sandra quinones

Cancer Sucks

In Nov. 2012 after a my annual mammogram - I was diagnosed with cancer, ... in my right breast!!! WTH???!!! CANCER!??? SERIOUSLY!!!???? THAT was totally unexpected, right?! Last thing I expected to hear after having my usual, yearly mammogram, but there it was - the "C" word, CANCER!!! I was floored, ... dumbstruck, ... but I picked myself up, dusted myself off, and started the ball rolling with everything that needed to be done to kick that "C" in the ass - with a motto that stated "It is what it is". I had a GREAT doctors (the one who caught it) and she had me seeing someone ASAP re: everything pertaining to dealing with this! I ended up with seeing a number of doctors over the course of treatment and all. Met with an AWESOME reconstructive surgeon, an equally awesome breast doctor, and oncologist. Tests, tests, & more tests. Right breast mastectomy was scheduled and performed. There was some healing to be done afterwards before we could go the next step. Radiation followed for 6 weeks, 5 days a week, which I scheduled after work each day. Surprisingly enough I didn't feel wiped out like some I've heard. Also, I was fortunate and I did not have to do chemotherapy, thank goodness (though I did cut my hair by some 4-5inches, just in case that was something I'd have to do). Then more healing to be had before I could schedule surgery to reduce the size of my left breast and reconstruction of my right breast (they had to match up, no?). Who knew that the extra weight I had carried around my middle for years was going to go to good use after all this time! :) A tummy tuck like surgery gave me what was needed for constructing a right breast! However, reconstructing a right nipple wasn't something that works well, ... so I'd heard, and research and all. Soooo ... I decided to find something that would work for me! Hello internet for ideas! I settled on something I found that was attached to an "Alice in Wonderland" quote - though I now have forgotten the quote. It's a sketch of a button, a needle & thread (as I am a pretty crafty person - I thought it was perfect for me). I found a SUPER cool gal tattoo artist locally and had THAT tattoo'd onto my right breast where a nipple would normally be found. It looks GREAT! Works for me! And best yet, due to numbness of the reconstructed breast, ... I didn't feel a thing during the tattooing (yes, I'm a pansy when it comes to pain, huge baby when it comes to pain & I've had both knees replaced, but THAT is a whole different story - so the numbness worked for me)!! BONUS, I say! During follow-up appointments with my doctors they were surprised by what they saw and thought it was pretty darn cool. I was very pleased with how it turned it! So much so, I had no problem showing it to anyone I wanted to! Survivor Mode! :) This may not be for everyone, ... cuz goodness knows everyone is different, ... but it works for me and I am now some 7+yrs cancer free. Attached is a picture of my tattoo'd nipple. And - lastly - CANCER SUCKS! Cheers to all.