Happy Easter

A gift from Terrie whose partner has battled and fought breast cancer.  Yup...those two "knobs" are battery operated and blink red! :)

I Hate This

It's midnight and I am crying.  I guess it finally hit me that my sister has to endure chemo for a year starting next Tuesday and it just sucks.  Do you know the thing that really gets me?  The whole reason that I chose the mastectomy is to not have to have chemo (hopefully) in my lifetime and, lo and behold, my sister gets diagnosed with breast cancer, has her mastectomy and NOW has to endure chemo!  So, to say the least...I am sad, mad and hurting that she has to go through this.  It was bad enough to watch my mom go through it years and years ago and, here we are again.  The only thing that is different is that my mom did not do preventative chemo but, instead, had to go through it years later when the cancer returned in the form of bone cancer.  At least my sister is going through all of this as a preventative measure.

If you have LCIS and are contemplating what to do, my opinion strongly says to go through with the mastectomy.  My sister had the "wait and see and be vigilent" stance and now look what she has to do.  You can't predict the future but if you can prevent this misery, then by golly, give up those boobs and get on with life.  I will get off my soapbox now.  I feel better. Thank you for listening....and please say a prayer for my sister that this gets easier.

This is the video that my sister made for me for the Atlanta 3-day Walk for a Cure.  Absolutely fantastic!!!!  If you would like to donate and help me reach my goal, please go to http://www.the3day.org/goto/Arlene

Recent pictures so you can see that I am 95% back to normal after three months. The top picture is my husband, Bob, and his grand-daughter, Makina.  (He was married super young at 18..thus the 13 year old grand-daughter!)  The second picture is from this past weekend when I tried paddleboarding on the SC marshes for the first time.  Great core exercise and I know I will be doing more of this!!

I Got Clearance

This past Tuesday, I went to see Dr. Bucky with my list of questions and for him to look at his new creations.  I swear that man is amazing!  When I looked at pictures of augmented breasts from an A cup to a B or C cup, my breasts looked just like them.  So why is this so "amazing"?  When the breast surgeon removes all of the breast tissue, the breast is left as basically just skin.  Therefore, when the plastic surgeon inserts the implant into the muscle pocket created by the expanders, he has to recreate a breast without any tissue surrounding the implant and use only the silicone (or saline) implant to mold and recreate a new "breast".  If only I could post pictures so you could see exactly what I am referring to when I say "he is amazing"!I was a bit disappointed when I was knocked back from an A++ down to an A+ but that is my own fault.  As you have probably surmised so far, I hate taking drugs.  Even Val and I have parted ways permanently.  I hate taking drugs so much that I failed to take the important drug that he gave me at the end of the surgery which is Methylprednisolone.  So now, two weeks post-surgery, I am taking them.  Damn..I loved that A++ too!
Today, I am sitting at my laptop at home in Bluffton, South Carolina sipping my coffee and writing this all down.  It has been one heck of a journey and I am glad that I am at the end of it.  I will post on occasion so that you can gauge my progress but I really feel like the only thing left is for the scars to heal.  So far, the scars from the first operation are slowly fading and I have moved onto the cocoa butter option rather than the Neosporin treatment.  Every day, I have to massage the implants because this is the crucial time that they need to be moved so that they do not become hard and continue to soften to feel more breast-like.  In terms of comfort, well...I am not going to lie.  They are still "burning" but Dr. Bucky told me that it is the muscle that is just not used to having to change its shape forever.  It really doesn't like those implants in there and it is making its voice heard.  I hear you but TFB muscle....!!!


If there is anyone reading this blog and is contemplating going through a bi-lateral mastectomy, please please do not ever hesitate to email me or call me.  My email is carpetgeek@sbcglobal.net and I can send you my phone number if need be.  I hope I helped some people.  I've already heard from a few women and I truly enjoyed talking and emailing them.  The whole purpose of writing was to be candid and honest about LCIS and the mastectomy process. I hope I was insightful.  Thank you for listening to me while I wrote down my thoughts along this three month journey.

First Appointment After Surgery

After spending four nights in the hotel room blissfully happy watching TV in my pj's, we packed up and left for my in-laws.  I am feeling okay considering that I just had surgery a few days ago but I look a bit goofy with a big "X" on my forehead with surgical tape.  It is holding up the stitches on my new eyelids.  Even though I am wearing dark sunglasses, the big ole "X" is staring straight at you.  I am at the point right now where I just could care less.  Let's get these eyes healed and those boobs healed and let's move on!

