some Benadryl. The room filled quickly with 6 staff members checking my vitals and asking a million questions about how I was feeling. I was just fine...it was just a little itchy. They made me take Benadryl and stay for observation for another hour. It delayed and changed our family plans that weekend just a bit as being on three times the usual amount of Benadryl makes me a little bit sleepy. Only 1% of patients have a reaction like this and of course, I'm that 1%. However, on top of that, I also developed what my doctor thinks may have been a delayed reaction to the iodinated contrast. Later that week, I developed small red bumps (my hives were very large in comparison) all over the trunk of my body and underarm area. Apparently this happens in even less patients, but I got 2 for 1. It itched like crazy while there (insert more Benadryl), but went away at 2 weeks out. </span><br style="caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 36); color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 36); color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I'm really hoping that these are my only complications when it comes to this surgery. Everything last time went so smoothly, but it's like since I've had these implants for reconstruction my body reacts differently than ever before and I cannot predict what it's going to do. </span>Renee Jadin-Ricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04547209004299727532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5686121350628895432.post-76026122838991839472019-11-23T19:24:00.002-06:002019-12-10T04:33:02.310-06:00Prepping<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;">This time around I know more of what to expect. I have a few button up or full zip shirts and comfy pants ready. I ordered a drain camisole to hold them all because I remembered loving that thing. I took a few inches off my hair so that it’s easier to deal with. I will do my nesting of making freezer meals before the surgery date comes. I have plenty of sick days accumulated so that missing work is not going to be an issue (other than trying to find someone to cover and the guilt I feel about leaving the office for this amount of time--sorry guys!) I spent most of my day time during my last recovery hanging out in a recliner, but we no longer have that, so I'm still on the hunt for a super comfy one that I can sleep away the recovery days in. I also have heard that a wedge pillow can make sleeping in bed with the drains still in more comfortable. I might invest in one instead of making the nest out of pillows that I did last time. The abdominal scar is going to be a new thing, so I'm not sure how that's going to feel...right now I'm planning on wearing a lot of leggings, but I'm not opposed to trying maternity jeans if it comes down to it. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif;">As I've started telling a few people at work, they've all asked "What can I do to help?" Really, there's not much. I eat what some have called during lunch "weird foods" because of my wheat allergy, so I don't need a meal train thing or anything like that. I really don't know w</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">hat to say. I appreciate the offers, but really I think we've got things covered. I guess...keep your eye out on the work trading post for a recliner? Or maybe if you have a pair of those ridiculously soft but strangely patterned lularoe leggings sitting in the back of a drawer that you never wear, pass them my way for my recovery time so that I can pull way up over incisions and tuck my drains inside them? I'm going to miss the kids next home swim meet while recovering. I'm usually there running the computer on the deck, so they'll probably feel me not there...especially since one child believes I'm the only one who can put her cap on securely. Give them a little help if they look lost at the swim meet please. There's a lot of driving back and forth to Madison that has already occurred</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> and will continue for check ups afterward...if you're heading that way for the day, let me know what day and we can see if we can carpool!</span></span>Renee Jadin-Ricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04547209004299727532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5686121350628895432.post-82860580461542494982019-11-04T05:42:00.001-06:002020-07-08T12:39:40.982-05:00What is the next step? <span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">If I wanted to remove my current implants and have them replaced with a safer brand, my plastic surgeon shared that she could move them to above my muscle and all that pain would go away. It would be a quick, easy surgery. She compared it to changing from one shoe to another. However, I’d still be stuck with a foreign object in my body and if breast implant illness is a thing for me, none of these symptoms will really go away. </span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Because of this, I have eliminated any implants (saline or silicone) as viable options for reconstruction option for here forward. Given my high c-reactive protein, my doctor believes that once I have the implants removed, I will be shocked at how good I feel, that my body has gotten so used to running this way that I don’t recognize how run down I truly am. </span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">My options left are reconstruction with tissue transfer or go flat. Tissue transfer means that the plastic surgeon will take tissue, meaning fat, from a donor site around my body and use it to fill the breast pocket that is left when the implant is removed. The donor site is typically called a “flap.” Options include TRAM flap, which takes abdominal fat but also loses one set of abdominal muscles, Latissimus Dorsi Flap which takes back muscle. However, new technology allows doctors to perform microsurgery to actually reconnect the veins and arteries with a couple other donors sites so that you do not need to lose muscle on the process. This includes DIEP flap using abdominal fat and SGAP flap which uses gluteal fat. These options are now what’s considered the gold standard in breast reconstruction. All of these existed seven years ago when I had mastectomy. They were just not on my radar because I wanted the option with the fastest recovery as the girls were so young at the time. </span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">This time, I will be going with a DIEP flap reconstruction. Because of the microsurgery done to reconnect the veins, this is only done in certain hospitals. UW and Froedtert are the only locations in Wisconsin that due this surgery. Two surgeons work as a team to dissect the abdomen separating the skin, muscle, and fat, then work to reattach it to the blood vessels in the chest. The surgery takes anywhere from 8-12 hours depending upon the conditions they find with the blood vessels when they open up. I can expect to have 6 drains for the first few weeks. I will have a new incision hip to hip across my abdomen, but they will be able to reuse the original incisions in my breasts. </span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I will be traveling to UW Health Hospital in Madison. Dr. Affifi and Dr. Michelotti will perform it. I will be in the hospital 5 days and then will likely be out of work for 4-6 weeks. I hear I might be under the care in the hospital of a friend who works there and will be on that same floor. Hopefully, he can sneak me extra jello or the good socks. