Surgery 4 ✅

I'm one day post-op and resting quietly at my folks' house watching hummingbirds. (The kids are home with Dad and Dad's parents.) Pain level is very manageable thanks to Tylenol and Aleve and my mom who is on top of giving them to me. I have three small incisions in my abdomen (including one in my fake belly button created during breast reconstruction!) My best friends right now are a heating blanket and a warmie axolotl (thanks to my preschool). My abdomen is obviously sore as is my throat where they put the endotracheal tube. Again, manageable pain. 😊 

The surgery pivoted from hysterectomy to oophorectomy (ovaries and fallopian tubes) due to a glitch in the oncology OB's office. The folks I talked to on the phone never actually got the message through that I had ultimately decided on hysterectomy and insurance was too slow to approve it the day before. While I initially panicked, my oncology OB reassured me that my gene mutation doesn't affect the uterus like I thought it did and that uterine cancer has pretty obvious symptoms and a high survival rate. I also still have my cervix. Cervical cancer is grown from the human papillomavirus virus (HPV) and I had that vaccine that in 2006 at my college health center (thanks mom!).

On behalf of my surgeon who feels very strongly about the HPV vaccine, here's a little plug. The vaccine became available in Washington State in 2006 for females and 2009 for males. The vaccine is recommended for folks ages 9-26 and for females sometimes up to 45. The vaccine protects against strains of the virus that can cause cancers of the cervix, vagina, and vulva. For males it can protect against penis, head/neck, and anal cancers (and warts!). It's also important for males to get the vaccine so they don't spread the virus to partners. My doctor tells her own kids they can choose do forego Covid vaccines and they can choose the flu vaccine mist spray but they don't get a choice with HPV. She said it always hits hard when a patient dies but it hits doubly hard when they die from a very preventatable cancer.

I'm at "home" for several more days so I can keep quiet and resting. (After my reconstruction surgery I over did it and ended up with an infection.) My plans are reading, sleep, crafting, watching shows, and pretending I'm an only child. My school was so thoughtful to put together a care basket full of things to keep me busy and my tummy happy. 😊 I've already had food dropped off and I'm so thankful for all of you keeping me and my family in your prayers, well fed, and busy! I'm so lucky to have a village checking in with me. 

Xo,

Lauren 

(Source: MD Anderson Center)