*MariaGiaccioCancerSupport

I had wanted to come here at Thanksgiving with a cheerful message about my surgery recovery, but I found myself feeling very discouraged at that time.

In my Oct 30^th update, I had happily reported that 3 of the 4 drains were removed and that I was able to start walking and doing light exercises and that the final drain was expected to be removed Nov 7^th. None of that happened. I was immediately put on rest orders to help the last surgical drain to be less active. Nothing worked. The surgeon didn’t believe that I was truly spending my days either in bed or on the couch because the drain output was as if I was being very active.

I can honestly say I’ve never watched so much tv in my life. One good thing – there are a lot of great classic movies that I was able to see for the first time (Maltese Falcon, Casablanca, Citizen Kane, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, etc). I’ve now officially seen all 4 versions of A Star is Born.

Because the drain was in so long, it leaked and that caused skin irritation under the bandaging. It was also positioned right where both the drain and skin would move every time I bent, stood up, or sat down so it was very painful.

I’m glad to say that the drain was finally able to be removed this week! It will still hurt until the skin is healed but it’s already feeling quite a bit better.

I’m to continue with the instruction to stay as quiet as possible for 2 weeks to help prevent fluid buildup in my lower abdomen. I’ve also had to wear binding this whole time which helps with the fluid in the abdomen. I am to continue wearing that for 2 more weeks. After that, I will receive instruction on when I will be able to remove the binder and only wear it when I’m doing physical activities like yardwork, housecleaning, or exercising, and when I will be able to be without it at all.

It's disappointing to be over a month behind where I had expected to be in my post-surgical recovery, but I’m glad to be finally heading in the right direction physically and emotionally.

Fundraiser Update – October 30, 2025

Hello everyone.

Surgery on the 22^nd went well. I already knew my surgeon was fantastic and then my pre-op nurse assured me that I had the dream team for my surgery.

My nurses in the hospital were all wonderful. There’s a specific floor I needed to be on for the level of attention I needed every hour. They didn’t have a space for me as soon as they expected to, so I was in the post-surgery recovery area for quite a long time. The nurses there kept apologizing that I was there instead of in my room, but they were all so wonderful. I was comfortable and entertained. I was extremely well cared for by every single nurse over the 3 days that I was in the hospital.

I was able to leave the hospital on Friday and go back home under the care of Kayla and my pups Luna and Baron. I’m feeling okay, mostly because I’ve got quite a bit of numbness around the surgical sites. I have to walk a bit hunched over for a while as the abdomen tissue stretches and that is causing mid-upper back pain and adding to my pre-existing chronic lower back pain, but I try to move around a little more every day. It’s pretty exhausting on top of my existing chronic fatigue. I sound like a bit of a mess.

Kayla took me back to my surgeon in Oakland yesterday for my first post-op follow-up. I had expected 2 of the 4 drains to be removed but she was able to remove 3. As she said would happen, that has caused the remaining drain to become more active but I’m hopeful that it will be able to be removed next week as scheduled. I’m cleared to begin walking. With the hunched over walk I’m currently doing, I’m just going to the mailbox at the end of the street for now. I also wander around the downstairs and backyard while listening to podcasts to get some steps in. I look forward to longer walks around the neighborhood. I can also go back to light weightlifting with the exercises created for me by my friend Renee. She has been incredibly helpful, giving me exercises that helped me be able to recover better from each of my surgeries than I would have without them.

I will have one more follow-up with my surgeon in mid-late November and that is when she expects to be able to give me the all-clear to begin getting back to regular activities, including my daily aerobics and start over again on really rebuilding my strength and stamina.

I am fully expecting to be able to begin rebuilding my business in January and I’m hopeful that the client pups that I haven’t been able to care for will return. I’ve really missed those little buggers. I hope to eventually be less wiped out at the end of each day and be able to resume cat sitting but, for now, my focus will be on rebuilding my work with the pups.

If you are able to make a final donation to help during this last period of my recovery through December, your kindness and generosity would be incredibly appreciated.

Here I am in the hospital preparing for surgery and then at home with Baron and Luna. I look a bit serious in these photos. When I’m feeling more myself, I’ll be sure to share one of me looking more cheerful.

Hello to whoever is still following my journey.

I have my final surgery tomorrow morning (Wed, Oct 22^nd). I’m having a DIEP Flap procedure which is a bigger, more complicated surgery than the previous two. I haven’t been a patient overnight in a hospital since Kayla was born, but I’ll be in the hospital from Wednesday until Friday. Recovery will be 4-6 weeks minimum.

I have complete trust and faith in my surgeon but I find that I’m feeling pretty anxious about both the surgery and recovery.

I’m also feeling anxious about being away from my pups even though I know they are in great hands with Kayla and my friend Renee caring for them. It gives me a better understanding of how my clients must feel when they leave their pups with me to go on vacation even though I know that they trust me and know that I will love and care for them the same as I do with my own.

An update will be posted to let everyone know how it went and how I’m doing.

Wherever you are, thank you for continuing to be with me.

Maria

Hello everyone. I don’t know if anyone is still receiving my updates but, for those who are, I apologize for letting so much time pass between them. At first, I was waiting until I felt well enough to give a happy update. Then I thought I should wait to see how an issue I was having went. Then I thought I might as well wait until after my surgical consult and my 6-month Oncology exam. Now the summer is almost over and I’m finally checking in.

The oral thrush that I had after my March surgery finally cleared up (mostly) after 2 months and 3 rounds of medications. It was the most excruciatingly painful experience and I hope you never have to go through it. I felt like it was trying to come back in July, so I took the remaining doses of one medication that we had stopped during the earlier treatment and that seemed to take care of it. It could happen again since the main causes for my getting it were related to my still very dry mouth from chemo and occasional inhaler use. I’m having some minor asthma issues right now but haven’t used the inhaler. I’m sure you can understand my concern about using it.

I currently still have my port. To care for it, I go to the clinic to have it flushed every 3 months. Unfortunately, that hasn’t gone as smoothly as we had expected. The flush in spring took 3 clinic visits and a few different nurses to get things going correctly. Very frustrating.

I met with my surgeon and she is very enthusiastic about my upcoming surgery and how she expects it to turn out. She did warn me that my pre-existing back issues could make recovery rougher so, along with my regular exercises and physical therapy, I’m doing additional exercises in the hope of at least helping with my back. The surgeon has also offered to remove the port for me during her surgery and I gladly agreed. Let’s all cross our fingers that I am not in need of a port in the next couple of years.

For the next several years, I will be visiting my Oncologist every 6 months. It's a very basic exam. I had the first of those appointments in July and he said all looks good!

My surgery is scheduled for late October. Until then, I am focusing on my health and fitness and trying to find energy. I’m doing better in the mornings but am still fading by mid-afternoon.

It is my goal to be able to restart the dog part of my business in early 2026 and, hopefully, get back to taking care of cats by spring/summer 2026.

Thank you to those who have continued to donate. Every penny counts and is appreciated so very much.

I hope you’ve all had a fun summer!