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Because I have already had the mastectomy portion, my recovery maybe different--hopefully better! Doctor says plan for 6 weeks, I say that I heal better than most, so I am planning for 4, with maybe going back half days for week 5 and 6. </span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The major risks with this surgery are the new flap dying after it's place at its new location. This could happen because it doesn’t get enough blood supply or forms a blood clot where it has been reconnected. Infections are always a concern with any surgery and the large incision needs to be allowed to heal safely avoiding infection and the wound re-opening. </span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Most women who have this type of reconstruction, end up having another minor revision surgery 3-6 months down the road to repair little things that didn't quite settle correctly. My plan is to combine the revision surgery with step 2b, which originally started me thinking about my BRCA this summer. They usually have to do some revision to the abdominal scar and this will be the perfect time to remove my ovaries and do the preventative hysterectomy at the same time. </span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thankfully, I have a support of so many around me throughout this! I have one friend who went with DIEP at around the same that I had my initial mastectomy, and another that reconstructed this way just a year ago. I also have a great community of women through a facebook groups who are all BRCA+ or who've had DIEP. I feel like I know what I'm getting myself into and am ready! I'm just waiting on the scheduler to coordinate the surgery date. </span>Renee Jadin-Ricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04547209004299727532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5686121350628895432.post-77725474419531475802019-11-03T20:00:00.000-06:002019-11-03T20:00:06.731-06:00I'm going back in<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’m going back in. I feel like I’m coming in off the bench, coming out of retirement for one last hurrah, or some action movie star diving back into the scene to save one more person. But of course it’s not sports or action scenes for me, it’s back to the BRCA and Breast Cancer related journey that we all thought I was done with. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">A couple of major things have occurred in the last few years. First, If you follow cancer in the news like I do, you’ve probably heard that there was a recall of silicone breast implants. The recall happens to be the make but not model of my implants. In the US, the FDA has recalled only several specific models of Allergan implants. These implants are causing Breast Implant Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL), which is a unique form of lymphoma that only occurs In those that have breast implants. As of July 2019 there had been 573 women diagnosed with it, including 33 deaths. All of these women had breast implants, but 481 of them had Allergan implants. The FDA requested in July that Allergan recall certain implants, which they voluntarily did. However the FDA recommendation is actually not to remove the implants until you are exhibiting symptoms of lymphoma. Yes, you read that right. No need to remove until you show signs of lymphoma. Seriously the FDA is telling women who have already been through treatment for breast cancer (because silicone implants are only available for those who have been through treatment) to just wait and see if they develop lymphoma! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The French government and 33 other European countries however have recalled additional Allergan implants and banned the sales of ALL implants produced by this company and refused to give them approval for future sales until they prove they are safe and comply with their set standards of proof. This was almost six months before the FDA made their stance known. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">So, are mine recalled? No, they are not in the US recall list, but they are on the European banned list. If you hear me talking to some about what's coming up for me, you'll likely hear me say that my implants have been recalled. It's just easier than explaining everything surrounding the recall and everything else that went into making the decision. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">What else do you mean? I’ve also experienced a couple health things over the last few years that have made me wonder if breast implant illness could be a factor. I referenced some thyroid issues, sudden onset of allergies, random skin rashes, adrenal issues, and alopecia on my yearly posts. I've worked hard with doctors over the years to balance out my hormones so that I can sleep normally as I've had times when I was so tired I could fall deep asleep at 4pm and other bouts of insomnia where I felt as though my brain and body were moving 1000 mph all night long. When I first started seeing a naturopathic nurse practitioner about this, she said right away, "Have you thought about it being related to your implants?" After everything I'd been through with recent surgeries, it was not going to be my implants in my mind. She was able to help me stabilize everything and get off of thyroid medicine, but a mystery liver enzyme consistently came back as high throughout maintenance. Doctors move and insurance changes, so three years later I had to find another doctor and was able to find a great Integrative Medicine specialist. I originally went to her because I was considering step 2b (removal of my ovaries) and after everything I experience after my year of surgeries, I wanted advice on what to do so that I don’t experience all the mess again. When reviewing my medical history her first question was, “Could it be your implants?” New Ob/Gyn </span><span style="color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: white;">visit this year and she also questioned the implants as the cause of what I have been through. The liver enzyme is still high and this doctor likes to check C reactive protein as well. During the appointment to review my lab results, she actually said, “Holy shit that’s high!” Apparently, it’s the highest she has ever seen on a patient. It’s a marker for inflammation within the body. That was finally enough to make me actually google Breast Implant Illness and check, check, check, check so many of the symptoms listed match what I’ve been dealing with!</span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">However breast implant illness is a controversial topic as it is not recognized by all in the medical community because there is currently insufficient data linking the onset of symptoms with breast implants. The thought is that our bodies are rejecting the foreign objects in our bodies and come up with these autoimmune responses as their attempt to get rid of them. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Added to all of this is the general issues that come from breast implants. They are COLD! They are under my muscle, which means whenever I do something that utilizes my chest muscles, I have significant pain as the muscle tries to repair itself. This occurs whether during exercise (in which I already avoid push-up or anything directly chest related) or just life relate like shoveling snow or digging up plants for gardening. They have an expiration date anyway, so at some point they’d have to be replaced. They require annual MRIs to ensure that they are still in one piece and I have lovely reactions to MRIs. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">So, I’m just ready to be done with them. I'm officially working with UW Health to figure out when my implants can be explanted and I can try something new with reconstruction! </span>Renee Jadin-Ricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04547209004299727532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5686121350628895432.post-65163771184068558272018-03-01T20:54:00.000-06:002018-03-01T20:54:04.257-06:00The short version--6 years laterIt's time again for my annual post. This time, I thought I'd do the short story version which I will get to soon.<br />
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I moved to a new position at a different school in the district this summer. I'm with a new staff after having spent 13 years, essentially growing up as an educator, at my previous school. Everyone at my old school new my story, but not so much at this new school.<br />