I am having a bit of a tough time washing due to not getting water in any of the stitches but I am doing my best.  I finally washed my hair and, although it still looks like a bird's nest, it is clean.  Monday morning, Bob drove me back down to Philadelphia from his parent's house for the nurse to remove the stitches in my eye lids.  Piece of cake!  Seriously, this surgery was a breeze.  The results are very subtle and I am perfectly happy with them.  Now onto my new boobs.  I was given an A++ on healing.  In fact, the nurse asked if I wanted her to remove the stitches and let me travel home with Bob.  My thoughts were that we lived so far away and I had it all arranged so I wanted to stay the week at my friend's house and then get the clearance from th good doctor himself next Tuesday.  I mean...it's not as if I live right around the corner.

As a reward for my perfect "grade" of A++, Bob took me over to Nordstrom's and I was fitted for new bras since I sent mine to the women of Haiti.  Seriously, there is a woman in NYC that gathers bras from smaller breasted women in good condition and sends them to the shelters in Haiti for women to use.  I figured I was going to be bigger than I was in the past so I sent her all my bras.  I found a nice saleswoman and she measured me and then proceeded to look for very soft, non-padded bras for me with a little bit of underwire.  I settled on a Natori that was as light as a feather.  Good news??  I am now officially a 34B.  Yup....I have moved into the big girl bra section finally at 47 years of age.

Done!

After waiting for two hours after being told to get to the hospital by 9:30, I was ushered upstairs to prepare for surgery.  I got the entire routine down.  The anaestheologist had a hard time finding my vein so I have a bit of bruise on the back of my hand.  Oh...remember that rash I had from taking those pills, well it appeared right before surgery.  I was afraid that the doctor was going to cancel but he told me that while I was in surgery, large welts showed up on my skin so he had to give me a shot of cortisone.  I still don't even know what they were from.  When I came back to the recovery room, I felt so miserable. It was nothing that I read from others on the breast forum, which was more of a relief not pain.  The stitches burned under my boobs and all my muscles were contracting on my chest which hurt really bad.  I also couldn't catch my breath but the anaestheologist said I was breathing at 100%.  The nurse gave me some morphine and that really settled me down.I ended up staying two hours in recover until I felt well enough to go back to the hotel. 



The nurse came over and said that my husband had a cab ready.  Really?  A cab?  What was he thinking?  He said it was too cold to go and get the car.  I was livid!  I felt like crap and now I have to get into a cab with no cushions, no shocks and a crazy driver!  I was besides myself and pissed at my husband.  I know I could have been nicer but I felt like crap and I had to endure a bumpy ride which killed me.  When I entered the hotel, I had to hide my face because of the eyelift surgery that I elected to add on.  What the heck, right? 


I was told by the nurse that I should relax and wear my tiara and watch TV.  Soo that is what I have been doing under some drugs to keep the pinching at bay.  I have to say that the boobs look pretty good.  I am guessing that they are a full B which is what I was hoping for.  They are rounder and not pointy.  I think I can get the cleavage back when I eventually get fitted for new bras.  I sent my other ones to a shelter in Haiti since they collect bras for the displaced women there.

T Minus two and counting!

I cannot believe it but in two days I will be at the end of the reconstruction process and I am beside myself with happiness!  Of course a little anxiety needs to be added since these tissue expanders have now become a part of my body and they are leaving me.  It sounds silly but, as uncomfortable as these TEs are, I know how to work my day around them.  They will now be replaced with a softer, more realistic breast; however, I am anxious because I don't know what it will feel like.  I read other's comments who have gone through this surgery on the Breast Reconstruction forum on Breastcancer.org and the overwhelming consensus seems to declare that this surgery is much easier on the body and the implants are so much more comfortable.  That being said, I am still a little anxious.
We leave tomorrow morning to drive the twelve hours up to Philadelphia with one overnight stop.  My husband is so going to heaven after all of this!  I have the surgery Wednesday morning and I made hotel reservations since I can't imagine feeling horrible and having to stay at someone's house.  We will stay in the hotel until Saturday and then stay at my in-law's home.  I see the nurse on Monday and then my husband will drop me off at my friend's home to hang out for another week.  I have to see the plastic surgeon on the 22nd for the final exam so it does not make sense to drive home and then have to turn around and come back.  Once Bob drops me off, he will drive home and then I will fly back after the exam.  If all goes well, I will be cleared and will not have to come back to Philadelphia for another six months.  There is a chance that a "touch-up" fat grafting may be needed in which fat from my thighs can be extracted and use as a filler, if needed.  Hmmmmm......

