Friday, April 23 is my surgery date. I’ll be up bright and early to make this appointment that has been six weeks in the waiting. My husband has asked the surgeon to keep me overnight after the surgery. I will be home within 24 hours of the procedure.

It has been a good six weeks. I have become a friend of exercise. I am learning to relax and better manage my stress. I have gone for massages and stress reduction workshops. I have learned about my disease from my health care team. I have adjusted my nutrition to make my body stronger to endure the surgery and treatments to follow.

One next-door neighbor and her daughter are breast cancer survivors. The other next-door neighbor was recently diagnosed with breast cancer last week. Her surgery is next week. Morning coffee visits in our pajamas will be our norm these next few months. We will enjoy the early morning weather on our backyard patios and share our cancer journeys together. I look forward to becoming a better friend to my neighbor in her cancer journey. It will also be good for me, and for our husbands. I wonder about the 1 in 8 women get breast cancer statistic…

I won’t be able to blog for awhile. My dominant hand is my right hand. It’s also the side my surgery is on, so I’ll be back as soon as I’m able. My daughter, who edits this blog, will be a guest blogger to keep you up to date on my surgery and recovery until I can return. She will also guest write from time to time while I am in treatments.