Tag Archives: breast reconstruction

Tattoo Day

Well I have made the decision to get the tattooing done. I am a little nervous I am a very squeamish person so I am not looking forward to the process. I have the appointment set for a few days from now. My husband is going to come with me for support I am lucky to have a hubby who has supported everything I have done so far. Did you know that when you have chemotherapy it can weaken your bones? That is why they do a bone density test on you every year. Well I mention this because I … Continue reading →

To Tattoo Or Not

I am going to tell you all a little secret when my bandages came off after my nipple reconstruction surgery I may have cried a little looking down. No not a bad cry it was a good one. I guess I never realized how much I missed having them. I know it is silly but looking down for a minute they almost looked like the original ones but they still needed some color they are just skin toned now. The doctor said I need to wait 6 months before I can get them tattooed. Now when he said they would … Continue reading →

Nipple Reconstruction

Well ok I need to make a decision as to whether I want to have the nipple reconstruction surgery or not. I really don’t want to have any more surgeries but the Barbie Boobies that I have now don’t look all that real without the finishing touches if you know what I mean. The doctor said it is a real easy surgery and I finally agreed to do it. A few weeks before Christmas I decide to go and have the surgery done. The doctor explained how they make them but it sounds weird so I won’t even explain it. … Continue reading →

Side Two

I liked my newest “girl” but one side still needed some surgery to put a new implant in. We waited for this side because we wanted to see how the other side came out so we could make sure that they balanced out. I was finally healed and time was here to fix the other side. Before the surgery I had to decide if I wanted to go for a saline implant like I had already or if I wanted to try the silicone. According to the doctor there had been substantial improvements in the silicone implants. They are now … Continue reading →

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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

Tammy The Teaching Dummy

Every time my plastic surgeon came in to change my bandages I was used like a testing dummy in anatomy class. He would always grab a different nurse and explain the procedure to them. I was not super comfortable with it, I almost felt like a side show at a carnival. Day three post-surgery was starting and I noticed that I am starting to get a little cough. The doctor thinks it was because I was not drinking enough and maybe I had some irritation from the intubation tube that I had during surgery. He ordered that a respiratory therapist … Continue reading →