Starting Radiation

I'm about to start my radiation treatment for the "multiple tumours" in my head. I use quotes there because I have not had the courage to ask for specific numbers. All my medical professionals keep using those two words and add in that "they're in all parts of your brain". I apparently shocked the radiation oncologist with how few symptoms I have and the fact that I was able to pass all the reaction tests they preformed. That makes me more nervous than I'd like to admit.

Good news is that I'm pretty much being fast tracked here, and it's aggressive treatment for aggressive cancer. The radiation oncologist is hopeful of a complete response. (Translation: kill all cancer cells in brain by end of treatment).  I did forget to ask when we'll next be scanning to see how things are in my head, I'll ask next time I see someone.

My medical oncologist is going to be starting up chemo two weeks after I end radiation so that the rest of my body doesn't go all cancery on me. I just hope my lungs don't go on strike, they're rather pissy these days. I sound like a worn out smoker, hacking and coughing on the fly. Anywho... back to keeping my spawn from killing one another. Wish me luck!

Treatment update August 2019 - Mealtrain

Hey interwebs

I ended up at emergency because my oncology nurse was nervous of my breathing and increased cough. As far as they can tell after six hours of testing and saline solution, I'm physically and mentally exhausted.

I'm not overly surprised. FEC is an aggressive chemo treatment. It's used with a lot of early stage breast cancer because it is aggressive, and now that I'm late stage, my body is already weakened. I was getting spoiled with treatments that gave me a higher quality of life so I did not rest enough, I guess. And, well, I'm having a lot of noncancer related issues that are taking their toll on my mind and body.

One funny thing that happened was just before I was instructed to go to the hospital by my nurse, I had decided to ask for help in creating a new mealtrain account for our family. Mealtrain is great because people near and far can help. It is free but you can apparently pay for more options and fundraise on it as well. I've just opted for the free version that helps with one meal on days that you need it. That's the great thing, you just open the days you can really use the help. Friends can either deliver food, order food for you to pick up or have delivered, or send gift cards to cover the meal. It's one less thing for me to have on my mind and lets me sleep more. As added security/privacy, you cannot just look up the mealtrain for someone, you need to be invited. I like that, you're not going to get strangers messing with the account and you can make sure that only those that want to sign up do. I'm fortunate that I've had friends local and away signing up to help.

I'm hoping my energy boosts up and I can maybe remove a few of the days I have selected, but for now I'm grateful that in a time of need, I have people helping me. Thank you!

PS:
If you are someone that would like to be added to the mealtrain for my family, please contact me. I'm not placing the link on here

Shaving and Spring Fair for YACC

What a whirl-wind this weekend was.  We had the Spring Fair for YACC and the Shave for the Brave.  My son and several others shaved their hair for Young Adult Cancer Canada.  I'm happy to say that the group raised over $2,000 together.  We had the Spring Fair to raise funds for social events at the YACC Survivor Conference this June.  The total for that has been $600 raised.  I cannot thank everyone that helped me and stepped up, asking if there was anything they could do.  I admit I'm extremely sore after putting on the fair and shave but I'll gladly take being in pain for several days if it means fundraising for YACC and getting the word out that the organization exists.

There's still time to donate to either event.  If you want it to go towards the Shave for the Brave please donate using THIS LINK, it's for Archer's Team.  If you want to host your own Shave, please check out the link in the first paragraph.

If you'd like to donate towards the social events, either send me a message or contact YACC and let them know that's what you want the funds to go towards.  There's a link for them in the first paragraph, too.

I hope that we get to do this form of fundraiser again, the vendors said they had fun, many were happy to hear about an organization like YACC, and it was great to see the smiles and hear the laughter of people working towards something they believed in.  Take care guys. xoxo

An Interesting Weekend

With my anxiety about chemotherapy last Tuesday, I forgot to write about my Halloween weekend.  My husband and I were able to attend Hal-Con in Halifax, the local sci-fi convention.  I pushed my chemo till this week so that I could go without the bone-breaking pain and fear of being around people with a cold.  It was an experience.