I have been off Ibuprofen and all other medications for almost two weeks now which has prohibited me from exercising so once again, those pounds reared their ugly heads.  I just keep telling myself that it is all part of the process and eventually, once I am finished with this, I will have my exercise routine back on schedule.  On an added note, I was given high-potency vitamins which caused me to break out in an itchy rash on my mid-section.  I called the manufacturer and this has happened before so I discontinued use.  Unfotunately, I have not been able to get rid of the red rash but Benedryl has come in quite handy.  Once I am able to comment after the surgery, I will post my experience for you to read.  Good luck to me!

Great news!

I heard great news yesterday.  My sister got her results back from the breast surgeon and there was no evidence of cancer in her lymphnodes.  Yeah!  She is getting better each day but her recovery will take about six weeks.  The good thing is that when she is "done", she truly is done.  Whereas, I still have my final surgery on March 9th and then, hopefully, I will be done as well.As of this past Wednesday, I have had to eliminiate all drugs which means not even an ibuprofen can pass by my lips.  As a substitute for the drugs, I have been given a full box of pre-surgery vitamins.  Since I have never been pregnant before but have watched my friends go through their pregnancies over the years, I will equate these to pre-natal vitamins.  For the next two weeks, I have to take three large pills between breakfast and lunch and three huge pills at dinner.  The problem I have been having is that I don't eat very much so when I could finally take the first three pill dosage, I felt very queasy and still, to this day, have not managed to take any of the dinner pills yet.  I know I had better step it into gear because, starting three days before surgery, I have to add on yet another pill (Bromelain with Quercetin).  After surgery, I then take Arnica Montana 30X NINE times a day to help with swelling and bruising.  On a final note, I have been able to ride the stationary Precor bike and am now up to 45 minutes.  Yeah!  I also walked my first long walk which was about 5.5 miles.  I can wear gym attire and I look extremely normal but I sure as heck, still know that those tissue expanders are in my body.  I keep reading on the community breast blog that when I get the exchange, the new boobs will feel more like real ones and are much more comfortable.  Between you and me........I CANNOT WAIT!

Started Out as DIEP

My sister's bi-lateral mastectomy was last Wednesday.  If you read previous posts, she was told to gain 25 pounds to prepare her stomach to harvest the fat and tissue to recreate new boobs.  However, there was always a chance that there would not be enough "material" to harvest and the DIEP technique would have to become Tram-flap which would then mean stomach muscle would be used in addition to the fat and tissue.  Well, unfortunately after 12 hours in surgery, it started out as DIEP and ended up as a Tram-flap.
Why is there concern?  Tram-flap recovery is much longer since the muscle has now been cut and removed.  Also, there is a tendency to loose strength in the abdomen.  My sister is very active so, hopefully, this will not be the case.  She has been in the ICU for the past five days and I just heard from her (via text) that is going home today.  It has been brutal!
See, Caryl, I told you to consume more cookies and pasta!

Last Fill...(and it was a doozy)

Instead of driving 12 hours up to Philadelphia and then 12 hours back for thirty minutes of doctor time, I decided to fly as my Valentine's gift to my husband...since he would have been the driver.  My brother kindly picked me up at the airport on Sunday evening and then dropped me off to the plastic surgeon's ofice Monday morning.  Instead of Dr. Bucky, Valerie (my nurse) did the final fill to the expanders.  Originally, I was told that we were going for 30 cc's but when I got there, Valerie informed me that we had to get 60cc or else I had to come back one more time.  I responded with "Go for it"....and boy, did she!


I watched my breasts expand out like a basketball in front of my eyes.  Wow!  Or should I say J-Wow!  It was not uncomfortable...yet..but I knew the pressure would start to hit me soon since the muscles in my back would begin to pull forward giving me an ache that I cannot describe.  I asked for a valium since, I am the world's worst packer,and I forgot to pack my best friend, Val.  Typical me, I brought my PJ's, makeup and toothbrush....that's it.  I was hesitant to ask Valerie for more valium because the last time, I had her write another prescription and I lost that one and now I am asking her for more.   I just had to tell her that I am not an out-of-control addict; I am just forgetful as of late.


