Izzy (and Mama) Eat: The Gourmand Goes To College...

Tales of Empty Nest and College Boy Eats.. The Next Chapter

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Here Today....

Gone tomorrow..


And oh how I wish it weren't so.  Yet I know that I did all I could to prevent this surgery.  Unlike Angelina Jolie, I did not and could not bring myself to choose a prophylactic surgery.  My choice was surveillance, in the hopes that if cancer were found, it would be found early.

Despite the encouragement of my breast surgeon and others,  never did I wish to undergo a surgery while my breasts were healthy.  Even though I am BRCA +1 and a high-risk patient,  my breasts are near and dear to me and I couldn't conceive of removing them without evidence of cancer.   Instead I opted for surveillance and I underwent any and all necessary procedures to assure that nothing would slip by unnoticed. In the past 3 years I have undergone three invasive procedures,  regular 6 month MRIs,  ultrasounds and yearly mammograms.   

These last two months have been a whirlwind of ups and downs, starting in May when an abnormality showed up on my breast MRI and a biopsy showed evidence of cancer.  After two months of conflicting diagnoses, visits to four breast surgeons and a lumpectomy two weeks ago, my cancer diagnosis has finally been confirmed. Now I no longer have a choice.

And so it is that on Tuesday, July 23, 2013, I will undergo bilateral (hopefully) nipple-sparing mastectomy with reconstruction.  It is my intent to share my journey here, in the hopes of helping others faced with similar decisions.

Sunday, April 7, 2013

The Oranges - East and West - A Tale of Two Abandoned Cats




The "Oranges" - East and West


These two cats appeared in our backyard in early January.  They are two shy brothers that remained together after they were most likely abandoned.  Somehow they managed to weather the snowstorm, always sticking together.  We watched as they snuggled together and shared their food.

We finally trapped them on March 4 and had them neutered, tested and given rabies shots.  We initially thought they were feral but it seems they once belonged somewhere.  They were traumatized at some point, perhaps when they were dumped so they are somewhat shy.

They are need of a patient, loving home, ideally together.  We already have 4 cats of our own so we cannot keep them.  Please consider taking these boys in.