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We typically celebrate the day of my surgery as an anniversary, going out to dinner or make some special treats. This is a particular tradition at my previous school...birthday, pregnancy announcements, Fridays were all celebrated with treats in the lounge. Cancer-versary is a definite lounge treat occasion. This left me thinking this year, what do I do? Do I put myself out there with this staff? We just got done doing a book study of Brene Brown's <i>Daring Greatly</i>, so I said yes to vulnerability and chose to share. Hopefully others will start to as well and we can get the lounge treat tradition going here too. I put some chocolate covered strawberries in the lounge with a note about what we're celebrating. Lots of questions came up, which leads us to the short history that I'm about to write.<br />
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Here it goes:<br />
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My family has a long history of breast cancer at young ages and includes men with breast cancer. Our history is so unique and with such a large family that we were approached by Creighton University to be in a study in which we'd get genetic testing done and they'd track us. I had the genetic testing done and found out that I carry a genetic mutation that increases my risk of breast, ovarian, and other cancers. I had a hard time initially with this trying to figure out what it meant for me and how I would proceed. But eventually I was able to come to a good place with it; writing and talking to others about it was a big part of that.<br />
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I made the decision to have risk reducing surgery after we were finished having kids. We had our two daughters but were having a hard time deciding if we were going to have another child. I got pregnant with a third child, but miscarried and I felt like this was a sign. After a lot of prayer and thought about it, I felt that God was telling me something. I decided needed to do something about my breast cancer risks now rather than later.<br />
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I went ahead with plans moving forward with a preventative mastectomy. There are a lot of choices that you get to make when you come at it from a preventative side. I needed to have one last MRI in December before my February surgery was planned to help decide if I was going to have something called the sentinel node biopsy done as this is the one and only time it can ever be done.<br />
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The MRI came back however with suspicious lumps. An ultrasound and biopsy of this was unsuccessful. So we didn't know exactly what they were, but my doctor assured me that the surgery that we already had planned was the best course of action. We were planning on removing everything anyway and that would be a part of the treatment plan regardless of what these lumps turned out to be, so we were really in a good place.<br />
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I had a bilateral mastectomy with the removal of 1 lymph node on both sides. During the surgery the lumps that were spotted in the MRI were examined and then these along with the rest of the tissue was sent off for a more detailed examination to be studied and determined exactly what was going on in there. I was able to have reconstruction immediately because the initial during surgery pathology came back clean showing that the lumps were called Fibroadenomas. The more detailed pathology report indicated that I had hyperplasia in both breasts along with 4 spots of abnormalities in ducts. Hyperplasia is the overgrowth of atypical cells and is what turns into cancer eventually. These abnormalities found are called DCIS and are treated as stage 0. My treatment was the same as what would have happened 6 months down the road when this tissue had become full blown DCIS like my dad's "precancerous lesions" as he and his doctor called it back then or something worse depending upon how fast the cells were growing.<br />
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I remember an ob/gyn that I had one appointment with during my second pregnancy asked me quite a bit about my genetic mutation during one of those check ups you have every two weeks at the end of pregnancy and he said, "Do you feel like you have ticking time bombs?" I was offended at the time and was like no...I'm not going to explode! But in reality, I did have a time bomb. I had cancerous tissue starting to form inside me and removed the bomb before it did any damage. I am now thinking of my doctor like she's MacGyver!<br />
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I shared with my amazing MacGyver-like doctor at one of our last visits (before I had to switch to another doctor due to our insurance changes) that I was struggling with how to describe what I am...am I a survivor? am I a previvor? what describes my journey? She told me, "Renee, you are absolutely a survivor. You beat cancer before you even knew you had it." So that is the best way to end my history. Yes, I am an cancer survivor. I am so thankful that I made the choice to do this surgery when I did. I am thankful that I still had the choice--not something that I HAD to do after diagnosis. I beat cancer before I knew I had it.<br />
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That was not so much a short history because I like words and whenever I start to write it never ends up short. Hopefully this helps others understand without having to go back and read the entire blog history.Renee Jadin-Ricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04547209004299727532noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5686121350628895432.post-85345259202807708492017-02-27T22:25:00.002-06:002017-02-27T22:25:55.076-06:005 YEARS!At this point, I'm only posting once a year which is good because that means that things are going well! It's been 5 whole years since the day I chose to remove my cancer risks. I find myself now though unsure about several things.<br />
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First, I don't know what to call myself. Yes, I went into the process preventatively. During the last month, it became no longer just a prevention as 3 lumps were found. Those lumps were benign--not cancerous. The tissue that was examined afterward had hyperplasia--overgrowth of abnormal cells which is the precursor to cancerous cells. So what am I? Am I a survivor? Am I a previvor? Am I just like Angelina Jolie (which is how Mitch describes it to anyone who's first encountering my experience)? My experience was hard, but it is nothing compared to those that have to go through this plus chemo or radiation. I don't want to diminish their journey by putting myself into the same category of survivor as them.<br />
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I'm working on one more class to get another educational license and the professor required something to be done this week on Wednesday night. While my anniversary is officially today, Mitch and I decided to go out on Wednesday because there's apparently an amazing restaurant that's only open on Wednesday. This professor, odd enough, did not appreciate the idea that my assignment would be turned in a day before it is due. How do I explain to a professor who I have never met in person, as the course is entirely online, the reason why he should accept my homework on Tuesday night so that I can enjoy dinner with my husband on Wednesday? Do I just tell him it's an anniversary dinner? Why do I feel like I cannot call myself a survivor? I ended up telling him that we are celebrating being cancer free for 5 years, but that slight change in words is what I still feel like I need to do.<br />