After the fill, we went back over to the photography room to take pictures of what my breasts now look like and then went back to go over the surgery and what will happen.  Apparently, I am going to be marked up again by the good doctor, then head to the anesthesiologist to go under, exchange out the tissue expanders for softer and prettier (I added that) implants and then I wake up and go home.  He uses the photographs to help determine the size I am going to be so it will be a surprise to me...kind of like Christmas!  Well, that's my thought at least :)


Alright, so I leave the office and proceed to walk to Rittenhouse Square with the thought of going shopping until I had to catch a cab to the airport.  Hmmm.....good plan until I walked outside and Val, my buddy, kicks in.  Goodness!  I was so drugged up since I didn't eat anything in the morning.  I was all wobbly and slow and I knew I had to eat something soon or else I would end up on the sidewalk slumped down on the side of a building like a drugged up panhandler.  I managed to make my way to Marathon Grill and nodded my head (which was about all I could do) to the hostess when she asked if it was just a table for one.  So, I sat there in my drug induced state until finally the food arrived and brought me back to normalacy.  Let's jsut say that shopping was left out of the equation since I managed to walk up to Rittenhouse but soon realized that I had to catch a cab to get to the airport.


Unfotunately, I did not have a nonstop flight back to Savannah but had to go through Charlotte.  I was feeling "okay" en route to Charlotte but as we deplaned, I knew Val was wearing off.  I pulled out my phone to call Bob to request that he bring a pill when he picked me up and, damn, there was no charge left.  I was desperate!  I found a pay phone (miracle!) and used my credit card to call.  He did not answer but I left a plea for help.  Immediately, my mind thought "tequila" as I walked to the next terminal.  Up ahead in the distance, God answered the call with a Tequileria staring straight at me at the Charlotte airport.  No shit!  As I walked over with a sign of relief, I thought to myself, I had better ask someone the time so I don't miss my flight.  Sure enough, I had exactly ten minutes to get to my gate which meant that the tequila idea had to fall by the wayside.  I walked briskly to the gate and I was, of course, one of the last ones on the flight.  Shoot...I had to hold it together!  Hopefully Bob and Val would be waiting for me in Savannah.


An hour long flight and I was like a heroin addict, without the sweats, anticipating my next fix.  Good God my back was killing me and I thought of everything and anything happy to get me through the flight.  For the first time, turbulence worked in my favor since I HATE flying.  It definitely took my mind off my back!


I deplaned and headed straight towards the sidewalk outside the terminal where my drug dealer was to meet me.  What?  Seriously? Where are you?  Oh no...and I had no phone to call.  After a few minutes of anxiety, I borrowed someone's phone and called Bob.  "Dear God, where are you????"  Right as I asked that question, he pulled in with a glass of water and my saving grace- Val.  Ahhh!  We made it back home where I immediately showed him my new additions.  Uh yah..he liked those :)  and then sat with a heating pad on my back while I watched my dentist, Ashley, on The Bachelor.


Today, I am much better.  I have not had a valium yet and I do plan on working out my fat ass on the bike for thirty minutes.  The plan for the rest of the afternoon is to rest with the heating pad and probably take my little friend sometime around 4ish to nap. 

Foods to Avoid for Breast Cancer

I just found this website and I wanted to share this link:
http://www.foodforbreastcancer.com/

Here is the list but if you go on the website and click on any of these, information will pop up regarding breast cancer risks and survival.  This is pretty much everything I love!  There is also a Foods to Eat link on the site.
Foods to Avoid For Breast Cancer

Meats and Dairy
Bacon,  BBQ meat,  Beef,  Butter,  Cheese,  Cream,  Liver,  Milk,  Pates,  Pork,  Sausage,  Veal,  Well-Done Meat

Oils and Fats
Avacado Oil, Corn Oil,  Ghee, Lard,  Mustard Oil,  Partially-hydrogenated Oil,  Peanut Oil,   Sunflower Oil,  Sesame Oil, Soybean Oil

Beverages
Alcohol,  Beer,  Coffee,  Essiac tea,  Reishi tea,  Sage tea,  Wine (really?),  Yerba mate

Nuts and Seeds
Bitter Almonds,  Papaya seeds,  Peanut butter,  Peanuts, Sesame seeds

Spices and Herbs
Lavender, Meadow Saffron,  Sage, Salt, Wild ginger, 

Beans

Adzuki beans,  Butter beans,  Lima beans,  Soy protein isolate

Vegtables

Avacados, Fermented vegtables, Fried potatoes, Green papaya

Sweets and Desserts

Persipan,  Red bean paste,  Sugar

Fish

Dired Herring,  Dried mackerel, king Mackerel,  Pickled Herring,  Shellfish,  Smokes mackerel 

Ugh!

