So often in life, our assessment of a situation is affected by our expectations of that situation. I went into my 2024 breast reconstruction surgery thinking that the recovery would be similar to that of previous surgeries: tedious, painful and charact...
Jennifer Hollington
Posted on September 18th, 2024
In his weekly newsletter issued last Thursday (coincidentally, the same day as my surgery), James Clear shared this quote from theologian and philosopher Soren Kierkegaard on the power of walking:
Above all, do not lose your desire to walk: every day ...
Jennifer Hollington
Posted on September 17th, 2024
Today—Day 4 of recovering from my breast reconstruction surgery—was a better day than yesterday.
I got better sleep overnight, achieving a sleep score of 83, compared to yesterday's 71 and previous post-surgery scores in the 60s. While sleeping bring...
Jennifer Hollington
Posted on September 16th, 2024
When I was given the date of September 12 for my breast reconstruction surgery, I knew that it was just three days before the Terry Fox Run. But I didn't want to delay my surgery further, so I accepted the proposed date, knowing that it could impact my...
Jennifer Hollington
Posted on September 15th, 2024
On Day 2 of my recovery from breast reconstruction surgery, I continued to be gentle on myself, to take my pain relievers and to work quietly at my desk. I even managed to take a short nap to make up for some periods of wakefulness overnight. The pain ...
Jennifer Hollington
Posted on September 13th, 2024
Yesterday, I had my third surgery in a series of operations related to a prophylactic bilateral mastectomy and breast reconstruction. I'm hoping that the old saying "third time's the charm" holds true in this case.
Today I reflect on the excellent car...
Jennifer Hollington
Posted on September 13th, 2024
Short story
I am home from surgery. I feel groggy and a little uncomfortable, though I'm managing thanks to all the pain medications I have at my disposal. Mostly, I'm relieved that the surgery is behind me. Thank you for your incredible support, your...
Jennifer Hollington
Posted on September 11th, 2024
My surgery is scheduled for 8:00 AM tomorrow at the Queensway Carleton Hospital. My arrival time is 6:30 AM.
I plan to arise at 5:00 AM, drink the recommended 1½ cups of ginger ale, take an anti-nausea medication called Emend (which is the same drug ...
Jennifer Hollington
Posted on September 11th, 2024
I organized my freezer today. I purchased new baskets so that I could group like items, such as vegetables and fruits. I took inventory of what we had. And I labeled the baskets with their contents. I found the system so effective, that I returned to t...
Jennifer Hollington
Posted on September 11th, 2024
My daughter had an engagement this evening. As I waited for her in my car, I took in my surroundings.
The temperature was gorgeous. There's a magical point in the year when you can sit in your car, with the engine off, and the temperature in the vehi...
Jennifer Hollington
Posted on September 10th, 2024
