My Newest Attempt at Reconstruction

I woke up this morning with two nicely sized “girls” and now I was getting ready to go for what feels like my third mastectomy day. Did you ever see that movie “Ground Hog Day”? Where the newscaster wakes up every day and it is the same day over and over again. That is what I felt like, every time I get used to the “girls” they get taken away again. Luckily for me when the first reconstruction failed not all the tissue died so I still would have some chest just not the overly abundant chest that I was … Continue reading →

Found Me a New Plastic Surgeon

I had my first appointment with a new plastic surgeon and I must admit I was really uncomfortable. I had heard that this doctor make incredible breast and it was a little weird to hear that is what he is known for. I went to the appointment with my husband because by now I had about 8 surgeries between the initial mastectomies and reconstruction and all the repairs that followed. I have also just recently had to have my reconstruction reworked and implants put in. I tried to be patient with my first surgeon and I think I gave him … Continue reading →

Feeling Good About My Choice

I am feeling really good about my decision to change oncologist. My first oncologist Dr. Gloom really caused me a lot of stress. Don’t get me wrong I think even if I had not had him as my doctor the cancer diagnosis alone would have caused me stress. He just made it worse with his comment about not being able to cure it when it came back. It really felt to me like he was basically saying I was going to die and I was 35 with 3 small children and death was not in my plans. I did a … Continue reading →

Changing Oncologist

I am getting ready to have my next surgery tomorrow and I am not looking forward to it. I am really tired of getting sliced and diced and recovering. Hopefully this will be the last surgery for a while. I think it is a bad sign when I walk into the surgery ward for check in and they all know me by first name without looking at my chart. The surgery goes up nice and smooth and I am starting to get ready to recover again. This is starting to wear me down all I ever seem to do is … Continue reading →

Now I Need Another Surgery

With my breast reconstruction I had a TRAM flap procedure which is basically where they take abdominal tissue and muscles and take them from the tummy and make you new girls with them. I am finally healed from the surgery and I have started noticing that something may not be quite right. Have you ever played with play dough and you push your finger in and it sinks? Well this is starting to happen with my new girls. I am realizing that something is wrong and I was getting concerned when we pushed on my girls I would get the … Continue reading →

Great A Skin Graft

I am still having problems with my reconstruction one side won’t close all the way and I was going back into surgery for another attempt at closing it. This is beginning to be ridiculous a surgery a month is crazy. I am ready to get this part behind me. Unfortunately this closer did not work either so our last option is a skin graft to close it. Great more scars. The surgeon decided that he needs to remove a section of skin of about 7 inches on the inside of the right arm. I really don’t understand needing such a … Continue reading →

I Dont Like My Oncologist

I am about 2 months post reconstruction surgery and it was time for my oncologist appointment. Now I should be used to this but every three months I have to go to an oncologist appointment. During these appointments he checks the girls, and draws blood and that’s about it. I really dread going to these appointments because I am always worried about a recurrence. The stress of recurrence is added on with the stress that I really don’t like my oncologist. This is the same oncologist that stressed me out so bad since the first appointment. During my first appointment … Continue reading →

Another Surgery

Today is a big day for me, the JP Drains that I have had in for the last month are finally coming out. I have had them there since my TRAM Flap Reconstruction and the plastic surgeon is going to permanently removing the bandages. I was very happy to finally be bandage and drain free. When the doctor removed the bandages it was better than the first day except for the fact that one area on one of the “girls” still looked a little open. The surgeon said not to worry just come back in a week and we will … Continue reading →

Finally I Go Home

I had my reconstruction surgery on February 2, 2007 and I was supposed to be home in five days. Here it is day 10 post-surgery and I am still in the hospital. I should have been home 5 days ago but my developing pneumonia was something that was out of my control. The pneumonia is gone and my lab work looks great so I am finally getting discharged. Before my surgeon would let me go home I had to look at the incisions. I don’t know why I was perfectly fine not looking but if I had to I would … Continue reading →

Pneumonia Great

Did you know that when you are in the hospital as a patient and you see your own personal physician in the halls he is not allowed to come in your room unless you request? I did not either but that is what I found out when I saw my primary care doctor in the halls on the third night post-surgery. I asked him to come in because I was not feeling all that great. They gave me a blood transfusion earlier in the day but that was not the problem. I felt like I was developing bronchitis or pneumonia. … Continue reading →