Say Goodbye to the Girls

As Paul is fond of saying whenever we have an issue or problem or challenge, or even just a big project for work or around the house, borrowing here from our scuba diving adventures, we need to plan the dive & dive the plan. Love this motto, because I’m a do-er and as long as I have a plan, I am good to go. All this to say, I now have an excellent plan in place for treatment and blasting this cancer to smithereens.

Brief warning here: this rest of this email might best be filed under TMI.

If in the next three weeks we happen to meet, say goodbye to the girls!

After consultations with the big brains at MGH yesterday, I have opted for an “Angelia Jolie.” Sadly, my family history is so riddled with CA and having had it once puts me at even more risk for another installment. I say- Give me some peace of mind!--which is what removing the breasts will do. I do not need this extensive surgery because this is an aggressive cancer, it is not; I am choosing this because I can.

I will most likely use chemo—and unless the tissue taken shows something unexpectedly bad, I can forego radiation. Amazing how a bit kernel of some good news wrapped up inside a whole boatload of bad news lifts the spirit!

I am going to have immediate reconstruction, which has come a very long way, i.e. no chest expanders, underlying muscles left in good shape and no added risk of anything related to cancer down the road.

Read: symmetrical, firm boobs that defy gravity!

Finally!

They will be smaller, as Paul like to say,  for an athletic build. May help the ballroom dancing, no more “boobing” people, especially if I am leading. Jonah, our son who works for the Chicago Bulls & the WNBA Chicago Sky, upon hearing this, did not miss a beat, promised me a WNBA Chicago Sky (i.e. state of the art, engineered) sports bra. Boy the goodies going along with this diagnosis are plentiful!

Bottom line is, my self image & self esteem are, as you know, top of the line,  and not at all wrapped up in my chest area.  I am lucky that way.

This dive will start 3 weeks from today or maybe sooner if my charming personality and gift-bearing nature rubbed off on the scheduler at MGH! As crazy as this sounds especially with my family history & even profession, I love a hospital, I love meeting new people, love the opportunity to find out about people’s lives and what makes them tick. So, all kinds of chances to interface with people I would otherwise never have met.

I am feeling all your love & all your prayers. They matter and they work. Keep it coming, And if you want a very specific prayer to put out to whatever god or energy you’re working with du jour it can be:

“Let Amy have all negative nodes & smooth sailing"

Love & light,

AMY