September, better late than never

OK, so the end of summer and start of school threw my routine out of wack and I have been a bad blogger, but I think I got things back on track and can catch up. I had a special appointment with Dr. Gil and he gave me 4 new arms so I can do it all now!

So, rather than doing another long 2 month update, I decided to do September and then send October next week. Hope that helps not only me, but you with your time management.

September marks the one year anniversary of Andy's accident and rather than risk any PTSD moments watching the Skinnyman, we decided to go out of town. We happened to win a silent auction bid for a trip for 4 to Baltimore to see an Oriole game. OK, the Orioles aren't that great and they were playing the Rangers, but it was for charity and we had been talking about going to Baltimore, so it just all worked out. It was a beautiful weekend and it was actual a good game and one of the few they won this year. Here's the kids and I at the inner harbor, we spent alot of time there exploring all the museums and ships, very educational! Very nice family destination.

We came home just in time for the first day of school. Big day this year. Rex is in middle school and has to get up alot earlier. He is also walking to school and getting home @ 2:30pm, He loves it and is doing great according to his first progress report.

Ruby also moved to another school & she is liking the mommy & me time in the morning. She loves her new school, teacher, & class and she is doing great also. I somehow got talked into being her room mother, so I get to coordinate and plan all the fun activities for her room! Right up my ally! Here the kids are on the first day of school.

We all went to see American Idols Live tour the week after school started, on a school night no less. We all watched the show together, so it was fun seeing the top 10, but Andy & the kids wore out by intermission. They said it was too hot and foggy, so they left early. Thank goodness my mom went and made it through so I had a ride home. I took pictures, but they didn't come out so good with the lights & the fog.

Next big event in Spetember was Rex turning 11. Apparently whe you are 11 you don't need kid birthday parties anymore, so we just had a family get together. He wanted it catered by Moe's as he loves their chips & Salsa and tacos. He got lots of fun gifts & as always, it was a beautiful day and we were able to be outside. Here is his invitation & him with his brownie cake.

So that was September. I had a post-op nipple appointment (they are fine, not as big & pointy, but there) & a pre-op areola tattoo appointment (surgery was 10-9, but you'll have to stay tune to hear about that!)........... October to follow next week once we get through the whole thing!

Until Have a happy and safe Halloween.

Sherie

Catching up in pictures

So I have been very bad in bloggin, but as you'll see I have been very busy. I couldn't even remember myself what I had been doing, so I went back through my pictures and this is what I found:

Water Play

We did alittle boating on the boat, but not as much as we would have liked, the kids got out on the kayak, and we spent alot of time in the pools (Nana&Poppies, Ms.Bev's, & the Ohlins) We tried to rotate them all so we didn't wear out our welcome at any one of them.

Erie Canal

We rented a canal boat for 4 days, captained it ourselves, and toured the Erie Canal East.(last year we did it too & went West) We went through atleast 15 different locks, and experienced small towns along the canal such as Palmyra, Newark, Clyde, Seneca Falls, & Waterloo. We ate breakfast & Lunch everyday on the boat and then would dock in a town and go out for dinner there. We loved walking around the small towns and learning about their history. It was 90 degrees ever day, so it was hot, but Andy finally got the air conditioner in the boat working the last night! Look at my buff arms holding the canal boat as we go through a lock.

Niagara Falls

We went to the falls for a long weekend. We made a quick stop on the American side and did what was there to be done. I don't remember when I was a kid actually walking under the falls like you can now, it was a blast, we had a hard time pulling the kids away. We spent the rest of the time on the Canadian side. We went into the falls, behind the falls, over the falls, and wore many lovely colored plastic bags in the meantime. It was great weather and being wet the whole time didn't bother anyone. Our hotel, right on Falls Ave was connected to an indoor waterpark, so after we finished exploring the falls, we went and got more wet @ the water park. Our last day we drove up to Niagara on the Lake and went to Fort George and had lunch.