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Second, I am unsure about my future plans. I know that all of my doctors have encouraged me to move on to step 2b, which is removal of my ovaries. Not to be confused with the educational jargon 2b, 3b, 3d. But this medical step 2b scares the crap out of me. I don't want to be 34 and in chemical menopause. I completed step 2a which was to remove my fallopian tubes. We figured that we were done having children anyway so this felt like a no brainer. Permanent family planning and reduction of cancer risk in a perfect combination. However having that surgery combined with the fat grafting 3 times in a short period of time wreaked some havoc on my body. The antibiotics during surgery and if strength is judged by cost, the ones I was on for weeks following must have been really strong, it all wiped out any good bacteria I had in going and left me ripe for other issues. From having thyroid issues to then being told I have an autoimmune disease to then being told I'm close to adrenal failure, my body went through a ton of things in a very short time span.<br />
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I have worked very hard over the last two years to change a number of things in my lifestyle to fix these issues realizing now that naturopathic medicines can do some amazing things. I went from losing my hair so badly that I was told I had alopecia to just a few weeks ago a blood test showing that I had no antibodies showing any evidence of autoimmune disease anymore. All of this work and the balancing of different hormones and getting systems working within my body wasn't easy and I'm not ready to have to try it again. I want some time enjoying feeling good.<br />
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So I'm not sure if I'm ever going to do step 2b. Right now, I'm hopeful that the healthier lifestyle will help protect me. I don't know if I can fall back on this forever. If science would go ahead find a decent screener for ovarian cancer, that would help me out. But as of now, I would need to be already needing surgery for something else first and we could get a two for one deal out of getting my ovaries removed before I will seriously commit to it.<br />
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Finally, I'm not sure how long my reconstruction will last. I'm having some complications with one side. Capsular contracture--scar tissue, has started to form. It caused a bit of a panic earlier this year when I saw and felt what I thought was a lump. All imaging shows that it is just scar tissue and that I'm safe. The scar tissue is forming around the implant and may over time squeeze the implant into a distorted shape. There is a bit of pain involved with it, but it's not bad and I didn't even associate it with what's happening until the doctor pointed it out. Sometimes it's a deep ache, sometimes it's an itch that can't be scratched. Right now, everything is within the realm of what is considered normal but if more starts to happen, I may need to remove and try another form of reconstruction or go with nothing at all which is actually a possibility that is on my radar now. I would love to see Green Bay get access to a couple good micro-surgeons to have a few more options. Please get working on that, Aurora!<br />
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Part of what has made this harder for me, has been that I can no longer see my favorite two doctors--Dr. Colette and Dr. J. Our insurance changed--again and they are no longer options. I'm working with someone new who seems very knowledgable and nice in his own regard. But he has big shoes to fill. Dr. Colette is my hero and every chance I get I try to encourage my daughters to consider being a doctors to help others the way she helped me. Right now they are more interested in being pop singers than anything else, but maybe someday they'll be ready to look for a backup plan. <br />
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That's it for now. Hopefully it will be another year or more before I post again!Renee Jadin-Ricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04547209004299727532noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5686121350628895432.post-47528515034646875012016-02-27T08:11:00.001-06:002016-02-27T08:29:16.142-06:004 years later. . . Are we out of the woods yet? <div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">February 27th marks 4 years since my mastectomy. We call it a number of things in our household boobiversary, mastecoversary, the big day, or in front of our children “my surgeries.” We’ve celebrated in the past with fancy dinners out but each year the celebration gets a little smaller. This year I think it's going to be Pasquale's take out after the kids go to bed. I had to go back and figure out exactly how many years it was because in so many ways it feels like it couldn’t possibly be the long ago. My easiest measuring tool is thinking about my kids and the ages that they were at the time. </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">Well. . . 4 years. When I look back on everything that my body has been through...it’s a lot!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There’s the classic cancer cliche that cancer was a gift and it made them a better person. In no way, shape, or form would I say that these faulty genes and all of the things that followed were a gift. And did it make me a better person? No, but it definitely is a big part of what makes me who I am. Still 4 years later, it’s a part of me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Do I think about it every day? No. I still do think about it a lot though. I think about it when I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror on the way to the shower. One peek at those scars and I remember. I think about it when I’m exercising. I can be running or in the middle of a combo in a group fitness class and I’m fine. But ask me to do a push up and I remember. I remember it at intimate moments when I long to feel them touched. I can feel warmth of his hand on my skin, but no real sensations. I think about it often, about my cancer risks and about the loss of a part of my body even though my results look and feel amazing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Am I happy with the decisions? Yes. I would do it again in a heartbeat. The pathology report following the surgery showed that the mysterious lumps were fibroadenomas but there was also hyperplasia, which is the initial stage in the development of cancer. I made the right choice at the right time. I knew in my gut that something was wrong. I knew that there was a reason why our third pregnancy was a miscarried and I followed my instincts. There is no doubt in my mind that my choice to have a preventative surgery saved me from cancer. The choice to do this and all of the surgeries have led to additional issues, but compared to cancer, I'd take it any day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While I’ve made it past what I hope were the hardest parts--all the anxiety and decisions and surgeries, I don’t know if I will ever really feel out of the woods. </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Are we out of the woods yet? Are we out of the woods yet? Are we out of the woods yet? Are we out of the woods? </i></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sorry, little Taylor Swift break. I do love this song and connect with so many parts of it. Mitch and I never moved the furniture so we can dance, but I do hope that I’ll be able to say <i>Are we in the clear yet? good.