September 16, 2011

Well I'm about a week and a half post-op and I'm doing really well. I'm not gonna lie...it was pretty rough at the beginning, but just like with most things, it has gotten better with time. I've been trying really hard to be a good patient and stay in bed and not do much, and I've done "pretty good"... :o). Now that I'm starting to feel a little better, I get bored...and that's where the problems begin, lol!

It's been really weird to look down and see tiny little baby boobies...kinda makes me feel pre-pubescent again! I will go back to the doctor on Monday and hopefully get my drains out and get my first of six fills. I had my first post-op visit this past Monday and he said everything looked great!

The scar across my back is a lot bigger and lower than i thought it would be, which is a bit disappointing; however my boobs look amazing so it makes up for it! Most of the photos I've seen of a flap transplant have been very "fake" looking. The flap tends to be a different color and texture than the surrounding breast skin and the placement is usually really awkward. Dr. McClung placed my flap at the bottom of my breast so as it fills and expands the lower part of the scar will be under my boob and the upper part should be right across the center so my new nipple will cover the majority of it up. And since I've always been the whitest person on the planet, the color match is great! On my left breast, it's just a simple line that goes across the center. I obviously still have my original mastectomy scar non the right side and my port scar on the left, but they are fading really well and I believe that over time they will just be faint white lines.

My next obstacle is to get my big ole butt to the gym and start working out! Uuuuggggggggg! I HATE to exercise. No really....like I'd rather give myself a bikini wax with nothing but dull tweezers than work out! So needless to say, this is going to be difficult for me. There's a place in overland park called "turning point" which has all kinds of classes, seminars, get governess, etc. for cancer survivors and their friends/family which I think I might check out. They offer Zumba and pilots, to name a few, that are free to do so I think I'll probably start with that. All this "recovering" I've been doing has made me gain like 20 lbs. and I'm definitely NOT ok with that!

Well the next week will probably be pretty uneventful, but I will post another update once I'm back from the "Women Rock for the Cure" retreat which I am REALLY looking forward too! Oh I almost forgot to mention radiation...it's going well. I get a little tired, but other than that, no significant side effects to mention. Hopefully I'll be done next week, but I may have to finish up with a few more once I'm back from the retreat.

September 6, 2011

Radiation is going good...I'm about a week in and I haven't really had any side effects too bad. Dr. Burt said that since I'm only getting 18 treatments I really shouldn't have too bad of a time. Really, just being tired will be about it. I'll get a break today since I'm having surgery, but they'll start back up again tomorrow...she said they'll just wheel me down in my hospital bed, lol!

Sadie had her surgery about a month ago and she's doing really well. It's nice to FINALLY have something where I know what to expect...although I wish it wouldn't have been her who had to go thru it. She's been a super-trooper though! I'll be in the hospital for 2 days and then I'll be home recovering for 9 weeks before I go back to work. I'll go in once a week for 6 weeks to get my tissue expanders filled and then they will just sit for 6 weeks before I go back in to have the permanent implants put in. I'm not sure what the recovery will be like for the latissimus dorsi flap on my back (where they are "borrowing" the skin, tissue and muscle to build my new boob), but hopefully it won't be too bad. Nothing like not being able to sleep on your front OR your back...maybe I'll learn to sleep standing up! :o)

So on a happy note...for those of you who haven't heard, I've been accepted to go to the 'Women Rock for the Cure' young survivors retreat! It's a weekend long retreat in Nashville, TN where you get a chance to relax, get pampered, meet other young survivors, go to seminars/speakers all in a gorgeous mansion set in the mountains. Ohh...and it's all expenses paid! That is Sept. 23 - 25, so I'll only be 16 days post-op, but my doctor said I'd be OK to fly. I'll have to wear some beautiful and highly trendy compression sleeves, however I think it'll totally be worth it!

Well, I'm off to my surgery...if anyone wants to come sing 'Happy Birthday' to me in the hospital tomorrow (preferably while wearing cone head birthday hats, hee, hee) I'm totally up for that! :o)