Concerts

JASON MRAZ - The kids, Andy & I all went to see the man, Jason Mraz! He is one awesome concert if you ever get a chance to see him. It was a late night, but well worth it! Did I mention we were 10th row center.

PAT BENETAR/BLONDIE GIRLS NIGHT OUT- Jill organized a road trip with the girls (Linda,Lori,Jill,Sherie,Janie, & Becky) to see Pat & Blondie. It was a blast. We tailgated before the concert, pee'd in the woods, snuck in alcohol, and sang our hearts out! We did alot of dancing too. Pat was awesome and didn't play long enough, Blondie sounded great, but she needs a makeover. It was a hot night, so we'll just chalk it up to that!

Girls & Boys take seperate trips to the adirondacks

BOYS: Rex and Andy went back to the Adirondacks with the boyscouts to Stillwater to work on some conservation project, they tell me it was a great time and from the looks of the 300 pictures Andy brought home I would agree.

GIRLS: Not to be out done, Ruby & I, along with the Ohlin girls went up to Old Forge for a few days to shop and play. It was my first time back to Enchanted Forest since I was a kid and I can honestly say, it hasn't changed. Water Safari was fun, but the whole idea of an outdoor water park spread out in an amusement park in the Adirondacks makes me laugh. When is it ever hot enough in the Adirondacks to run around in your bathing suit like that all day, it was cold and this was August (supposedly the warmest month there is there)

Renaissance Faire

Of course we made our yearly pilgramage up to the Renaissance Faire. Yes, we dressed for it, we love any excuse to wear costumes. They added some rides, games, and changed the shows abit, so it was alot of fun.

and much more...

I am getting tired writing about everything we've done and I need a drink, so let me summerize the rest: The MOST, The Syracuse Zoo, Seabreeze, Merry Go Round Theater, a few fundraisers, lots of dinners with family & friends. It has been a full summer. I don't know if anyone noticed, but the one thing I didn't have was any Doctors appointments or surgeries, how sweet was that!

The nipples have come down and are normal size, they are doing well. I finally let Andy take a test drive with them and it was all good, well great, but everyone always tells me TMI, so I will stop there.

Areola tattoos in October just in time for my first MRI & one year check up, my how time flies.

Andy continues to heal and while he hasn't been back on a bike or swimming, he feels good.

Hope you are all having a great summer.

Sherie

The Nipples have landed

So when I was thinking what to title this entry, I thought about missiles because when I came out of that operating room that is what they looked like. Apparently you have to make them longer than you really want them in the end because they naturally shrink down to a normal size after time. Well, ok, they have shrunk down some, but people definitely know I am coming and everyone thinks I am either cold or happy to see them! Sorry, I hope they continue to shrink down just a little bit more so I stop scaring all the kids. The nipple protectors are off, so careful with those hugs for awhile, there are still some sutures holding on in there and the last thing we need now is to bust a nipple off! So last I left you, the left one was abit concerning with a blackness to it. Well @ my followup Dr. Gil assured me that was just scabbing and to continue to keep it moist and it would be fine! I am happy to report the right one lost the last of its sutures and it looks fabulous. So you are probably saying I know she isn't going to post a picture of it, but what does it look like? well, take a look at yours and believe it or not, mine look exactly like that. It is amazing how real they look. So now my biggest challenge is to not pick the black scab on my left one. As Ms. Bev said, "you can pick your friends, you can pick your brain, but you cannot pick your left nipple!" I am a picker and a grinnner! (heehaw reference)

Here is an illustration of what they do to create the nipple for those of you who want to ask, but are afraid. There are actually several different techniques and each doctor has their favorite, but you get the idea (see there is a missile stage):

So, I get the next three months off to heal and then I go back in on October 9th for what Eric in the office has now dubbed "the tit tats" or as it is known in the medical community "areola tattoos". Now most people don't have to wait this long, but my Doctor does not have the tattoo machine in his office, so we have to go through one day surgery again and my insurance only allows one operation every three months. Isn't that special, lets make this girl wait alittle longer to feel whole again. I guess it gives me more time to become better acquainted with the new nipples.

