My Story – Part 3

“Let’s do it then”

If only it was that easy .  Just pop that leg off like a Barbie’s and snap a prosthetic there in its place. But nothing in life is that simple, it is always a process.

After having a second opinion at one of the leading cancer hospitals in the country Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, I knew that this was where I needed to have my surgery as they were one of the few places in the country to have dealt with my cancer. However, there is this wonderful thing called insurance , and mine stated that “it was JUST an amputation and that ANY orthopedic surgeon in Maine could perform the surgery”. Therefore there was NO need for an orthopedic oncologist who had actually dealt with my cancer. * can you hear my sarcasm?*  I spent the next month trying to get my surgery approved in Boston.(WAY too many hours on the phone and WAY too many tears of frustration ) No such luck!

On January 2nd, 2008, I went to Bangor, Maine for my pre-op with my surgeon in preparation for my surgery the next day. I was not expecting what came out of his mouth… he said” if you don’t feel comfortable with me doing your surgery, I will let your insurance know that I can’t do the surgery and that it needs to be done in Boston.” I was floored! We had been praying for weeks that God’s will would be done and if I had to have the surgery done in Maine ,that I would accept it. Here I was being told I COULD CHOOSE!!  Only one problem… I had been preparing myself for amputation on January 3rd , and my boyfriend was flying in to be with me for the surgery. No way was a busy hospital like Dana Farber going to be able to get me in for a surgery anytime soon.When I called to let them know the good news about being approved for surgery in Boston, they said, “Daphne we never cancelled the SIX HOURS of surgery time we had booked for you a month ago. We knew somehow you were going to be able to have surgery down here on the 3rd. Get down here! Your surgery is tomorrow.” I think it took a few people to help me pick my jaw up off the floor. I had just witnessed the mighty hand of God.

We picked Jeff up at the airport and informed him there had been a change of plans. We weren’t staying in Bangor, we were headed to BOSTON!!!

As I mentioned in my last post , There are so many times that God intervened, so many times He made a way, so many times He provided during this time. I am just skimming the surface. We were provided a nice hotel in Boston at a crazy discount of only $40 a night , complete with a free shuttle for my family and Jeff to take to and from the hospital. CRAZY!

I remember going off by myself that night at the hotel, I needed to say goodbye. It’s been said that loosing a limb is in a lot of ways similar to losing a loved one. I had been trying to prepare myself for the “big moment” . The moment I woke up from surgery to see only one leg under the bed sheets. But really, HOW do you prepare for that? Honestly… you can’t. But I felt like I needed some time alone, some time to mourn the coming loss and some time to say “Thank You” to my leg for getting me through almost 21 years of life. To really look at it and try to etch it in my memory. *I won’t lie… I hugged it goodbye, and had a good sob fest.*

The surgery went well the next morning, no complications. I remember waking up and immediately asking when I could eat. * What!? I love me some food* My family and Jeff all came in to see me and I could feel the Elephant in the room. My leg, well I guess the “lack there of”.

Me after waking up post surgery

I wasn’t sure what to expect , but as I looked down and saw what was left , I felt ok. I felt peace.  I felt CANCER FREE!

Meet “Morris the Moose” . #amputeehumor 

Thus concludes my story of amputation.  Thank you all so much for the kind words and encouragement this past week as I shared my story. If you only take away one thing, let it be that God is Good.

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