Six weeks and milestones

Hi all,
Well yesterday was the biggest moment of my recent life. Six weeks from the 'big' surgery and the following milestone have been reached:

• I am allowed to drive (phew, it is hard being under house arrest like Lindsay Lohan).  I am so grateful to all the friends and family who have driven out to see me, take me grocery shopping etc etc. You have been marvels.
• I don't need to wear this corset thing that I have been wearing 24/7 for the last six weeks. It was holding my tummy tight as it got used to not having much muscle there.
• I don't need to wear a bra 24/7. This is probably TMI but it is not comfortable trying to sleep with too much stuff on.  I stopped wearing the blood clot prevention socks about a week ago.

At six weeks, the breast surgeon advised that I would be ready for work.  However, I still have the end of a breast infection and am waiting for my oncology appointment (should be in the next week or two). So I'm aiming to re-enter the workforce on 10 August.  It will be nice to be part of the so called normal world once more and have some income.

So at six weeks, my spirit is feeling good and positive about the future.  I am still a bit swollen (it's probably gone down about 50% in six weeks). There is uncertainty re the oncology appointment but I am feeling strong enough for those conversations now.  Overall, I am very happy with the aesthetic result of the surgeries - there are quite a few scars right now. But they will fade and I'm pretty happy with the new breast.  I will have another small surgery before Xmas to create and tattoo a new nipple and tidy up anything that needs tidying up.

My laptop has been my saviour and I have been tinkering around with ideas of a website to support others going through BC, post BC and for those wonderful support people.  I will keep you posted on the website which is likely to be called Breast Cancer Nirvana (aspiring towards the best possible experience of BC and post BC).

Wish me luck for re-entry to work.

:) x Andrea