Steady Progress.

I decided to give my core workout class a try on Tuesday and it went well. I ran two miles on the track afterschool which was fine except the heat! Apparently, we went from winter to SUMMER because the temps are reading in the mid-80's to 90's here, already! My run could have been better if it wasn't 89 degrees! My first mile felt great and I think it was around a 10 minute pace so my second mile was slower as I started to get really hot. I am hoping I can get up to 3 miles very soon!When I run I find my mind wandering to memories of surgery and this past year and it just makes me smile to think it is finally all over with. Running was a huge part of what got me through preparing for surgery and now I can look to it to get me through this next phase: returning to normal.

The core class is only 30 minutes but it is a tough 30 minutes. I was surprised as how much strength I had retained and what exercises I could still do. There were a few times when things felt a little wierd but it wasn't painful, just different. I can't really lay on my stomach comfortably yet so I just modified the exercise for myself.

I definitely was sore all over from the run and class which pretty much covers most muscle groups in a short amount of time. I am excited to build my strength back up!

Now that I have all of my energy restored I am excited that I can return to my routine of running and weight training. I also want to get back into the pool and see how things feel when I swim. I hope to try a yoga class soon, also. I am back and it feels so great!!!

2 miles done. A good sore.

It was the best "first" run I could have ever had. I swear I was grinning ear to ear for my first mile. I loved every second of it. I felt a little tight in the chest but no pain or issues really. I think I just need to get used to my new "normal" and my new body. I had no goals except to run 2 miles. I didn't even have a watch on. About 1 mile in I saw an old friend who has been through something similar to me, though she was actually diagnosed with BC. She said she could run a lap with me so we could catch up and we ended up running another mile together. It was so great to catch up with her and share stories with someone who absolutely understood what I had been through. I guess she just happened to be at the right place at the right time! It made that second mile fly by and though I felt like I could have kept going, we did stop and walked a lap or two.

After we parted ways (she is a fitness instructor and had to get to her class to teach) I decided to try out some ab work. Before my surgery I focused on my core to help prepare my body for the post surgery task of not using my arms to get in and out of bed. It definitely helped me while I was recovering and I was glad to see that I still had a good amount of core strength left in me. I did a lot of the exercises from my favorite core class to see if I could take it next week without issue or pain. I even did planks, side included and it was fine. I spent a lot of time stretching my arms over my head and to the side. I was pretty tight after I ran and it felt good to loosen things up a bit.

Last night I was still pretty tight and sore in my chest area so I took some advil and iced my chest for a bit. I knew I was going to be sore today, and I am, pretty much all over! It is a good kind of sore though. A sore you know you earned the day before. A sore you know you'll be stronger from tomorrow. A sore that I've been longing to feel for many, many months.

A happy place.

It has officially been 2 weeks since my last surgery and surprisingly, I feel so great! After feeling the immediate relief of having the expanders taken out I now realize how much pain I was in for the past few months. I knew going into this that it would be no walk in the park, but honestly, I had no idea of what was to come on Nov. 28th when I was wheeled into the operating room. I do not regret my decision but I am certainly thankful that the hard part is over. No one can really know how they will react to surgery and my kind of surgery was so specific to me with my existing scars and all and so I had no idea what to expect. I guess it is a good thing or else I might have backed out!

So the doctor cleared me for all activities. Picking up the kids, running, weight lifting (light at first!). I honestly feel back to "normal". I don't think about my implants or the the numbness in my chest. I don't think about being BRCA positive during the day. I don't feel "different". I don't feel self concious about the way I look. I think the results turned out great and by great I mean I look exactly like I wanted....the way I used to look. I don't think a random person could look at me and guess at all I've been through or that I had a mastectomy just a few short months ago. That is what I wanted. I just wanted to make it through looking like I used to look.

When I was in the plastic surgeon's office yesterday the secretary asked me to update my health form because it had been over a year since it was first completed. I couldn't beleive it. It has been a year! A year of planning, doctor's appointments, MRI's, exams, surgeries, follow up appointments, medicine, resting, pain and more surgery. But, it is done and that is what matters. I now look and FEEL like my old self and that is a huge accomplishment at this point. Tomorrow, I plan to lace up my sneakers and log a mile or two. We'll see how that goes. I am not going to lie, I am pretty excited that I actually need a sports bra again.

I couldn't have done it without my husband and family and friends who love me and treat me like family. Thank you all! I know I haven't been the easiest person to deal with over the past few months, but that is all in the rear view mirror now!

Success. Happiness. No pain. It feels so good to be here.