Ugh, yes!  How appropriate to start this out with the word "Ugh"!  It has been six weeks since my last fill and I am so excited to fly up to Philadelphia on Sunday to get my final fill Monday morning.  I am sorry for not writing but there hasn't been too much to say.  I will make this really easy and write down a few observations from my six week "layover":
1) After awhile the tissue expanders become less uncomfortable but it still feels like a hard, plastic object is attached to your chest area.
2)  Try to stay warm.  When you are cold, your muscles contract and you shiver to create warmth.  This is definitely not a good feeling since those damn expanders are under your pectoral muscles.  Bundle up!
3)  Eventually, you can lay a little on each side when you sleep so that you don't have to sleep on your back every single night and wake up with a back ache.  If you can prop your head up high enough, you may be lucky enough to get a few moments on your stomach which will make you feel like you are in heaven....until the numbness sets in, of course.
4)  If you do a nipple sparing mastectomy, all I can tell you is that when the scabs come off around the aereola, your nipples will look damn good.  Is that TMI?  Sorry but that if for those that will be undergoing a mastectomy in the near future. You need to know this because there is an end in sight and it is absolutely amazing to watch the transformation back to "normal".

5) Get a tennis ball.  Seriously!  This was recommended by my masseuse and it really works.  Lie on your back and place it between the shoulder blade and the spine and lie down on the floor for 5 minutes.  It stretches out the muscle and relieves a lot of the "pulling" in your back.

I will fill you in next Tuesday after I fly back to Savannah Monday night.  I am bringing a lot of valium to loosen up those muscles since I have a feeling that the plastic surgeon is going "full steam ahead" since this is it.  Once again, my final surgery will be on March 9th....and I cannot wait!

A Quick Test

Every Wednesday, I drive to Savannah, which is only twenty minutes away, for my half hour lymphatic massage with Hope Lyons.  Usually, I have to take a valium because, when she is finished, my body aches with muscle pains.  She is extremely gentle when she massages but, apparently, the massage loosens up the muscles in my chest area and also in my back and brings on a good solid throbbing for at least a full day.


I think I may have mentioned this before but a lymphatic massage releases quite a bit of fluid into the lymphatic system.  So much that by the time I drive back home, I already had to go to the bathroom three times.  This is over a one hour period!  On the way back, I stopped by the fitness center and I decided to weigh myself on their scale.  You know that horrible scale?  It is the evil one that told me I gained a bunch of weight during the past month and a half.  Well, lo and behold, the new number went down two pounds!  So...to anyone undergoing a mastectomy now or in the near future, it is now evident that fluid does indeed build up in the breast area using the tissue expanders.  Yes, I know this doesn't explain the other four pounds and I will have to attribute those to inactivity but, boy, do I feel a lot better!

Email Interaction Between Sisters

As my sister gets ready for her mastectomy with DIEP reconstruction by trying to gain weight in her tummy area, she texted me and asked if I could send an update of what my breasts look like at this point.  Apparently, her plastic surgeon wants to look at my nipples and see how they are healing.  I never asked "why?" and of course, I am still curious as to why her PS wanted to see them.  Is it a competitive thing????   Is it a Philly vs. Miami Plastic Surgeon war???


Since I completely blew it the last time and randomly texted the pictures of my boobs to an unknown phone nunmber in Miami, I told her I was going to send her the pictures via email this time.  However, those pictures will be headless and must be deleted off the hard drive afterwards- pinkie promise!  I thought you might get a kick out of our email conversation since exchange of sister's boobs are not the norm:


Arlene: Do you have a picture of mom so that I can put it pn my "page"?  I am going to
participate in the Susan Komen 3-Day Breast cancer walk in October and I am going to dedicate it to mom, Aunt Gerry, you and me.  If you have a picture of you, me and mom, that would be even better!


