I did it!  I made it to the In The Pink Luncheon on Friday!!!!  I was so excited Thursday afternoon when Katie (my breast cancer surgeon's PA) told me to ask Dr. Gordley if I can go. I wasn't going to push it, but she put a little bug in my head. Rob told me to call his office Thur. evening and make sure he was making his rounds early enough so I could leave the hospital. I didn't do that as I felt like, if he comes early then it's meant to be. If he doesn't then oh well. Come Friday morning, I woke up early, 6am. I brushed my teeth, because who wants to breathe morning breath on their plastic surgeon. Dr. Gordley makes his rounds by 6:30am (I learned this during my mastectomy). 6:30 came and went and no Dr. Gordley, so in my mind, I wasn't going to get out in time to go to the luncheon. By 7am he was in my room, releasing me. I asked him his thoughts on if I could make it to the luncheon. He looked at me funny and said, I can't imagine you'd want to go, you have drains, you just had surgery, but if you want to, do it. Of course, he's a guy and doesn't understand the importance of this to me. I've had it planned for 6 months. My friends, my family, all are rallying behind me to be there in spite of me having surgery. The last thing he said, was to call him for a follow-up and don't do anything stupid this week! (OMG, ha ha, does he know me after a year of being under his care).  Once the nurse came back in, she said she thought I'd be fine and she'd get me out of there asap so I can make it! See, girls understand! And of course, I'd already texted Katie and she said I'd be fine! After all it is a luncheon where you have to sit and listen to speakers!
By 8:30, I was waiting on Rob to get there and pick me up! I was home by 9:30 and I quickly got in the shower and threw on an athleta skirt (longer, super stretchy and elastic AND black!), I had to use my white (you can see the pics) tank top that holds drains (thank you Dillard's) and a I had a lose pink shirt! DONE!!  By 10:30 I was sitting waiting on my dad, Linda and Kristy. These are the only ones who knew I was going. My friends kept texting me pictures and asking when I was getting out of the hospital. I was ignoring them!  I got to the luncheon and saw a few surprised people and got some funny looks-because not only did I have a baggy shirt with funny buldges, I was completely hunched over. We went into the silent auction area (boy I wish I could walk around and bid on some awesome items), but Kristy found me a chair and I just sat in the corner. I quickly spotted a group of my Galatas (kids elementary) friends, I made eye contact and waited for a few to notice. Next thing I knew, someone spied me, a few screams, some serious stares and I'll never forget seeing Dawn jump up and start running to me! They couldn't believe it....I made it!  Dawn said someone walked up to her and said 'Patti Kimmel is here' she quietly said 'oh no, she couldn't make it, didn't you hear she had to have surgery and is in the hospital!' Little did they know...I really was there!  This all goes back to the cancer. I may not be able to say when, and I may not be able to plan, but I can control all the other things. I WILL NOT LET IT GET ME DOWN. CANCER CANNOT STOP ME!  The surprises kept rolling in, word even got back to those not at the luncheon and I continued to get texts of people not believing I made it!  You see, it's really not that hard. Let me explain. I'm a healthy, active person. I may not have been all that active this last year, but I still exercised, ate healthy and took care of myself. I have an extremely strong will and maybe can deal with pain pretty well. This surgery is extremely extensive. Yes, I have a scar from my hip to hip, I have a new belly button and a completely new boob. But the boob is numb, there are no nerve endings. The pain I feel there is so minor. The pain I had prior to all this, the reason all this had to happen was so bad, every day I felt the tightness, the awful pain of a radiated boob that wasn't happy. The scar on my tummy doesn't hurt. Honestly, my c-section hurt worse. You see, this was all just skin and fat that was cut on, no muscle. The skin is extremely tight, imagine 9 months pregnant and you physically think you CANNOT stretch any more, multiply that by 10 and add the entire area of you abdomen (from my groin and up to my ribs). And, let's not forget about my back, the muscles are not happy I cannot stand straight. That said, the pain is so minor I'm down to taking 1 or 2 pills a day and that is just precautionary. Once I get the drains out this week, I will be golden. I will have to tell myself-take it slow. Because, how easy we forget we can or can't do things. And let's not forget. I have so many wonderful friends and family that lift me up, prayers, thoughts, small gestures, etc. have given me an amazing amount of strength. And without GOD none of this is possible. HE gives us strength. Just when we think we can't do things, if all we do is believe, have an ounce of Faith it's all there. Waiting on us. You feel like you can conquer the world. And, yes, thank you all for giving me the strength and your prayers. They are needed, felt, wanted and greatly appreciated!

To all of you out there, the world is waiting for us, we have to believe, we have to have Faith in God above and use what he gives us. Life is short, enjoy each day and don't take it for granted!  Love your life!

love, hugs and prayers and until next time.....