TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE SURGERY

Posted on by KathyS

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE SURGERY

Twas the night before surgery, and all through the house,

Not a creature was stirring, not even my spouse.

I was trying to sleep, when panic suddenly set in,

It’s time to say goodbye to my breasts, “No, cancer, you can’t win!”

 

Suddenly I awoke with such fright, knowing my boobs would be gone

By this time the next night! In a moment it hit me, this is becoming too real.

Nervous thoughts and anxiety rolled around in my head,

I know I have to relax and just get to bed.

 

I am very well prepared and very well prepped.

But, boy oh boy, it hasn’t been easy to take this last step,

Go away cancer, go away forever….

As I now yearn, for it never to return.

 

IVs will be hung by nurses with care and my doctor will soon be there,

He’ll be all dressed in blue from his head to his toes,

My surgeon that is, in his operating clothes.

 

He’ll speak not a word, but get straight to his work.

With a twinkle in his eye, he’ll take them away with his swift sharp knife.

I know it’s for better and mere hours from now, I will look down to my breast,

To see nothing there, but deep cuts to my chest.

 

Now boobs, now tatas, now boobies, now breasts!

Off with these knockers, my hooters, my bosom… my breasts!

To the top of the mountains and valleys low, off now you must go!

Now dash away, dash away and slash away all!

 

A night or two in the hospital and soon home I’ll be,

Where my family and friends will come visit me.

So thanks to you all, at home and found here, as off I go now… praying, “Please find a cure!”

So that these nights before surgery are no longer here.

 

Off I’ll sign now as l get out of sight,

Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!

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Published by KathyS

This is my 2nd time blogging about being diagnosed and going through treatment for breast cancer. There are many types of breast cancer and all patients have different treatment plans based on their exact diagnosis. Please do not take my comments here as medical advice or knowledge about anything except for my very own situation. I have triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) which is diagnosed about 10-20% of all breast cancers. It is a unique cancer that is not driven by hormones such as Estrogen or Progesterone or HER2 (not sure what that stands for!). The only way to treat this cancer is with chemotherapy as it typically responds well to pretty aggressive strong chemo regimen. Surgery will also be part of treatment and when first diagnosed 10 years ago I opted for the lumpectomy (all three doctors' opinions gave me that same advice) followed by chemotherapy for several months, then radiation for 8 weeks. This time around it is a different treatment plan to include chemo before surgery. This will allow doc to see if the chemo drugs they chose work to shrink the tumor. Then, I will be opting for a full mastectomy to help ensure that I do not get a "new primary" breast tumor down the road. Based on findings and whether it spread to any lymph nodes removed and tested during surgery, I may have to have follow up chemotherapy treatments as well. And even with all this chemo and surgery there are still no absolute guarantees as this beast can rear its ugly head in distant metastases or in skin or bone nearest the breast cancers original location. So... going to do my best to get rid of this shit once again and hope and pray it does not return.

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