Sister:  Which walk are you doing? My friend does it every year - this year she's going
to Seattle. I have pictures, but I don't have time to scan it - or even pee, or eat. It's insane. Between work and sports and running for tests and Dr's - everyone has to give me clearance - pulmonologists, then physical, redoing ultrasound - I don't know how people are supposed to work with preparing for
surgery. Thank God I have a GA. I promise I will scan it when I can. I will. Really. Let me know the date and place. It's awesome.I'm also starting a pre op curriculum for patients with another professor who just went through it - same 2 surgeons, same procedures, everything. How's your healing? How do your nipples look? My doc wants to see a pic  -- i see him on Fri. Any chance you can email it?


Arlene:   I am doing the 3-Day Susan G Komen in October in Atlanta.  Traci has been bugging me to do it so I thought this would be a good year.  Here is the link without all the pictures on
it.  Do you think you could be the first to donate some money?   Please...... I
have to raise $2300 as a minimum and I think its going to be a struggle but I am
going to try.

http://www.the3day.org/site/TR/2011/AtlantaEvent2011?px=2902407&pg=personal&fr_id=1610

By the way, I am taking your picture off FB and I will take a picture of my boobies and email them when I get home.

 

 

Arlene:  (Pictires were taken and emailed with this message)  Trust me...they look really big but they are about a B right now.  Remember ...these are not the implants.  I am only up to 280 cc filled so far with the goal of only 310 cc.

 

 

Sister:   I got them and looked at them - which is really not a normal thing, but hey - nothing about this is normal!  I am going to have the exact same scar as you but no aerola (which I will tattooed on later). Wow! You got some big ta tas! I think you will be bigger than me when all is said and done - there is no way I can eat my way to Cs - I feel so friggin' gross! I weigh more than I did when I was pregnant. Its disgusting. I'll be good with the Bs!  I'll show the pics to him on Monday.  I'll let you know what he says. thanks!

I Am Taking on Another Challenge....

Since this year has been filled with challenges thus far, I have taken on an additional one. On October 21-23, I'll be walking 60 miles over the course of three days, camping out at night with thousands of other women and men taking this journey with me.   It's for an event called the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure. Net proceeds from the Komen 3-Day for the Cure are invested in breast cancer research and community programs. Komen for the Cure® works hard to build a future without breast cancer, and I plan on raising $2300 to help bring us closer to that goal.   It seems appropriate that 2011 is the year that I want to participate.  I was asked in 2009 to do this but I felt awkward asking people for money in such a horrendous economy.  I know the economy has not gotten that much better but I believe that there comes a time when the good needs to override the bad.  If every one felt like I did in 2009, there would be no fund-raising to continue the research desperately needed to curtail this awful disease.  One in eight women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. That's why I'm walking in the 3-Day for the Cure.    Please consider making a donation.  I would appreciate any amount since I have to raise a minimum of $2300 to participate.   Just follow the link below to visit my personal fundraising Web page and make a donation. If you don't want to donate online, please download and print a donation form from my Web page and mail it to the address on the form. Or you can call 800-996-3DAY to donate over the phone. I would like to reach my fundraising goal by September 1.  Thank you for your support.   http://www.the3day.org/site/TR/2011/AtlantaEvent2011?px=2902407&pg=personal&fr_id=1610     P.S. Don't wait - donate today!

