Surgery scheduled

Well this whole reconstruction thing is going to be another long ordeal. I go in a week before surgery for what they call "delay." This is to mess around with blood vessels in my abdominal area to increase the blood flow to the area so it's nice and supple. I will be knocked out, and will be sort of woozy for 24 hours. This procedure is because Dr. Isik will be using belly fat to construct my new left breast. It's really pretty clever - I get a tummy tuck, too! Then on July 23, I have the tram-flap. It's about a six hour surgery and I'll be in the hospital one or two nights. No kidding. I'll be toast for a good two weeks, and no strenuous exercise for eight weeks, which is going to suck. So, I'm really trying to get into fighting shape before this happens. I will have friends coming in shifts to care for me. This will be my hardest surgery yet. But I don't want an implant. I don't like the idea of a foreign "thing" in my body. Besides, most women reject them in 10-15 years. This way, it's made from my own tissue, so my body will not reject it.
There are three more in-office procedures after that, all about three months apart. They involve symmetry, and the creation of and tattooing of a nipple. I was pretty emotional because I didn't realize that I'm still in this for the long haul. So, one more year of my life will be sucked up by cancer crap.
Meantime, Barrie was here from Alaska, and we had a marvelous time! We had a wonderful lunch over the water at Defiance Point in Tacoma, for Jimmy's birthday, with her daughter, Jenny, and her friend, Maria who lives in Olympia. Barrie came back to Seattle with me, and we shopped, ate, drank wine, and just had a great time together. I still get tired from "too much" and I was a little pooped when she left Monday.
I had barely caught my breath, then it was Tuesday evening, and that meant the Black Keys concert at the Key Arena. My God, they are so incredible! The sound quality in the Key can be a bit iffy, and this time it worked for some reason. It was a fabulous show, with the guys performing most of the songs off the two most recent CDs, "Brothers," and "El Camino." I was with Mira and her friend, Juan, and I was on a first date with a very nice man named Dave. We all had dinner before the show. Dave said he had a really good time, and enjoyed the company. It looks like we're having dinner again tomorrow night. But I'm moving slow. I've suffered too many broken hearts in my life, and obviously I'm in a different head space now since the cancer. I've got to protect myself and do what makes me happy. I'm very independent - geez as of last month I've been on my own now for 10 years. I just don't want anyone to try too hard. It has to be natural. I am who I am. I don't expect anyone to change for me, but they damn well better understand me.
We finished up my ABC support group last night, and if I learned anything from that class, and I did, is that everything I've felt is completely normal. Now I have to figure out how to move forward in my "new normal." This includes taking care of me physically and mentally. I cannot and will not tolerate any outside bullshit.
Remember me mentioning Miss Rose and her band at the Pink Door a month ago? Well, I took an ukulele lesson from her yesterday! It was awesome! She's so cool, and sings so beautifully, too. I told her not to expect me to sing! Actually, when Barrie was here I drug her to my favorite dive/karaoke bar, and I did do one number - yes, Taryn - the infamous "You're So Vain!" Barrie about died! Some old cowboy coot grabbed her and made her dance with him while he sang a country tune. He was very good, and it was hilarious watching Barrie! Anyway, my old uke teacher, Scott, really did get me far, but he's really a guitar teacher, and there is a big difference. Miss Rose (Sunga) is having me learn some scales, and also she thinks I should cut my nails down. I'm sure she's right, but I'm not going to do it myself and flip Christina out (my friend and nail tech). I'll let her do it! But it will make it easier on certain chords where three or four fingers have to be in the same fret. So, I'm taking another lesson from Sunga next week, then on the 20th is her jam session at Dusty Strings. I'm psyched!
I'd be more psyched if I could find a job, but geez, this week some really, really interesting ones have popped up that I believe I would be excellent at. One is with Zillow, a real estate website, looking for an editorial writer. It's a contract gig, but could work into more. I mean, hello?! I was a real estate professional for 20 years and have been a journalist for 10 years! I told them in my cover letter, "I'm your girl!" Don't you think?