July 4th holiday was exciting. Here is a picture of the kids lighting flares on the lake on July 3rd.

These pictures come after an hour in the ladies bathroom applying pressure to Rex's bleeding head! Yup, I was standing @ the club talking to friends when I see Rex walking towards me with what looks like blood dripping down the front of his face all over his clothes. I say, "rex, is that real?" cause at first it looked like maybe he was playing with friends and they put fake blood on him to scare me, but when he looked at me and started to cry I realized it was real, so I went into nurse mode. I put down the three drinks I was holding (I had just gone to bar to get drinks for three people, not me) without spilling a drop, ran to him, applied pressure and got him into the bathroom. Once I was able to clean away some of the blood I was able to see the horror scene in front of me was all from a half inch gash in his forehead. Apparently he was going out in his kayak and had just left the dock when a rock came flinging @ his head. (only inches from his eye, I might add) There were some kids skipping stones at the shore some 200 feet away and apparently one took a wacky turn into Rex's head. My boy, who hates blood, was able to apply pressure with one hand while he paddles kayak back to dock with one hand. then he was able to find a friend to watch the kayak while he found me. truely amazing he didn't flip over and drown, ok, maybe a bit dramatic, but it could have happened. Neighbor & good friend Doctor Mike was there within minutes to take over so I could go back to mom mode. Doc. Mike went to his office & got glue & stitch kit and came back to the ladies locker room. he was able to close it with just the glue which was a big relief to rex because the first thing he said to me was, "mom, I don't want stitches". Rex did awesome, Doctor Mike did awesome, & we went on to lighting flares like nothing ever happened.

2 days later Rex & Andy left for a week long boyscout camping trip. Here is one of my favorite pictures Andy got of Rex hiking in the Adirondacks.

Both my boys had a great time and can't wait to do it again next year. This is the same camp Andy use to go to every summer when he was a boy and he said it is still pretty much the same. What a great experience for father and son to share.

Ruby was home taking a theater camp and had a show at the end of it. The show was awesome and Ruby did great. Here she is afterwards getting flowers from her daddy.

So I think that brings us up to current day. O guess I should blog a little bit more frequently so these aren't so long. I will try harder next time to save you all from having to read such a long entry.

peace out

Sherie

New & Old Friends

These are my new "breast" friends!

So last weekend I went to Albany to meet 4 fabulous ladies I met through the internet that have been my support group through this whole breast cancer journey. All of us were at the new stages of being diagnosed with breast cancer last year when friends of friends, and even more friends, put us all together to navigate along this long and scary road. Half way through the journey in the midst of the January dull drums we decided we should all meet in June because most of us would be through the worst of it and it gave us yet another positive goal to reach for. So, here we all are, we made it! We are all alive. We all have new boobs which readily showed each other within five minutes of meeting each other. (we had been swapping photos back and forth all along, so it wasn't like we hadn't already seen it all) We all are thriving. OK, for those on tamoxifen, sometimes you don't feel like a thrivor and some of the ladies are still finishing up chemo. & reconstruction, but the worst is behind us and we are moving forward. we have left the breast cancer behind, but we have gained new friendships that can't ever be replaced. We drank, we ate, we flashed, we laughed, i don't think we cried, but some of us came close to peeing our pants! thank you ladies for all your love and support and guidance through a rough year!

These are my Old college friends from 20 years ago:

As I was going to be in Albany with the breast friends, I called up some old college friends and we had a bit of a reunion too. Can't believe it was 20 years ago that we were all in college. I brought 4 photo albums full of pictures from school. It seems we drank alot! It was great going through the pictures together because frnakly I didn't know who half the people in those photo albums were. Age, drunkiness at the time, not sure why, but it was fun recalling the "old" days.

Now the funny part about both these old and new friends is that one of my college friends lives within walking distance from one of the breast friends and their daughters are friends and they go to the same church, how crazy is that! They actually realized ond day over donuts at church that they both knew me.