DIEP procedure

As I had mentioned many posts before, my sister, ironically, was diagnosed with DCIS two weeks before I had my mastectomy.  Although LCIS (Lobular Carcinoma In-situ) is a grey area of breast cancer, DCIS is definitely breast cancer.  With LCIS, both breasts are of concern while DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma In-situ) is usually limited to the breast from which it was diagnosed.  My sister is choosing to have a bi-lateral mastectomy with DIEP reconstruction which is completely different from my bi-lateral mastectomy with silicone implant reconstruction.  She does not like the idea of having a silicone implant in her body so she has taken her time to research and has found that DIEP is the procedure that she wants to pursue.  As she researched the procedure, so did I since I was only aware of the Tram-Flap reconstruction.  I have since found out about Lat Flap reconstruction as well.DIEP reconstruction is a rather intriguing procedure in that it takes tissue and fat from your stomach area but not muscle as in the Tram Flap procedure.  According to About.com,  it gets its name from the deep inferior epigastric perforator artery.  It is similar to a tummy tuck so there has to be enough fat and tissue in the abdominal area to be moved although an implant could be placed in position to increase the size of the "breast" created.  I would not be a candidate for this since I do not have enough fat in my tummy area HOWEVER, if it were to come from my ass...different story.The positives of this surgery is that the new "breast" can be formed right away after the mastctomy so these tissue expanders are not necessary; in addition, a tummy tuck will occur by proxy and there is less pain and a faster recovery time than a Tram Flap procedure.  The negatives are that there needs to be fat in that area to use for the reconstruction. Also, compared to the TE/implant reconstruction that I am undergoing, there is a longer time in surgery and a longer recovery time in the hospital and there will be two scars afterwards.  Since  DIEP flap is microsurgery, it requires extensive training and experience in addition to special facilities and surgical tools. The sutures used to reconnect the blood vessels are about the same diameter as a strand of hair. The surgical team will use a high-power microscope to perform the most critical part of this procedure which is reconnecting the blood vessels. 

The Lat Flap reconstruction gets its name from the latissimus dorsi muscle which is located in your back.  Similar to the Tram Flap in that it uses muscle and tissue, the difference is that the Lat Flap takes it from the back rather than the stomach area to create the breast right after the mastectomy.  According to About.com,  an ellipse of skin and the latissimus dorsi muscle will be tunneled from the upper back to the mastectomy area to create the "breast".  A small implant may be needed in addition.  The positives include less complications in the lower abdominal area as compared to the Tram Flap but there could be loss of mobility/strength in the back area which requires physical therapy.  It is also microsurgery and requires a specialized surgical team and facilities for the operation.  The recovery time is similar to the DIEP procedure which is about 4 to 6 days in the hospital and about six weeks of recovery time afterwards.

I watched videos of both procedures and it was fascinating.  If there is interest, Google "Beth Israel DIEP video" but I cannot remember the site for Lat Flap procedure.  Sorry.  If I remember it, I will revise this.  My sister's surgery is February 18th so I will keep you updated.  Meanwhile, I am slowly exercising which has led to a one pound loss.  Whoo Hoo!  

New Exchange Date

After practically begging my nurse at the plastic surgeon's office, I got my exchange date moved up one week to March 9th.  I am one week closer to getting my life back!  Yeah!  Do you think it helped that I called her an angel after she moved the date for me? :)

Holding Pattern

I still won't have my next expansion until February 14th so I am basically like an airplane in a holding pattern.  The tissue expanders (TE) are annoying as hell and, hard as I tried, I cannot break up with Val.  I was away from her for almost a week and I was in such a burning pain that I was forced back into Val's grip of "no pain".  Bob keeps insisting that she is there for a reason but I am fighting hard against her because I just hate putting drugs into my body.


Yesterday, I went and had my hair "touched up" and, let me tell you, that was certainly an experience.  Since I just moved to Bluffton near Hilton Head island, I sought out a salon that used Framesi products because I have used them since I was 26 years old.  I found this one place on Hilton Head and I was a little apprehensive about going there.  It was called Rhea's and the sound of her voice on the phone made me nervous enough.  She sounded like an aged smoker and I envisioned the salon full of stationary hair dryers and bins full of those plastic rollars used in permanents that my grandmother used to get monthly.  In fact, my mom got them too in the 1970's!


I was running a little late so I tried to call her but the message said that the number had been disconnected.  Hmmmmm........first clue.   Needless to say, I was dead on!  When I saw the older, coiffed lady leaving with her newly teased curly permanent before I walked in, I knew I was in trouble.  The "decor" was done in 1985 "tiki hut" and it seemed that Rhea was the only one that worked there.  Her attire consisted of a baseball hat, cropped pants with sandals......and it was 40 degrees outside.  I called in my "formula" beforehand so that this should have been the easiest appointment ever.  After the color was applied, she asked for me to sit under one of the stationary hair dryers.  Really?  I think I was 22 when I was asked to sit under a hair dryer.....which was about 1987.  While I was "under", I heard yelling and such in the background while the hot air was bearing down on my head.  It seems that the phone was turned off by the phone company.  Hmmm....not a good business strategy.  I would think a phone to schedule appointments is a necessity to a salon.  When I came back to the chair, I suggested to her that they reroute the phone calls to her cell phone while they figured out what the "ptoblem" was with the phone company.  Her reply was "Absolutely not!  I am going down and giving them hell and I don't care if I don't have a phone for a few days."  Again..I say "Hmmmm."