</i> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I don’t feel the anxiety about developing cancer that I once did, but it’s not totally gone. It sneaks back occasionally; thankfully it leaves quickly. I had my anniversary checkup with Dr. Colette two weeks ago. I stayed busy at work right up to 15 minutes before the appointment and returned to work afterward, but when I was finally home later that night it caught up with me. Mitch saw me for just a minute as we were coming and going between busy days at work and he could tell. He sent me a text saying “what’s wrong” and immediately thought something was bad at the appointment. I just needed to cry. I needed to let it out. By Monday, I was fine and back to normal. Everything went well at the appointment, the appointment just brought the stress back to the forefront. And now it's beyond me, it's thinking about my kids. How will they handle all of this? What can I do to help them from having to go through this? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-faw4sUhgXm0/VtGxaNsYM_I/AAAAAAAAAnY/l0f0nfjQPes/s1600/thesesweathears.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-faw4sUhgXm0/VtGxaNsYM_I/AAAAAAAAAnY/l0f0nfjQPes/s320/thesesweathears.jpg" width="284" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I will always wonder am I safe? Is the skin I have left cancer free? Did what would have developed in my breasts move somewhere else? What about the other cancers associated with BRCA1? Or as Taylor Swift says, are </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>these monsters just trees</i></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">? I have this desire to say that that it’s more than just an anniversary, to say “ I’m cancer free for 4 years” but I can’t bring myself to say that because I feel like I’ll never know for sure and that saying that would be in some way jinxing myself. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My body has really been through a lot. I made it through all of this, but now I have an autoimmune disease. I wonder to what extent the surgeries led to this? Doctors say that there is no connection to the BRCA gene and autoimmune diseases, but anecdotally there are a lot of women who are BRCA positive with autoimmunes like Hashimoto's, Graves, Arthritis, or MS. Is my body slowly attacking itself because of the foreign objects I have in me to make my breasts? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I ended up crying at another doctor’s office when I had to share my health history and I heard it all together like that. I swear I am not usually a crier. I’m the opposite; sometimes worry that I come across as an emotional robot or as the least sympathetic person on earth as I’m dealing with crying kids at school. So much life has happened since I found out I was a carrier of the BRCA mutation and it’s overwhelming to think of all it. I found out I was carrying the genetic mutation in 2006, so it’s been 10 years. I don’t feel like celebrating that as an anniversary! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In last ten years, I’ve (not limited to medical, included events that cause high stress which can affect autoimmunity): </span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gotten Married</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bought a house</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Got a dog</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Got a master’s degree</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Had a child by c-section</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Had another child by c-section</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Taught for Dickinson, taught for Marian University, taught for Origo Education (occasionally at the same time)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Had mammograms</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Had MANY ultrasounds not just looking at babies</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Had a miscarriage</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Had 6 MRIs</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Had a double mastectomy</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Had reconstruction</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Had 3 rounds of fat grafting</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Had a salpingectomy</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ran a lot of miles</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bought a different house</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fostered a child</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Got a tougher job</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Got another Master’s degree (almost finished!!)</span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre;"> </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’ve had a bit of stress in my life but I’ve had a great partner able to help keep me sane throughout. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As I said before, being BRCA positive definitely is a big part of what made me who I am. It made me think that if I can handle this, I can handle just about anything. I need someone or something to reign me in now and again. Right now it's autoimmunity that's making me pause, slow down a bit, and figure things out. Here’s to hoping that someday I will truly feel out of the woods and in the clear. </span><br />
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Renee Jadin-Ricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04547209004299727532noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5686121350628895432.post-3768527538645416692014-09-06T20:51:00.002-05:002014-09-06T20:51:33.201-05:00My Grandma's EulogyHere's the Eulogy that I gave at my Grandma's funeral yesterday:<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial Narrow', sans-serif; font-size: 15pt;">On behalf of our entire family, I’d like to thank you all for
taking the time to be here today. My grandma, Vi Selner, has meant a lot
to many people, so your presence here as we celebrate her life and say good bye
means a lot to us. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow","sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial Narrow', sans-serif; font-size: 15pt;">My grandmother was a woman who lived a long life full of faith,
hard work, and love. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow","sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial Narrow', sans-serif; font-size: 15pt;">Grandma was steadfast in her faith. Throughout all of the
challenges that she faced, she prayed. If you mention to Grandma that you had
something tough coming up, she’d pray for you. And she prayed a lot;
sometimes saying the rosary several times a day. When they were young,
Grandma had all of her kids say the rosary kneeling by a chair every day during
Lent and October, the month of the Rosary. She made sure that all of her
children knew their prayers for catechism teachers. It’s only fitting
that we are here today praying for her. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow","sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial Narrow', sans-serif; font-size: 15pt;">Her work ethic was easily demonstrated in the daily life on the
farm. She worked in the barn alongside Grandpa and her kids</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial Narrow","sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Arial Narrow', sans-serif; font-size: 15pt;">milking,
doing chores, and bailing hay right up to when they moved off the farm into
town. She was very proud to share with me during the one of our last visits
that the farm, now owned by Wayne and Tammy, is just a few years away from
being a century farm. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow","sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial Narrow', sans-serif; font-size: 15pt;">Grandma was the disciplinarian in the family though. The
boys of the family have longer earlobes to prove it. The girls however were
angels and never experienced this. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow","sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial Narrow', sans-serif; font-size: 15pt;">Grandma loved her garden growing poppy seed, raspberries, and row
after row after row of potatoes for her baking along with many other
vegetables. Anyone who knew Grandma, knew about and enjoyed her baking.
