Coming up on 8 weeks ....

I just realized the other day I hadn't posted in awhile. Word of warning - if it seems like a word is missing an "e'" it probably is - my E key started sticking yesterday. Must fix.

Last visit....
Saw the plastic surgeon this week for the last time for about 4 months. Our plan is to let things settle on the left some more and see how much that will pull the nipple down. It's a little high as a result of the last two procedures. I have some excess skin on the lower part of the breast that makes it hang lower than the right. What does that mean to you? Me? I have to wear structured/padded bras to hide the unevenness for now. I call them "breast armor". Or, I have to be really conscious of what I wear and who will see me! The whole thing is rather anticlimactic. I couldn't have come up with a better idea for helping me to reduce my standards from gold to brass! Chatted about art, travel in OR, fishing and what is normal. I had really planned to ask for a name for a consult. Oh well, next time.

What's next....
In June I will probably be following up with the general surgeon and then go get the boob squeeze-o-gram done. I'm really not looking forward to that. I won't feel  much on the right, but not so sure about how it will be on the left. Dr. C felt it would be ok to go ahead with it and that it would probably be more uncomfortable than it normally is. So.... I'll ask Dr. I for a name for a consult I think. I just want to know that what we have tentatively planned for a follow-up procedure is the right thing to do.

Sometime this summer I'll get my annual female exam - I know, the rest of you are probably doing it every year. I am proud of you for that. If you aren't doing it, please consider it. I really am trying to get on the right track, but it's just such a pain in the patooty (that's a word right?). Not literally painful - just so you know that.

August I'll go back to see Dr. C for reassessment and planning. I'd like to target the end of Oct. for the last procedure. During the summer months before I finalize the plans I want to get those consults that I mentioned.

By the end of this year everything should be in order, at least the order that will be.

Meanwhile....
I have been getting on with getting on. I did some major yard work with more big projects ahead. I planted about 20 plants on a steep bank last weekend. Can't wait until they grow and fill things in. I'm going to take out more grass in the front yard and plant perennials and yard art. We'll take the grass out of the front parking strip and plant rocks and other drought resistant plants. I continue to redesign in my head, but I have to feel it and visualize it too, so I can't do a complete plan.

Oh the physical pain I am in at the end of a yard work session! Is that age? Effect of 3 surgeries? It impresses upon me the importance of not just walking, but to include other fitness activities for strengthening and flexibility. And that's work for me. So far, I don't think I have managed more than one 30 min. session per week - I'd like 3. But I haven't given up. I really would like to get where I want to be for the long haul this year. It will only get harder if I'm not. So....

Work is a good diversion. It doesn't leave much time for thinking of my own dilemma - nothing wrong with that.

I bought some steel today for yard art. Some I can do without welding anything - I'll just use the bender we made in Nov. The rest I will save until we visit a friend with a welder. I have drawn out 2 designs that I want to do when we go - one that will be a stand for a round boulder that I've had for many years. The pieces that don't require me to weld will primarily be stakes I'll use for staking plants or for something purely decorative.

In a couple weeks I am going to a Sisters of the NW Flyfishing Assoc. event with a friend who has a little vintage trailer, has joined the assoc. and asked me to go along. I was envisioning sitting by a river/lake/stream, getting into Nirvana, or hiking. Can you feel it? Well, we are going to Pendleton and will be dry-camping in a parking lot.  Guess there will be no Nirvana. Maybe some art or other something of interest. Should be interesting if not fun! Perhaps the next time I should ask where we are going before I say yes. Do you think?

We'd like to go camping at our favorite "outback" SE OR place this summer. And I'm really looking forward to a visit to NM the end of Sept. to visit my sister. We plan to do the High Road to Taos Art Tour and I can't wait for that. It's always good to go visit her. I think it's a little past green chile harvest, but maybe I can bring/ship some home anyway. I miss them - both my sister and the green chiles!

Latest attempt at creativity ......
I need to learn how to use PhotoShop better.

Sticking with the boob theme - Flubber on Flesh. Portrait of myself ;-) with
flubber applied to photo and a photo taken of that

Suncatcher of glass beads and copper tubing
Maybe if there was some sun? I may move it to a different location if this spot doesn't do much for it.

This is what happens....

When I wait so long to write. Sorry about the length. I'm not done writing altogether, but there probably won't be much to say. And that's probably a good thing. Thanks for "listening". Until next time....