So, It was a busy weekend and I was exhausted after returning on Sunday. Remember now, I am only 10 days post nipple reconstruction and suppose to be taking it easy. I continue to wear the nipple protector, but cut it down a bit so my Madonnaness wasn't so obvious. Of course one friend today said, if I wouldn't immediately say I had them on, she wouldn't have known, but the minute I say it, she feels the need to look down and see. I figure everyone can see it and they don't want to say anything, so If I get it out of the way right up front, it is all good. I guess I cuold just wear loose tops too, but honestly I don't have any and I don't not want to look my best when I go out! I have a follow up with Dr. Gil next Tuesday to see how the nipples are doing. I am concerned about the left one. It is discolored as compared to the right side. I called to inquire about that and Dr. Gil felt it was probably just bruised still from surgery. I hope that is it because I think the graft might not be taking on the tip, but what do I know, I am a Psych. Nurse. So I will use my Psych Nurse skills and remain positive until I hear otherwise.

I confronted Dr. Gil on what Ruby had discovered was one of his other more famous clients.I told him I knew due to HIPPA laws he couldn't confirm it, but Ruby, after reading " Sponge Bob goes to the Doctor" had discovered that Sponge Bob's doctor was also Dr. Gil!

I think Dr. Gil put the Patrick costume on to keep his identity hidden, but Ruby has exposed all!

Well, I am tiring again, that is still the one residual effect I have from all these surgeries, I get tired alot more than I use to. I am going to go be a good patient and rest!

Happy Fourth of July weekend all

Sherie

Post Surgery

No those are not my new nipples! My new nips are safe and sound under the "nipple protector"! That is what you can see here in this picture, but I wanted to clear that right up front because I don't want to run into any of you and have you think that they are that big, it is distracting and I apologize. The protectors are only temporary to ensure the nipples get a safe, healing environment. Most of you that know me also know that I do occcassionally run into things and fall down for no reason at all, maybe I should have a full body protector?

Anyways, the procedure was about an hour and a half. I was sedated by IV sedation and could hear most of the surgery talk, but felt nothing, it was kinda weird. I was worried I would say something inappropriate under sedation and even though the Docs told me, "what happens in the OR stays in the OR", I decided to not chance it and kept quiet, atleast from what I remember! I came out of procedure well and was home by 2pm. I did manage to take a nice long nap when I got home despite the fact that my family and friends were "de-cluttering" and cleaning my house for the photo shoot.

So yesterday was the first day of the shoot, you didn't really think they could do it all in one day, did you? I have seen Andy & Jim (the photographer) work before and they are meticulous, but the price is the best pictures you'll ever see. So they were shooting until 7pm and are finishing up next week. I was able to re-clutter all the rooms they finished today! In a slow and leaisurely manner of course, per MD orders!

Speaking of MD, I went back and saw Dr. Gil yesterday. He had to change my dressing because it was bleeding (which he said is a good sign because it shows the tissue is healthy) and because I was having an allergic reaction to the tape they used. Along th edges of the tape I got a whole bunch of blistering sores that itched and hurt. He had to put on paper tape for my sensitive skin. I remember now that I had the same reaction to the tape last time, but darned if I could remember when they asked me if I was allergic to anything.

Here's me yesterday in his office. Got a little botox and fillers while I was there. this is the

numbing gel all over my face . Not pretty durning, not so pretty now as I had some bruising at the injection sites, but it is going to look fabulous in a few more days.

So now I rest as I find my eyes slowing closing as I try to come up with soemthing else that is witty.

no more wit, just well wishes that you are all enjoying the rain!

Sherie

Surgery Tomorrow, again!

So tomorrow is the second to last reconstruction procedure. The boobies will have nipples tomorrow by this time. I must say as creepy as that once sounded, I have come to love my nipple-less boobies. Yesterday when there was a breeze at SeaBreeze Park, I didn't have to worry about anything down there. When I wear those low cut shirts I often wear, no worry here about any Janet Jackson slippage. Am I just asking for trouble going through with this surgery tomorow?

