Author Archives: Amandabreeden

A double mastectomy with reconstruction entails removing all of the breast tissue and implanting what they call “spacers”. These spacers are placed to create a space for the implants while allowing your tissue to heal from surgery. They leave these spacers in for at least 3 months before they perform a second surgery where theyContinue reading “Fill ‘em up”

After a double mastectomy with reconstruction you get a quick rundown in the hospital on post-op instructions before they send you home. My husband was there to obtain the information (thank god because I was still loopy from the drugs). After surgery, I had 4 drains. 2 coming out each of my sides about 6Continue reading “Stripping the drains”

After getting the news that I got to skip my second round of chemotherapy and go straight into surgery, I had to go into the chemo suite one last time to get another Lupron shot (to keep my ovaries quiet as I completed chemotherapy and go into surgery- just in case I had to doContinue reading “NO MORE CANCER”

In all honesty, this was the hardest part. I had made it through the scary diagnosis, egg retrieval, 3 months of chemotherapy, and surgery. Recovery from surgery was hands down the most challenging for me, not only physically, but mentally. Getting home from the hospital was nice- got settled in, had some dinner and wentContinue reading “Recovery”

“Hi Amanda, how are you feeling?” As I slowly open my eyes and come back to this world after being under anesthesia for nearly 8 hours. I could barely keep my eyes open and was trying to reorient myself- where am I? What just happened? How am I feeling? Not sure. I didn’t have anyContinue reading “Waking up”

The wait was over, it was time. Day of surgery came and we had to be at the hospital around 5 a.m. – no coffee, no water, no nothing. Check-in, wait. Pee in a cup, wait. Change out of your clothes, wait. Get and IV started, wait… Then all of a sudden there were aboutContinue reading “Surgery”

What is a double mastectomy and what does it all entail? Well, my oncology surgeon describes it as “ scooping you out like a pumpkin and leaving nothing behind.” That way there is no risk of cancer cells coming back in the breast tissue because… well there is going to be no breast tissue left.Continue reading “Double mastectomy”

Now that I was done with chemotherapy it was time to start preparing for surgery. The plan was to not wait too long in case the cancer decided to come back, but to still give my body a short break to recover from chemo. Surgery was scheduled for April 4th, 2023. That gave me aContinue reading “Preparing for surgery”

After my last chemotherapy session, I finally decided to shave my head. I waited WAY TOO LONG to do it, letting my hair get so thin. However, it was beanie season and I could easily cover my head with the little strands of hair I had left so I thought I looked somewhat normal still.Continue reading “Bald”

“This has only happened one other time” says my oncologist when I got in to see her for my follow up appointment. No other patients with my circumstances have ever got to skip their second round of chemotherapy besides 1 other person, out of thousands of patients! So could it be the chemo itself? TheContinue reading “Kicking Cancer’s Ass”