My Beautiful Mess: Surgery

Friday, November 1, 2013

Surgery

The date is finally set! Round one of reconstruction is scheduled. November 19th I will be undergoing an exchange surgery. This means that I will have my expander removed and an implant placed. I had really hoped to skip this step and just deal with my (very uncomfortable) expander until I was ready for the DIEP procedure. If you've been following me since my cancer days, you may recall that the DIEP surgery takes tissue from my abdomen (did someone say tummy tuck?) and build a living tissue breast out of it using microsurgery techniques. Modern medicine is truly amazing sometimes. Anyhow that surgery is MAJOR and requires several days in the hospital (ICU actually) as they have to carefully watch the tissue that is moved to ensure that the bloodflow takes and it doesn't go necrotic. Then of course recovery from there involves my newly reconstructed breast, my abdomen and the other breast which will be lifted to match. Not exactly something I'm prepared to deal with while I have two young children. Probably something that will have to wait until they are in school and semi-self sufficient.

While waiting for that surgery didn't sound great either (did I mention how horribly uncomfortable the expander is?) avoiding an "extra" surgery was my preference. Alas, my expander popped earlier this year. I thought I might be able to still wait it out, at least for awhile, but I have become increasingly self-conscious of my extreme lopsidedness. It wasn't good before (I still had to stuff my bra), but now its a joke. I'm practically concave on the cancer side. Compared to my still-breast feeding melon of a breast, I look like I'm always turning to my right.

I finally faced my (recent) fear of surgery and will be slaying this reconstruction dragon for now. Wish me luck!

And for your viewing pleasure- Halloween with the Gauthiers.