Her hard work in the kitchen fed all of us plenty of biscuits, kolaches,
rye bread, and rice krispie logs. She loved doing care packages of baking
for the holidays. Every grandchild knows that special feeling of seeing
the wrapped shoe box waiting for you with a card, some treats, and lots of love
from Grandma. Barb is ready to keep this baking tradition going, Grandma
even has enough ingredients stocked up to set her up for quite a while. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow","sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial Narrow', sans-serif; font-size: 15pt;">She never believed in a secret recipe. She gladly shared her
recipes whether for rye-bread or hot dog casserole in the Holy Rosary Cook Book
and with any of her children or grandchildren who wanted to learn. I still
cannot get my rye-bread to taste as delicious as hers, but I am thankful that
she took the time to show me how to make it. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow","sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial Narrow', sans-serif; font-size: 15pt;">In addition to her baking, Grandma was a good cook and thankfully
she taught all of her kids well. While they were on the farm, every
Sunday Grandma would make a chicken dinner with all the fixings. She
believed in meat, potatoes, and dessert with every meal. She was sure to
cut the Sunday chicken into 9 pieces so every member of the family had 1 piece
of chicken. This may sound small to you, but Grandma would be the first
to tell you that those home grown chickens were much bigger than the ones you
would buy at the grocery store today. The family all remembers spending
time butchering chickens for family and friends. I know that sounds
strange, mentioning chickens in a eulogy, but that’s how Grandma showed you she
cared. By giving you some of her hard work--her homemade baking, home grown
vegetables, or even those farm raised chickens. These gifts were from her
with love and truly were priceless. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow","sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial Narrow', sans-serif; font-size: 15pt;">Grandma’s hard work and faith were important, but what was more
powerful was her love. Grandma loved her big family and getting together
for holidays or any special occasion. She always made a big meal, and
with her sense of fairness, made sure that everyone got the exact same amount
for a gift. She would be happy now seeing all the family together. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow","sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial Narrow', sans-serif; font-size: 15pt;">Grandma and Grandpa spent a lot of time together going the boys
football games and even continued this attending many of the grandchildren’s
various sports. Both Grandma and Grandpa had many good years with their
friends in the card club with lots of laughs and fun times. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow","sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial Narrow', sans-serif; font-size: 15pt;">We all know that Grandma had strong opinions on things; we hope no
one is still offended by anything. But even this shows Grandma’s strong independent
spirit. I believe it was this strong will that kept her here with us this long,
through everything she faced in the last few years. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow","sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial Narrow', sans-serif; font-size: 15pt;">She lived a great life: 86 years. . . able to see her children
grow up, many grandchildren grow up, and even 12 great grandchildren. . .a life
full of faith, hard work, and love. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow","sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial Narrow', sans-serif; font-size: 15pt;">For all of us who are blessed enough to know and love my
grandmother, the only things that will truly capture who she was are the warm
memories that we each hold within our hearts.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow","sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Renee Jadin-Ricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04547209004299727532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5686121350628895432.post-54457231470184620442014-09-06T20:47:00.002-05:002014-09-06T20:47:50.467-05:00My Grandma DiedMy Grandma died. We all knew it was coming. But it's still tough. She's battled thyroid cancer, had a major risky back surgery which the prep work for revealed that she had a heart attack at some point, an extremely dangerous post-op infection, and then found out her thyroid cancer spread to her lungs and bones. All of this was in the last 3 years or so, with a major decline in her health happening over this summer. We all, including Grandma, knew it was just a matter of time. <br />
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After she died on Tuesday, I told my mom that if she needed any help with writing the obituary I could help or if that I could do a reading at the funeral, whatever they wanted. I checked my phone mid-morning at work the next day and I had a text asking: "Would you be willing to give a eulogy?" At this point, I wouldn't have been able to say no to anything my mom asked me. So I said yes and immediately text Mitch, "Oh shit. I have to do Grandma's eulogy."<br />
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The rest of the day, my mind is reeling. What can I say about my Grandma...she baked...she played cards...she baked some more...she had complete disregard for expiration dates on food and drink...she liked to give toddlers grasshoppers (the dessert with alcohol.) This was going to be tough. You see my grandma wasn't the typical definition of grandma. She wasn't all warm, cozy, spoil the grandchildren with cookies and cuddles. <br />
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I did have a chance to get to know her a bit more than other grandchildren. I am the oldest of the granddaughters and in a family that had clear roles about what boys should play and girls should play, I was often relegated to playing inside or off to the side. This meant with Grandma and Grandpa. But often she was busy in the kitchen while Grandpa did all the playing, cookies, and cuddles. I have some memories of playing cards with them, coloring at the kitchen table with her, or even playing connect four with her (I wonder if that game is still in the bottom of the card drawer.) My mom did my grandma's hair, so whenever she would come on a Tuesday for a perm or set, I would be around. When I was in college, they'd go out to lunch afterward at a little restaurant close to campus that I could meet them at. After having kids, I made sure to stop there during the summer with them whenever she was getting a perm so that the girls could get to know her a bit. <br />
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She was just not the type of you'd go to for comfort, to get lots of hugs and I love yous from. I remember talking to her about family names during both of my pregnancies. She was adamant that I not name a child, even a middle name, after her: Viola. We went with Violet instead. Her mom's name was Lottie, but I also wasn't allowed to name a child that "because they'll just get made fun of" according to her. So what do I say in her eulogy? <br />
