Wednesday, September 22, 2010

The Journey Continues

Have you ever wondered what the Hero does when he returns to his village? Does he long for the days on the road, the dust and moments battling monsters? Does he wonder what would have happened if he took the right fork instead of the left? Does he sit back by the fire and enjoy the stories the elders tell of his exploits?

This is why there are sequels. Second, third, tenth books about our hero and the latest adventure. The truth is, once you start out on the road you can never go back to what you were before.

Tomorrow marks the one-year anniversary of the day I received a clean pathology report. It seems like it has been a long journey to get here. One year. It's fitting, I guess, that this week I finally got news about the reconstructive surgery (a little side trip, or my sequel, if you will).

This surgery is about getting firmly on the path to normalcy. I would never have guessed at how difficult it is to not have breasts -- clothes don't fit properly, seat belts slide around and I feel like I hunch forward. Okay, difficult may be a stretch, but I'll be glad to have them again. The new breasts will be my Christmas gift to myself, as the surgery is scheduled for December 14. The good news is the holiday season slows down a bit in my department, so unlike my last leave this one should have minimal impact to the team and will be much shorter.

I'll also be taking another trip, one which would never have happened if it weren't for the cancer. I will be attending the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation Young Women Living with Breast Cancer Conference. The event takes place October 29 to 31 and includes a variety of workshops and speakers dealing with topics from BRCA to living after breast cancer. I'm very excited about the opportunity which is being funded by the Atlantic Region chapter. I will be one of 16 from the region attending. I booked my airfare and hotel today.

While I never want to go through this experience again, surviving breast cancer has provided me with a number of opportunities which would otherwise never be present. For these silver linings and unexpected adventures I am grateful. If the cost is sharing my story, well, it is a toll worth paying.