If that is the case, you all know I love trouble and here I am in my post surgery wear above! That's right, no pressure is to be placed on the new nipples. That is why these bras actually exist. It wasn't some new fashion trend started by Madonna, it was a necessisty for us breast cancer thrivors going through reconstruction! When Dr. Gil said "no bras or clothing that put pressure on "the surgical area" I said, "am I to go topless, cause I think that is against the zoning regulations (architects wife) or something" and then I said, ahhhh, I gotta get me one of those Madonna bras" When I mentioned my concern to the yoga girls Monday morning, Shell reminded me I could probably wear one of those bras that doesn't have material over the nipple area and I remembered Andy had gotten me one of those years ago and I didn't understand then what it was all about, I thought bras were to hide the nipples, but I guess he figured I might need it in the future, so when I need a change from the cone, I have the purple "no nipple" bra too! Thanks Andy for thinking ahead!

So I was a crazed woman today trying to get everything ready at home so I could chill after the procdure tomorrow. Of course, my lovely husband husband waited until today to do the monthly invoicing for the business which took up all last night and all this morning, but it is done. So all you customers reading this, your bill is on the way! Laundry, groceries, cleaning, & weeding filled the rest of the day. Rex had his playoff game tonight and while he and his team did awesome, they lost by a few (10 pts). His regular baseball season is over, but he made the all-star team, so we will be there Saturday in hopes for a big win! Once I got home I found my house is chaos. Chris the painter was there painting away, Andy was up in the bedroom pretending to be a mason and "laying rock" on the fireplace in our bedroom fireplace. It's as good a time as any to get the house ready for a photo shoot on Friday, dont'cha y'all think? Yup, surgery tomorrow for me, and my husband decided we need to do a photo shoot on Friday. Now remember, I am married to Andy Ramsgard and a photo shoot to you and me is not what Andy Ramsgard thinks of! He needs to complete ever project in the house that isn't done and it needs to be finished before the first photo is shot! I guess if it means my house finally gets finished, I will just roll with it. CNY Magazine is doing a "spread" on Andy in the August edition. The reporter has been here and gotten what she needs, so now it time for the pictures. I OK'd the house pictures, but when he said he wanted one of the family, I had to say, "what?, a day after surgery, no showers for 3 days, cones covering the surgical area? I don't think so Andy Ramsgard" (Momma won, no family picture until next week!)

So, as I sit down to write this blog I get this email from my Father in law:

I have always believed people find people who are like them and need them in their lives and as you can see from this, my father in law needed me to share his irreverent sense of humor! Thanks Bill, wouldn't want any of that gushy, "you'll be fine, it's not a big surgery" type thing the night before I go in for this!

Well, I better go chow down on some food before my midnight deadline, that is actually the thing I hate worst about surgery days, I get so darn hungry! I sit there the whole day crazing Mcdonlads and then when I finally am done and able to eat, I just want to go home and go to bed. So, leave me alone tomorrow afternoon, I am sleeping, but if anyone is near a MckeeDees on Friday, I love quater punders with cheese!

I will get something out tomorrow and let you know how it all goes!

Thanks for all your love and support!

Sherie

PS. When I was thinking of the cone bras, I then immediately went to ice cream cones. I love ice cream and I could protect the nipples and if I got hungry or faint, I could just bite alittle off the end.

I am here, I am here, I am here!

I hope you all have enjoyed your break from me & the family. We have been so busy the past month, I didn't have time to blog & I figured living life was better than writing about it, but I didn't want to keep you all hanging, so I stopped long enough to catch you up.
Andy & I both celebrated our birthdays and turned 43! Our friends threw us a nice party, we got a new umbrella!