In any case, she started to dry my hair and I noticed that the roots were a tad bit lighter.  I started to panic.  "Um Rhea....did you follow the formula I gave you?"  Her reply was "Absolutely!  1/2 this and 1/2 that."  I reached into my handbag to retrieve the formula and, lo and behold, it was not 1/2 this and 1/2 that BUT 1/2 this and 1/4 THAT.  Oh no!  I almost wanted to tear up.  I know I donated my hair and I do feel good about that but, this time, I miss it.  I think it's because I don't feel healthy and it shows in my hair.  NOW.....I have a different color near my scalp.  Lovely!  I paid her the riduculous sum of $135 and I couldn't get out of there fast enough! 


When I came back home, I immediately called a bunch of salons in Savannah which is 20 minutes away and was given the number to the local hair product distributor.  She gave me the number to a salon in Savannah that uses Framesi.  They already made me feel at ease after I explained what had just happened and said that they could correct it on my visit next month.   Ahhhh...I felt so much more at ease.  SO much, in fact, that I popped a few Advil and a few hours later, I was actually  up for going out to the Inn at Palmetto Bluff which is on the property.  Even though the color isn't perfect,  I hated to waste the blow dry by sitting at home and watching TV.  My husband was so ecstatic that I wanted to grab a drink at the Inn close by that the day ended up turning around.

Are You Serious?

Yesterday, I decided to go to the gym on-site in our new South Carolina community.  It is gorgeous.  I noticed that there was a Precor Stationary bike that allows your torso to remain still and not have to rely on weight pressing down on my arms.  I thought I should try it out since I haven't done any physical activity for one full month.  I got dressed in my workout attire and drove over to the gym since it was still too cold to walk there.  I know, I know...wimp comes to mind since I just moved from the northeast to the southeast but, still, it was 30 degrees and I was a little trepid since I did not know how I was going to feel afterwards.I decided to step on the scale in the ladies locker room.  Now, keep in mind, I knew I had gained some weight within the last month since my pants were snug around the thighs but that would normally be the case since I haven't exercised for a full month.  After I had pulled off as much as I could to get that number down to the lowest it could be, I stood there stunned and almost in tears.  I was the heaviest I ever was since the "Freshman 15" a mere twenty-five years ago!  I gained 6 pounds in one month.  Seriously?!  How can that be?  I was doing Boot Camp on the steps of the Art Museum only two months ago and was in the best shape I had been since I used a personal trainer.  UGH!  Maybe it was the saline?  I mean, that IS water, right?  It had to be!  Please God, tell me, it just had to be the extra water weight...please.


So now, I got my fat ass on the bicycle and did 30 minutes.  I felt that I did not want to jeopardize the healing so I would have to only do a little in the very beginning.  In addition, I did not want to hurt myself in the process.  While I was on the bike, I thought about the weight gain and decided that I just had to send an email immediately when I got back to the house to the nurse at the plastic surgeon's office to see if, perhaps, this really was the case.  I will interject, at his point, that I have always been neurotic about my weight since I was a child.  I know I am not overweight but, in my eyes, I consider my weight like an tachometer that shows the RPMs on a car.  I know where my RED ZONE is and I was there!
My email to Lisa (nurse):

Hi Lisa,

I am adjusting slowly to South Carolina.  I am also improving significantly.  So much, in fact, that I rode the stationary bike that does not put any pressure on my torso which will not strain the muscles in the breast area.  I was shocked a bit by gaining 6 pounds but I have a question about the weight gain.  I know I probably put on a little bit but I was wondering if you could see how much saline in in the expanders and does it add weight since it is water based compared to a barely size A breast that I had previously.  Also, shouldn't silicone weigh less than saline implants?  I know I sound neurotic but this is the heaviest I have ever weighed in my life and I am just trying to understand the reasons as to "why" that is so.  Thank you.

And her response was:

Arlene, I am glad that you are adjusting to SC. As far as weight gain, it is not atypical for any
surgical patient to gain a few pounds either fluid shift related or lack of activity. I am sorry to tell you that the expands don’t weigh all that much…at most a pound. Yes silicone is lighter so there is a rainbow of good news!

Best wishes

Lisa