After 2 weeks of the recovery time, I went back to work. During these recovery days, I had basically no social life, no make-up and no hair-do. Some friends pop-up to check up on me, and that cheered me up! But otherwise, I was getting a low self-esteem over time. So, dressing up brought back my good energy! I really needed that effect from the styling.
My uterus fibroid removal surgery on last Wednesday, August 23, 2017, it went well and I am recovering.
I received a phone call after lunch, telling me my check-in and surgery time for tomorrow, Wednesday, August 23, 2017. I will remove a or many fibroid(s) from uterus, and I will be sent home on the same day (wow, unthinkable from knowing some Japanese medical system). Oh boy, the last couple of days, I could not focus on anything! Read More
I had MRI and a pre-surgery test done today. This to confirm that I don’t have any other concerns and the fibroid is fibroid and nothing else before surgery.
I decided to have a fibroid removal surgery. It is coming up next week, Wednesday, 8/23, 2017.
This summer in June, I had my regular oncologist visit at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in NYC. There is no sign of cancer so far and that was good. But my fibroid is getting so big that the oncologist requested me to test and check with specialists. Over this summer, I have seen some specialists and it looks like I will have a surgery to remove it.
My GYN said my fibroid is as big as a grapefruit, or my utrus with the tumor is about 4 month pregnant size.
(The top picture, the hat I made, Hats by Yoko Katz, became a matching set to the hospital gown. LOL.)
Three years ago, today, I received a phone call from a radiologist. My husband also pictures exactly where and what position he heard the terrible news when I picked up the phone that day. I still believe that was not done right that I was told “all three were cancer,” and I was not informed of the stage of my cancer. How scared I was, you cannot imagine. The internet information only terrified me, telling me in statistics of “5 year survival rate.” When I was completely, I thought, healthy 36 years old. My son was only 8 years old, quickly my wild and worse imagination occupied me and confined me in a darkness. It was hard to breath, I cried for days and months. 日本語は英文の後にあり。
A beret hat by Hats by Yoko Katz, yes, my design!
This past Saturday, April 23, 2017, I was one of three guest speakers at a breast cancer awareness conference held by a non-profit organization, Young Japanese Breast Cancer Network, at a residence of Japanese ambassador in New York. Two other speakers were breast surgeons from New York and Japan, both Japanese, and I was a survivor speaker. My title of the presentation was “my breast cancer treatments story: fashion helped me in my healing process.” My story + turban wrapping demonstration in 15 minutes.
日本語表記は、英語表記の後にあり。
I have been on Tamoxifen medication for breast cancer, since November 2014, that is for 2 years and 2 months. I am supposed to take this for at least 5 years and possibly 10 years. I had been suffering from severe leg cramps, but having magnesium supplements gave me peaceful sleep!!! If you suffer from cramps like me, try magnesium supplement!!!!! (Ask your doctor, if you can take it.)
A happy new year! May Year 2017 be a happy and healthier year for you!