The first day was not so good.  There was several times that the volunteer staff supplied by Hal-Con were not on the same page as the staff of the WTCC (World Trade and Convention Centre).  There were also times that a couple of the volunteers didn't quite seem to understand what their job entailed, which led to several confusing and frustrating moments.  I did get to see a couple of the celebrities and attend a couple panels.  There were several attendees that didn't like that I couldn't move overly fast (back pain from my injury makes me slow down), so they barged passed us and took the seats we were heading for.  The worst of day one was when the miss-communication between volunteers and WTCC staff had us trapped inside the con.  Every way we went they told us we could not leave from that exit.  I had a panic attack.  My pain was escalating and the idea of being surrounded by that many people and not being permitted to exit the building quickly attacked my mind.  We did finally find the exit and, quite frankly, ran away.  We went to supper with a gift card that had been kicking around from a friend (finally was in town and able to use it), that was a glorious meal, and when we returned to the hotel room they had vouchers for drinks and a plate of sweets waiting for us.  That helped with our stress level.

Saturday was better in that the Hal-Con staff spoke with the volunteers about the issues and tried their best to nip-it-in-the-bud.  We had a hard time deciding on panels because a lot of the ones that we wanted were at the same time, plus there were several celebs that we still hoped to get autographs and photos with.  I was able to see a friend that I had not seen in years and catch up, had supper with them, and attended the soiree with the celebs.  It was fun, but a lot of people surround the popular guests like moths to a flame.  My back had enough of standing so I was stuck at a table.  One of the guests found me, and sat with us, chatting for the remainder of the event.  That was Lenore Zann.  Many would know her as Rogue from X-Men, the 90's cartoon.  Rogue was one of my favorites (second only to Wolverine), to meet her was a real treat for me.  The fact that she came over and started chatting like we were old mates just reuniting after a long separation was very lovely!  After the soiree we were going to just go to bed but there was a bit of a kerfuffle on our floor so we decided to vacate the hotel.  There were some people going to a local pub just a block away, we headed in that direction.  Long story short, our Halloween was spent with Kris and Paul (from Lost Girl), Kirby (Goku) and his lovely missus, Enver (from Agent Carter), Alaina (Supernatural), Fadi (Captain Canuck producer), Rob (Cyanide & Happiness), and a couple others.  The next day was spent quickly going around to say "Hi" to those that we had been at the pub with the night before and running home to get the kids from the family members that had watched them that weekend for us.

I don't think these guests know what that night (the soiree and the pub) meant to me and my husband.  Our weekend was looking like a write-off.  We were questioning why we even bothered with our passes and not sold them off, as money is a bit hard to come by, now.  The weekend was supposed to be a treat for us.  We had not done anything for our anniversary in quite some time.  Chemo kept me locked up in the house often.  Having disabilities, three kids, and cancer has not made going out that simple.  We were extremely close to selling our tickets, especially after Friday's debacle.  Being able to simply hang out and have a glass of wine with them, chatting about everyday things, that means a lot to me.  This also might have been my last Hal-Con.  Tickets are getting too hard to get.  I need the special passes so that I don't hurt my back and can feel "normal" for the weekend.  By feeling normal, I mean I'm tired of glares and whispers because (other than the lack of hair) I don't "look" disabled.  Plus, I don't know what treatments I might be on by this time next year.

So if someone knows these actors personally, or in case one of them sees this blog: Thank you.  I hope that somehow we cross paths once more.  I wish I could send you updates, like some of you mentioned you'd like to receive, but I don't really have any way to contact most of you.

Soiree Photos

(thanks to my friend Scott)

Lenore Zann and Julie

Kris Holden-Reid, Lenore Zann, Julie, Paul Amos

Pub Night

Kirby Morrow and Julie

Julie and Paul Amos

Enver Gjokaj and Julie

Follow Up Article to Shave For The Brave

I was asked to do a follow up article for a local paper about the shave that my son and I did in July for Shave for the Brave.  Click HERE for a link to the article.

Take care guys.  I'll try to find the energy to post up another blog soon! Xoxoxo

Reconstruction update

I've met with my plastic surgeon and I am now greedily awaiting my date for the *hopefully* final surgery.  After this trip to the OR, the plan is to have two permanent implants, fully touched up skin, and begin the healing process.

I must say something that may surprise a few people.  Getting to deal with cancer has given me something to look forward to.  After the accident, losing some of my mobility/abilities, things were feeling very bleak.  Being able to have something to fight, something to see an end to, has helped me.  Yes, having cancer is horrible, it's something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy, but I've been able to use it to my advantage.

I will not be getting nipples added to my new breasts, I have been very adamant on this from the start.  I will be designing a tattoo to cover my chest.  It holds more meaning to me, and is more my personality than to go through the process to have nipples, again.  Most women are constantly trying to hide the fact that they have erect nipples, I cannot see why I would want to get permanently erect nipples added.  The other option for non-pointy breasts is to get 3D tattoos of nipples.  This isn't in my cards, either.  Despite the fact that many tattoo shops in Halifax area will do these tattooed nipples for free, I would rather something more creative.

