Progress continues. For a long time apparently.

Starbucks now make a flat white.

Saw my surgeon today for what I kind of feared may be the last time (have I mentioned that I love her?). She poked fun at my light reading (I can FINALLY lift a book that isn't a trash novel so I was reading about circuit design), and inspected the incisions and all is looking good. I rapid-fired my long list of questions at her, from mundane to ridiculous ("can I dye my hair?"), and she gave me lots of answers.

Most importantly, yes I can dye my hair.

But also, I have no range-of-motion limitations put on me. I have limitations in that my arms still don't go over my head fully but I am allowed from her perspective to work toward full extension as my body allows. I'm allowed to start sleeping flat again and not on my back as soon as it is comfortable to do so, thank god because I am NOT a back sleeper. I've just been tired enough that I've been able to. I'm out of the compression wraps.

I can lift up to 10 lb for 4 more weeks, and then I can start increasing gradually (which is to say I can't go do trapeze at 4 weeks and one day). 

I feel great but still get weird twinges here and there which is to be expected, and still get tired easily. I wake up with more mobility every day, which is so encouraging.

And then we ended the visit with her confirming that I have something set up with the medical oncologist (I do, in early July). Then she told me that she sees me again in 3 months. And then in 6 months after that. 

And then we see each other regularly for FIVE years. I'm with her longer than most of my relationships have lasted. 

There's a lot that's weird about cancer. I am one of the lucky ones who had it caught early, but I went into this extremely uninformed about how treatment works (still learning). I think one of my biggest takeaways so far is how much it's meant to have a surgeon I was comfortable with. On the chance that anyone reading this gets their own diagnosis at some point...advocate ruthlessly for yourself. Find a doctor you are comfortable with and who listens to you. As I learned today, you'll be seeing a lot of each other.