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Mom and her siblings came up with a page full of notes and things that they wanted me to include. It was similar to my thoughts...she baked, she prayed, card club, etc. But it also included gems such as "She had a way of pulling your earlobes when you were in trouble" and "We'd butcher a chicken every Sunday for dinner and she knew how to slice it in 9 pieces so every member of the family got a piece." Well, after 2 1/2 hours of writing and a small amount of googling for ideas (with very little success), I had a draft. I emailed it to Mom and my aunt and they both said it was perfect. <br />
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So now there was just the little issue of being able to read this in front of everyone at the funeral. I was nervous. I've done readings in church before, most recently at my uncle Dave's funeral at which I read way too fast. So I practiced and practiced. Providing I stayed un-emotional, I'd be fine. Only the last two paragraphs got me choked up during practice. My strategy for the day of the funeral: avoid my mother (when I see her crying, I instantly cry) and be an emotional robot. <br />
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At the funeral, I was emotional at first. It helped though that the funeral people did a good job with her and she looked very good. During the last few visits, she really didn't. She looked so thin, just hugging her I was afraid to break her (in fact, I had a dream last week that I reached out to grab her when she was falling and squeezed too tight and broke her.) She had an overall grey look to her at the end. The photos below are much better to remember her by. As the afternoon went by, we had a good amount of time to just sit back and talk with my cousins. There was an interesting bit of time mid-afternoon when a bat started swooping around church, then eventually in the vestibule area where the viewing was taking place. The male cousins were up for the challenge, caught the bat, and saved the day. We joked about how that would move up someone for sure on the Grandma's favorite grandchild rating system that we always joked that she had. I relaxed quite a bit. I did not go and say another final good bye before closing the casket because I knew that it would be too much for me and wouldn't be able to get through the eulogy strong. Everything went well, it was well received, and later the priest said something that I think really summed the whole funeral day up. He was surprised by how at peace with everything Grandma was when he met with her. That's kind of how I felt about it. She's good now and I didn't need to be sad about it. <br />
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But now today, I am so super emotional. I think that I held it all in way too much yesterday in my attempt to be an emotional robot. Writing this today helped. Thanks. <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ekHmW6cr7Fs/VAuqSyS463I/AAAAAAAAAkI/UuHTOVOl4dM/s1600/HPIM0667.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ekHmW6cr7Fs/VAuqSyS463I/AAAAAAAAAkI/UuHTOVOl4dM/s1600/HPIM0667.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BEayPhZT4Jk/VAusN7bKifI/AAAAAAAAAkU/KDnRicbJ0eY/s1600/DSC_0318473.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BEayPhZT4Jk/VAusN7bKifI/AAAAAAAAAkU/KDnRicbJ0eY/s1600/DSC_0318473.jpg" height="161" width="200" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y4BpNrVMTHU/VAuqDN0-oII/AAAAAAAAAkA/9a8X-0yW_EI/s1600/HPIM0662.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y4BpNrVMTHU/VAuqDN0-oII/AAAAAAAAAkA/9a8X-0yW_EI/s1600/HPIM0662.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><br />
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Renee Jadin-Ricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04547209004299727532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5686121350628895432.post-63964558326944641132014-08-13T21:47:00.001-05:002014-08-13T21:47:37.146-05:00Look what I found!I've found a great summer job that had me traveling quite a bit this summer. I got off the plane in Chicago and right outside of the gate was this beautiful advertisement! I had to get my picture with it. <br />
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<br />Renee Jadin-Ricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04547209004299727532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5686121350628895432.post-80907302938784611992014-03-27T20:33:00.000-05:002014-03-27T20:33:03.848-05:00Another year, another MRI experienceIt's now been over 2 full years! Today I had my annual MRI screening. This is to check to make sure there is no cancer growth in the little tissue that I have remaining and to make sure my implants are still in good condition with no leaks or tears. Which by the way, if I ever mention any strange feeling or symptom, Mitch is quick to blame it on possible silicone poisoning even though silicone has been proven completely safe.<br />
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I had a chance to use Bellin's new MRI machine. It's a whole 4 inches bigger, you get to roll in feet first, and is built to have an "ambient experience." I could choose the color settings and image projected onto the wall. Despite the fantastic wooded stream setting and calming greens and blues being projected around the room, as soon as I was pushed inside it felt just like all the previous ones. Including the pukes. The minute they inject the contrasting dye, I get a horrible taste in my mouth and cannot control my body from trying to get that taste out. I dry heave for about 20 seconds. However, this is while pushed into that little tunnel in superman position with my breasts in these little hole things knowing that if I move too much the images won't turn out. If I press the alarm button asking for the nurses because I cannot take it anymore, we'll have to redo the entire thing another day (I wonder how the expense for that would be coded for insurance?) So I just stick it out. I try to push my chest bones against the tray while my stomach lurches. And then it's passed and I'm left for the last seven minutes of the scan with my eyes watering, wanting to wipe the spit from my mouth without an opportunity to do so. I've had the same MRI technicians two years in a row though and they're brainstorming with me what we can do to fix this by next year. This year we tried no food 4 hours prior to MRI combined with major hydration plan with obvious no luck. Our plan next time is to pre-medicate with some over the counter anti-nausea meds and see if that helps fight the feeling. <br />
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I already got a message today from my doctor which I assume when I call back tomorrow will say the images all look good. They couldn't say this on the message, but she repeated twice that this is a good new message, no worries, call tomorrow when you have a chance. I love my doctor's office! I'll be there next month for the full check up and will post more after that appointment. <br />