More updates as they come.  Enjoy the summer!

Pink Spring for Breast Cancer Action NS

A quick shout out to BCANS, Breast Cancer Action Nova Scotia, as they are hosting Pink Spring on April 28th from 6 till 9pm.  This is a fundraiser to help BCANS continue to help women as they are diagnosed with breast cancer, help educate girls and young women on how to examine themselves as well as know the signs of cancer, and helps fund the Pink Panthers support group.  Pink Spring is a dinner and auction event, they will have a wide variety of items in three different auctions: flower pot (deposit tickets in pots of items you want to win), silent auction, and live auction.  Items are being placed on their website (link below) as they are processed.  There is also the Grand Prize: the draw for two round trip tickets anywhere Westjet flies, tickets are only $20 each.

Tickets for the gala are only $75/pp and are available through BCANS.  Either visit their website by clicking HERE or call (902) 465-2685, Visa and MC accepted, to purchase event tickets or tickets for the Westjet draw.

Shave for the Brave Halifax - Sponsoring

Please donate to help support Michael Michaud or James Harding who will be shaving at Shave for the Brave at Halifax Shopping Centre April 14th 1pm. Go to www.shaveforthebrave.ca, look up either of them up and donate online, or call YACC to donate over the phone. One is my hubby and the other is one of my nephews.  They are both shaving their heads for the Shave for the Brave Halifax.  Thanks for your support!

Shave for the Brave Halifax!!

Okay all you Haligonians!  Shave for the Brave is coming to Halifax Shopping Centre for April 14th, 1pm.  So, get your SHAVE ON!  Take the plung and shave your head (or cut off 10+" off your lovely locks), collecting donations for YACC or become a head hunter and find people to cut their hair!  This is to help support Young Adult Cancer Canada!  They bring young adults that have experienced having cancer across Canada together.  This is such a big help, guys!  I cannot put into words what YACC has meant to me since I found last year.  Please spread the word and contact YACC on the Shave for the Brave site to sign up, or contact me and I'll get you in the right direction! xoxo

Here's a LINK to the Facebook event

Interview with BCANS

I was interviewed by BCANS (Breast Cancer Action Nova Scotia) and the article is now up on their site.  If you'd like to get an idea of my story please feel free to CLICK HERE.  I talk about how I came to discover the lump, the areas of my life it started to affect, and how BCANS and YACC helped me.  It's a lot to cover.  I'm starting to think I should do a page totally dedicated to the journey on my blog here.

Great music - Chad Hatcher

This is a case of hidden treasure.  Classified started being recognized as a great musician a while back and the funny thing is at the same time one musician that had actually made a single with Classified has yet to become truly mainstream.  Chad Hatcher is a Haligonian (from Halifax, Nova Scotia) that is bursting with talent.  I'm quite surprised that he hasn't been noticed in the sea of music.  His work holds so much emotion and thought, Chad's work is a masterpiece, every song speaks volumes.

Amazingly enough, Chad has released a 7 track, FREE album.  Please go to this site CLICK HERE and give his music a go.  Like I said, it is free to download and enjoy.  Believe me, enjoy you will!

Lil Black Cloud

In the five minutes I get to steal for myself I figured it was about time I finally posted something newer.  New month started and I just haven't been able to post.  It makes me feel lazy.  I guess I can't fully feel that way when I'm trying to understand why my back injuries are flared up like fireworks on Canada Day, and my son was severely ill last weekend.  Also have started up a Young Adult group in NS for those of us dealing or that dealt with cancer.  As far as I can tell it's the first one in Halifax.  Search Young Adults in NS & Cancer (YANSCancer) on Facebook if you'd like to join...  There's my self plug for now.

My five minutes are already being cut short so I'll try to type quick:

I don't know if the mood is coming across but there's been something looming over me lately and I wish it would f@** off.  I've been trying to move ahead in life and I feel like someone has a voodoo doll of me in their closet that they wrapped in duct tape to keep me from being able to progress.  Just when things seem to finally be coming into place a wrench is being conveniently thrown at the gears, bouncing off, and smacking me in the forehead.  I try to remain optimistic and "cheery" only to discover that annoying black cloud is still hovering over me saying "I dare you to smile".  And if I do smile, it unleashes the snow/sleet/rain/etc to make sure I land square on my butt.

Short post for now.  I hope the next one has more good news than this one.  Wish me luck, I see the shadows creeping in.

