Tit for Tat

Or rather, tat for tit.  :D

I had my areola tattooed on today.  I was a little nervous, but in the grand scheme of things, I figured this was going to be small.  It was.  The tattoo artist had me fill out a million forms while she matched my color.  She asked if I had any feeling on my breast and I told her that I didn’t, so I wasn’t worried about it hurting.  She said that most women say that, but they usually can feel something.  I didn’t.  Not a thing.  So, because it was so painfree and cool, it was probably my gateway tattoo and soon I’ll be all tatted up!!  But seriously,   I would like to get a small tattoo on my wrist or over my port scar that says “survivor” with a small pink ribbon.  Just a small reminder.  We’ll see.

Anyway, if I thought having my nipple reconstructed raised my self-esteem.  This tattoo raised it up even more.  It really looks amazing!  I’m still hacked up all over with scars, but she says they will fade.

My hair is continuing to grow.  I have serious  “chemo curls”.  My normal hair is wavy.  I’m assuming this will eventually go back to that.  But, for now, it looks like it is the 1980’s and I got a perm.  People have actually asked me if I got a perm.  I’m getting more and more comfortable with my hair, but I am absolutely planning on growing it all the way out again.  I can’t wait.

As far as my cancer, I still see the oncologist every 3 months.  Eventually that will increase to 6 months and then a year.  And this will all be in my past.

My chemo brain is pretty much repaired.  My ability to process things quickly has returned.  I’m happy to be in social situations.  My eyebrows are getting microbladed in a month because they only grew halfway in.  My sense of smell is still not up to par.  This effects my sense of taste as well.  However, I am getting used to it.  The numbness in my left arm and breast will remain for life.  The 20 pounds that I gained throughout this whole process is being stubborn, but I’m working on it.  My joint pain comes and goes.  That is still a mystery.

I think this is where I’m going to end this story.  Sometimes I look back at all my blog posts.  It is overwhelming to read.  I am still too close to the pain.  I pray this is the last time cancer enters my life.

Epilogue:  I lived happily ever after.