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<img src="data:image/jpeg;base64,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" /> <br />
The new setting<br />
<img height="240" src="http://www.healthcare.philips.com/pwc_hc/main/shared/Assets/Images/MRI/coils/pd_elitebreast_05_en_lrg.jpg" width="320" /><br />
The device for me to snuggle into<br />
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<img src="http://www.atlantichealth.org/Files/Public/Images/BreastMRI.jpg" /><br />
An older lady assuming the position<br />
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Follow this link for an article about the new device:<br />
<a href="http://www.jrn.com/tmj4/news/New-medical-device-in-Green-Bay-could-help-injured-Green-Bay-Packers-225908811.html">http://www.jrn.com/tmj4/news/New-medical-device-in-Green-Bay-could-help-injured-Green-Bay-Packers-225908811.html</a>Renee Jadin-Ricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04547209004299727532noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5686121350628895432.post-1717873231297128182014-02-11T20:38:00.001-06:002014-02-11T20:38:54.991-06:00This article is amazingThis article is amazing: <a href="http://www.mamamia.com.au/news/double-mastectomy-photos-beth-whaanga/">http://www.mamamia.com.au/news/double-mastectomy-photos-beth-whaanga/</a><br />
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<a href="http://cdn.mamamia.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/red-dress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="red dress Dear Beth, thank you for taking off your clothes." border="0" height="200" src="http://cdn.mamamia.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/red-dress.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
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One beautiful, brave women shows what is really hiding under that red dress. While my reconstruction was with a different method, I still had 31 total incisions and thus 31 scars on my body due to this. This women shows clearly that "reconstruction is not a boob job" as so many people believe. Renee Jadin-Ricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04547209004299727532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5686121350628895432.post-73712972891625432332013-11-29T19:00:00.000-06:002013-11-29T19:59:23.277-06:00DONE!Everything is done! Another successful surgery!<br />
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I was more nervous for this one than last time. I had this sense that something was going to go wrong. I felt like things would be delayed or forgotten or something just because of it being the day after a holiday being kind of relaxed sort of a day. <br />
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As we were entering the hospital doors, my phone rang. It was Dr. J's nurse. My heart skipped a beat. I was so afraid the next words were going to be that we had to cancel for some reason or another. But that was not the case at all! They were running ahead of schedule and wanted to know if I could get there as soon as possible. <br />
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From that point on everything went fabulous! I got a fast pass through everything and was in surgery almost an hour ahead of schedule. No strange recovery room neighbors, no nausea. The only negative of the whole morning was that the nurse admitting me was feeling rushed and had very shaky hands. <br />
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I am still feeling the anesthesia. I have been up for a few times this afternoon, but then like drop off to sleep immediately. I am feeling kind of like motion sick as well (just sitting on the couch watching the girls dance and jump around the living room was making me dizzy).<br />
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While I am feeling ok right now and the recovery from it is a breeze in comparison to the others, I can say with certainty that this is absolutely the last time. I do not want to wear a bear paw gown again for a long time! I am hoping it will be 10+ years before I'm back to the second floor of St. Mary's hospital again. <br />
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Some family fun the night before.</div>
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The will be my last time in these silly Bear Paw inflatable gowns for a long time.</div>
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What happens when one little girl is left to her own devices. </div>
<br />Renee Jadin-Ricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04547209004299727532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5686121350628895432.post-46123268516275539782013-11-23T22:30:00.000-06:002017-03-03T20:21:03.459-06:00Someone else looks like me!A typical night in our house after the kids are tucked into bed, usually involves Mitch watching some DVR'ed shows while I work diligently on school work (or crush some candy, online shop, pin things, etc.). I catch bits and pieces of what he's watching, but rarely pay much attention because he has a habit of getting into shows that are bound for cancellation. Just the other night, Revolution caught my attention. Half way though, I interrupted him with, "Did you see that! Rewind it!" I'm sure he was thinking I caught something in the crazy storyline, but I continued "Look at her chest! It's just like me!"<br />
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Elizabeth Mitchell. Do you see that shadow to the right of her center cleavage? She has concave areas on her chest! In other scenes you can see the concave spots in plenty of other areas. So now this leads me to a ton of questions: Is she like me? Does she have implants? For reconstruction or regular purposes? Or are they giving her shadows and a hollowed look because of the storyline? They are living in a worldwide blackout fighting a revolution nearly dying each day, thus not much access to food or fresh clothing. Either way, I kind of like it! However hopefully after this final step, I won't look like that anymore. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ODpeO_btxK4/UpF6ZiCuWgI/AAAAAAAAAds/S0kpIdgNTdI/s1600/elizabeth+mitchell.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ODpeO_btxK4/UpF6ZiCuWgI/AAAAAAAAAds/S0kpIdgNTdI/s640/elizabeth+mitchell.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Renee Jadin-Ricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04547209004299727532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5686121350628895432.post-31399464994683207702013-11-07T20:19:00.000-06:002013-11-11T16:37:21.231-06:00This is the last one!I forgot to mention, this is my final reconstruction surgery. This will be my last attempt. If after this try, they are not perfect (or maybe just normal looking), then I feel like they don't need to be. I want some time away from the hospital. I do not have plans to do another BRCA related surgery until I am 40. :)Renee Jadin-Ricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04547209004299727532noreply@blogger.com0