Rant about lack of Young Adult Statistics

I'm kinda annoyed right now.  I was searching around on www.cancer.ca, Canadian Cancer Society, to see if the support group they had requested more information on (one that I created recently for young adults in Nova Scotia with any form of cancer) was posted yet.  While searching I came across Canadian Cancer Statistics 2011... There's practically nothing about young adults!  They talk about 0-19 and 50+.  I found brief, very minor mentions of "those under age 50", one sentence about breast cancer occurrence, and a couple about 30-39.  I makes me angry that they would post all this information on 50+ (practically the entire paper), but barely refer to anyone between 19-49.  I guess I shouldn't act so surprised, at the YACC conference in November 2011 this type of exclusion was brought up, but I thought that as it is a growing concern, and with all the social workers that I contacted about the new support group being so thrilled at the start of a group "that is greatly needed", that we would have had more than a quick half sentence and a sprinkling of statistics.  Young adults may not have the highest numbers in some areas but I think it's our right to know the percentages and statistics that studies find of our specific ages.  I'm going to guess that they never bothered to define our age group or collect information on it to actually use to calculate in the numbers for their other statistics.

Well...  I guess that's going to be the next mission after I get this support group going at full steam.../rant.. for now...

A request - David Haas "Cancer Support"

As I've stated before, if anyone has something they would like me to touch base on to contact me and I will fit it in somewhere as long as I agree with it.  I was approached by David Haas about just that.  I'll have some notes to follow his blerb:

"Cancer Support for All Stages

Many people concentrate on the physical changes the cancer diagnosis brings; however, strong emotional changes also accompany doctor diagnosis and treatment. Luckily, support can be found from local community support groups and online support. These avenues offer emotional support from start to finish and beyond. Why are these support options so important to recovery and survivors? Because they team people with others who understand the emotions that come hand in hand with all stages of cancer survival, and allow peers to share valuable insight and advice.

The American Cancer Society and National Cancer Institute are two such entities that provide support through networking and online forums. These services expose you to a wider array of individuals that you may not have had through local venues alone. Members are encouraged to share their feelings and thoughts regarding every stage of recovery and even after successfully completing treatment. The benefits of networking and online support can help you by providing an outlet for your worries and successes. This is important to every aspect of cancer care as it allows you fight depression and anger by promoting expression of your own emotions. When you hold your emotions in, you can succumb to the feelings of losing control and nervous breakdown.

Finding others who are dealing with general concerns as you are or are fighting and recovering from the same type of cancer can enhance your support experience by opening you up to treatment options and ways to help others that you may not have realized were available. For example, survivors of mesothelioma could form in-person meetings, exchange numbers to check on each other and share new treatment options. There are no limits what this type of support could offer. By finding others who have walked the same path, you will find comfort and the tools to beat emotional turmoil.

There are times when you may think no one understands or takes your emotions serious. This causes you to feel alone and sad. With networking and online support, each person you correspond with has been there or is going through the same thing. Many people you meet can lend insight into how to cope with side effects of treatment, and reassure others that the fight is completely worth it. Become involved, not only to gain support but to enhance your experience by offering your support as well."

In Canada there are support groups out there as well.  If you need help finding one let me know and I'll see what I can find for you.  There is YACC, Young Adult Cancer Canada that helps people from 15-39 years old find that connection for all cancer types.  For Breast Cancer, there is Rethink Breast Cancer and BCANS (who hosts Pink Panthers Support Group in Halifax area).  The best thing we can do is spread the word about what support structures are out there, not just financial, because what a lot of us need is just to talk to someone that truly understands. =)

YACC is coming to Hali!!

I'm pleased to announce that YACC has named Shali Manuel as Eastern Program Coordinator!  This means - yes!! - YACC is coming to Halifax, NS!

I hope that everyone that can help make YACC even greater than it already is and keep it's mission steady and true! "To build a community of young adults diagnosed with cancer that provides information, support, skills, and opportunity."


Soon there'll be talk of the Shave for the Brave and hopefully other forms of fundraisers that everyone can get involved in.  But you don't need to spend money to help out, either.  Spread the word!  Make sure everyone knows about Young Adult Cancer Canada.  Help us erase isolation from the thoughts of young adults facing cancer.

Keep up the great work guys!!!

Skirting the issue

I attended the BRA (Breast Reconstruction Awareness) seminar in Halifax, yesterday.  It was well done, but the time it was held was horrible, and having to go find parking in Halifax is always fun.  It was good to put faces to some of the plastic surgeons in the QEII, but there wasn't enough of something that they seem to trying to improve: communication.

