Kellie May's November Update

Another surgery day is already here. It felt like November flew by in a week! It’s hard to believe that my special, Cinderella evening was a month ago. I described the event to people like this, “It’s like when you watch Oprah’s Favorite Gifts show, but something like that is actually, unbelievably happening to you!” Our family had such a fantastic time and we are definitely still enjoying the after effects.

I think it’s safe to say that I’ve been spoiled. It will be hard to go to a spa for just one treatment after a day of pampering from La Villa Salon and Spa. And being there with my friend Brenda made the day even better! I am also now addicted to Kneaders Classic Turkey sandwiches and their sugar cookies too! How convenient that there is one not far from our home. Porter now thinks he’s a movie star, and why wouldn’t he? Image Hiker came to our house and filmed us and he can watch us on the internet!

I had my first post-chemo appointment earlier this week. I thought I’d be more anxious than I was, but I was pretty confident that everything would look good considering I’m only three months out. I think that as the follow-ups get farther out the anxiety I feel will increase. I’m not sure that I’ll ever feel total relief.

Tomorrow’s surgery will be the first step towards reconstruction. Following my mastectomy last March, I began thinking about reconstruction and the possibility of removing my other breast. From the beginning I was leaning toward removal. I was hoping that the genetic testing would help me make that decision, but the genetic testing came back inconclusive. It seems that I have a variation that they have never seen before, and though it might not mean anything, they have nothing to compare it against. I will most likely not know the significance of that variation for years, not until they find many more women with the same quirk. So I have gone back and forth with this decision, but in the end I have opted for removal. Now my breasts will look different but at least they’ll be the same as each other.

My mom is back to help for the next few weeks while I recover. My husband calls her an angel from heaven, and she really is. It’s hard to imagine what we would do without her help. I will not be going back to work until next year. It sounds funny to say that. My students now know that I had cancer, I went through chemo, I’m going to be gone to recover from surgery, and the next time they see me, it will probably be without my wig.

I’m so excited for the opportunity to be affiliated with such a great company. We had an opportunity to meet and spend time with some of the wonderful For Every Body employees. My husband has been fortunate enough to work for an incredible homegrown Utah company for over 15 years, so we really appreciate what Becky Anderson has done and is doing, not only here in Utah but across the country as well as internationally. Thank you, every body and every one.