October 23, 1998

Surgery.  I had a lumpectomy on the original benign tumor, easy peasy.  Yeah.  I opted to have reconstruction right away.  My plastic surgeon is great (yes, I said "is").  I clearly recall him asking if I ski.  YES!! So, he said he would not use my latisimus muscle, then he asked how I felt about sit-ups and crunches.  Not knowing AA would come into my life, I said; "I can take 'em or leave 'em."   The die was cast.

I was in surgery for 12 hrs.  I will never forget waking up screaming in pain.  My abdominal area was so tight Dr. S. had to sit me up to suture me closed.  Ugh.  I was moved to ICU, on morphine.  When my kidneys shut down there was a sense of panic.  I, apparently, am allergic to morphine.   So they gave me, shoot, whatever it was it made me puke.  Immediately.  Very fun when your whole gut is sewn together. 

But, I survived. 

And I endured and survived 9 months of chemo and 6 weeks of daily radiation treatments.

And I endured and survived the most horrific managment imaginable at SC Johnson Wax.  A company repeatedly voted one of the best places to work.  They almost killed me.  Both physically and emotionally. 

But, I survived all of that.  And I moved on, in fits and starts, but I kept at it. 

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