It was a flood-the-room-with-information session.  They even had to speed things along so that anyone that was trying to take notes was pressed to write things down and would miss the next sentence trying to scribble down the last topic the surgeon/presenter last said.  They also started talking about mastectomy vs lumpectomy and treatment.  Newsflash! This is supposed to be about reconstruction not the choice we made about our surgery.  That's a different (all be it integrated) topic altogether.  We were there to talk about new/repaired breasts, not the options that come with removing the cancer.

One thing they brushed but did not go in detail is the wait times.  I wanted to know (and got to ask) what is being done to help decrease the wait times for consultations.  Not the surgeries, the consultations.  (Aim low but dream big).  The answer is they are looking into it, they were having trouble with lack-of-staff... yehyehyeh, but what NOW?

We need to get it out in the public? FINE, tell us that, we'll get it in the public.  There's news, papers, radio, billboards, the web - it'll get out there!  What next?  We need funding?  Have you seen what a bunch of determined women can do if they really, really want something?  No?  Well watch us!!

We want answers, and if you don't have them, we'll go for what you have and go from there.  Next pls!  This isn't something we need to ask a question and then say "oh, well if that's just the way it is, that's all we can do" about it.  Hardly!  We're going to find out what's realistic and then go for what we really need.  Quiet women are not the ones that are remembered, and we're not going to let the health care system forget about us!

Silverlupus on the news about reconstruction wait times

Well my segment was on... They got my age wrong (29 at diagnosed, not 28) and cut out whenever I mentioned that this is affecting women of all ages with breast cancer, but I'm getting good reviews.

Click here and select on their "Housecalls" section of videos, the one you want is about breast cancer.

I'd like to note they also did not mention what I said about being able to go to New Brunswick and being able to have the surgery done in two or less months -_-

Education isn't just a right it's survival

I must say the lack of education behind some sentences that I've been reading and hearing lately is quite astounding.  I know I have been guilty of voicing opinions and discovering that I did not have all the facts, but there's some matters that until I understood the ins and outs I never thought to open my mouth (or set my fingers on the keyboard).

When it comes to your health, do not be uneducated.  Know what the recorded/possible side effects are for any treatment.  Talk to your doctor about your goals and desires.  Find a regiment that suits not only your affliction but your wants and desires as best as possible.  You'll find you heal much better when you are fully confident in not only your treatment but your relationship with your doctor.

Look outside the box for safe ways to boost your treatments both naturally and through new methods.  There's a lot of things out there that can help you.  I am glad to have found one that is not only safe but 100% effective in assisting me through my treatments.

My recent decision to "not go gentle into that good night" of waiting several years for reconstruction has brought a lot of people thinking they know everything to the plate.  There are people saying:
1. we should be happy to be alive.
2. there are people that are worse off.
3. reconstruction is offered at time of mastectomy.
4. we should stop throwing a "pity party".
5. there's only TWO doctors in all of Nova Scotia that can do the reconstruction.

Well, guess what, there's answers to all these statements that are found through actually being in the system and educating one's self on the dynamics of this cause.

1. "we should be happy to be alive."
Not once have we ever stated we were not happy and/or grateful to be alive.  We are very much enjoying being able to see our family, play with our children (grandchildren where applicable), hug our loved ones, enjoy our friends, continue our hobbies, and even simply breathe.  Do not assume we take our lives for granted.  We saw the possibility of death and we looked in the eye and said "NO!"

2. "there are people that are worse off."
 Why, yes!  There are!  There are those that did not make it through their journey and did die of cancer.  There are people out there with other diseases and ailments.  But guess what, if they were offered a way to feel somewhat normal, I bet they'd fight their butts off to be more normal now and not in 5 years.

3. "reconstruction is offered at time of mastectomy."
I assure you it is!  It's also denied to most that ask for it.  And some can pressure the doctors into it, but not all.  I demanded it.  I begged for it.  I did NOT get it, like many, many others.

4. "we should stop throwing a 'pity party'."
This is not a "pity party".  We want what we were promised, what we have a right to.  And we are not going to stand idly by while someone tells us that since we are now "cancer free" we "can wait".  I'm sorry but being told that the only way I can get my breast reconstructed within a matter of months is to go to the next province over is ludicrous.

5. "there's only TWO doctors in all of Nova Scotia that can do the reconstruction."
 Well, sorry to burst your bubble, but no, there's more than two surgeons in our province that can do reconstructions.  I personally haven't counted all of them but I assure you there's well over half a dozen in Nova Scotia alone.