Ruby made her first communion, she looked so pretty
Andy & I went on a 5 day trip to Las Vegas. It was our first trip alone since all the craziness began last fall. Ultimately, the trip was planned around seeing Jason Mraz @ The Palms and it was well worth going all that way, who knew how long it would be before he came close to us? As fate would have it, as soon as we got back, it was announced he is coming to Canadaigua Performing Arts Center in August! Isn't that funny. Hey I got a trip to Vegas out of it and I get to see the Mraz man twice in 3 months. I would suggest anyone who is within an hour of the performing arts center to get tickets, he is pretty awesome! Here I am before the concert in Vegas.

We also took a helicopter ride into the Grand Canyon, we were the co-pilots. We actually landed in the Grand Canyon and had a picnic lunch, it was 103 degrees! It was a great experience.

Here we are in the Canyon.

How about Dining in the Sky? Yup, we did that too. We were lifted 180 feet into the air by a crane, table, chef, servers, and all. This picture doesn't do it justice, so you should visit the dining in the sky website. they have them all over the world and one is coming to NYC soon, it was a blast.

We also went to some other great shows while we were there: Crazy Horse, La Reve, & Zumanity. Had some great meals: Red Square, Cat House, Shibuya. and relaxed at the Palms pool. Andy got to experience "Ditch Fridays" @ the pool which was like Spring Break, but only for pretty people. We got in because we were hotel guests and I know all those pretty people were looking at us saying, what are those old people doing here? Funny how you can feel great about yourself and then go to something like that and totally feel like an old foggie!

So because we left on my birthday (which is also Cinco De Mayo) and returned on Mother's Day, My children decided to throw me a party! Here is a picture of me, my parents and the kids @ 10pm when we returned.
The whole house was decorated, I had my favorite, vanilla cake with peanut butter frosting, it made me cry. My mom said Rex was crazed all day shopping for everything and decorating, she said I would have been proud & that he has my party planning gene!

Wow, I am tired just recounting this all. Next we headed to Toronto for a weekend to see the Red Sox play the Jays. We went up on a bus saturday morning and were back sunday evening. We got two games in, a hippo tour of the city, a visit to the Art Museum, and shopping on Queen Street. Here are the kids @ the game, so cute when they hang together without fighting, granted the fighting started after I took the picture, but I can dream!

So now we are in June and all the end of the school year stuff is hitting and we are busy, busy. Ruby is riding again and started guitar lessons. Rex is in the playoffs for baseball and just found out he made the all star team! yeah Rex, that probably means summer baseball is in our future. Our nephew Matt is visiting from Nebraska. He is 15 & thinking of becoming an architect, so he is staying with us for the month and working @ Andy's office. I realize having a teenager that isn't mine is much easier than if he was becuase so far it has been great having him here!

So all seems back to normal and then today I had to go for my preop visit with the Doctor and the hospital for next weeks surgery. yup, I have another one. Time to put the cherry on top so to say. It is an in and out procedure. I am sedated through the IV, so no intubation like the others. It takes about an hour and a half, so I will be home the same day. alot of stitiches, so I am on limited movement/no exercise for atleast 3 weeks, again(and I was just getting into yoga & tennis pretty regularly). and get this, no bra, bathing suit, or anything that will put pressure on the new nips. I guess I am suppose to move to a nudist colony the next month because I can't figure out what clothing won't put pressure on that area???? So, once this all heals up, I go back for an in office tattooing of my areola, I suspect that will be in about a month. When is all said and done, it should be time for my one year anniversary of being diagnosed. My how time flies!

All joking aside, my story is just one of many, and I hope in some way following me through this has encouraged you to get your mammogram, do your monthly self exams, and be better educated when you or a loved one hears those dreaded words about having breast cancer, but I also hope you can see that life goes on, treatments are getting better and better everyday, and you can thrive with the love and support of your family and friends and a positive attitude! Which leads me to my other point, open yourself up and let it out because the more you let out, the more that comes back to you! Thank you all for helping me/us through this, We couldn't have made it through this without each and everyone of you, and you know who you are!

oh I suppse you want to know how Andy is doing? Andy is doing great. His surgeon said he is healing very well! no bicylcle riding yet, but he is running and lifting weights again and feels like he is almost back to where he was last year.

Much love,

Sherie