For anyone that has not looked into this already, please pop over to Facebook and join our group in fighting for the right to have Reconstruction Sooner for Cancer Survivors!  Thank you

A Breast of Value

I want to ask of all of you a question.  Women: what are your breasts worth to you?  Men (so you can put it a little better into context): what is your penis worth to you?  Yes, it's not quite the same but the value of our sexual organs comes rather high when you have to think about not having them, especially when you are still young or young at heart.

A breast for a woman is more than a lump of flesh and nerves.  It's more than something to help with pleasure with her partner.  It's not just a method of feeding her young.  And I assure you it is a part of how she sees herself when she walks passed a mirror.

Losing my hair to chemo was a physical blow to my self esteem.  Yes, it's just hair, but I had long hair since I was in elementary.  It was part of my identifiers.  Julie was that girl with the really long hair that had the natural silver streak down the front.  Then it was gone.  Looking in the mirror was a reminder, day in and day out that I had cancer.  I was sick.  I had something trying to kill me inside my body.  "Death by boob" was not going to be on my tombstone so I fought it.  I opted for a mastectomy, to be honest, it turned out to be the best decision after the surgeon saw what the tumour was like.  But they wouldn't let me have reconstruction right away and would not take the other breast at the same time.  Apparently when your tumour is over 5 cm big (that's close to 2" for those that don't know), you are automatically signed up for a lot of radiation, and they don't want to radiate the reconstruction.  Fine...  They tell me to sign up for reconstruction now because it's a 2 year wait.  (OMG? really? well.. okay, that'll give me time to recover).  What they don't tell you is that's a bald-faced lie!  I was put on the waiting list and finally got a hold of the plastic surgeon's secretary 7 months later and she tells me it's going to 2-3 years, from that day, AT LEAST to even have a call for my consultation.  Not surgery, JUST a consultation.

Do you know what I see in the mirror?  Me.  Me minus one breast.  Me minus one breast.  Me... Me minus one breast.  Yes, I'm still there, but not all of me.  The deadly mammary has been sliced off, but there's this reminder that I had to go through that.  A reminder that I am still not back to my image.  Hair is growing back, and that looks weird enough to me, but being lopsided is more soul wrenching than the sight of me with short, short hair.

I am only 30.  If I just stand by and say "oh, okay, I'll wait" I could be 34 or 35 easily before I get a consultation with my plastic surgeon!!  I want you to envision yourself without a breast (if your a woman) or your penis (if you're a man) for 3-4 years.  How would you see yourself in the mirror?  How would you feel every time you had that ghost feeling that it was still there and look down to see it gone?  Be honest.  What would that do to your emotional well being?

I can put up the brave front.  I can wear the bloody prostheses so people feel normal around me.  I don't care for them, they're not comforting in the freaking least!  And I don't care if you feel uncomfortable around me because I've been disfigured by my cancer.  You have to deal with it when you see me.  I have to deal with it 24/7...  No breaks from it but in my dreams...  And when you wake up it shatters your soul.  But do not tell me that because the cancer is gone I'm not a priority to be made whole again.

That's right.  Because my cancer seems to be completely vanquished I am considered "delayed".  To the plastic surgeon I'm not important.

What's sad is if I was willing to go to New Brunswick, the next province over, I could most likely get reconstruction done within months.  But I'd have to go there from here on to get all check ups done.  I'd have to make that 3 hour (one way!) journey to get all procedures completed.  (Did I mention I have a back injury and find it hard to drive distances, too..?).  In New Brunswick, cancer survivors come first.  In Nova Scotia, we don't.

I'd love to be proven wrong here.  Please!  By all means, someone find proof that cancer survivors are cared about in the world of plastic surgery.  Show me that when the cancer is out of our bodies that our healing process is important to them!

Then maybe you can explain why people that had their mastectomies in 2007 are just getting their consultations in 2011. >=(

Please join this Facebook group so we can try to make a change!

  Thank you

 

 

Vive La Boob-a-lution!!

I can wait? HA! I think not!

Apparently if your cancer is out of your body, even though your body is now disfigured, you are told you can wait for reconstruction with the way the health care system is set up in Nova Scotia.  Does Julie approve??  ROFL!  HA!  No, I do not want to wait two, three, or four years to find out IF I can have surgery and wait even longer after that...  This is a call to arms!  Please join the Facebook group I have created! Reconstruction Sooner For Cancer Survivors in Nova Scotia!!

Thank you for your support!!