Last Monday was my third and final cancer prevention surgery. This was the second stage to my breast reconstruction and I couldn't wait to have all of these surgeries behind me. The uncomfortable- invasive- no longer welcome breast expanders were finally being replaced with silicone implants. It was a glorious day!
The Saturday before surgery, I noticed a white spot on my right breast near one of the stitches from my surgery in July (the internal stitches would eventually dissolve around 6 months). By Sunday night, the spot was much bigger, and looked infected. On Monday, the day of surgery, the spot had opened to a small hole, but no longer looked infected. Thankfully, my doctor didn't seem too concerned with the spot and he stitched it closed during surgery.
While being prepped for surgery, I was told that the IV would go in my foot again. This grossed me out before my last surgery and it grossed me out this time too. Not to mention, when my doctor came to visit before surgery, he told the nurse that the foot IV wasn't necessary, that it hurts, and that they should have called him first. Either way, it was in and it wasn't moving. This picture is for my squeamish friends. You're welcome.
Speaking of nurses, my two Pre-Op nurses were amazing! Would you like to know the most valuable info that I learned from those ladies? Q: Why can't we wear panties/underwear in a surgery that has nothing to do with our lower half? A: They're unsanitary and if you poop/pee on the operating table then you have nothing clean to wear home. Touche!
I'm grateful that my husband and uncle were there to keep me company and to pray for me before and during surgery. I'm also thankful that our pastor and a church friend stopped by to pray for me as well.
The best news that I received after surgery was that I did not have any drains! Not one! This is very uncommon and was a true gift from God. I didn't like the four drains I had after my last surgery and I wasn't looking forward to them even though I was told to expect at least one drain on each side. My chest was wrapped up and it would stay that way until I went to my followup visit on Thursday. By Tuesday, the wrapping was driving me crazy. It was itchy like a cast and I wanted to rip it off. Seriously. Driving. Me. Nuts. This picture was taken on Tuesday (after being awake most of the night and all of the following day). I forced a smile for one of the pics, but the one on the right is a true indication of how I felt ... like I could fall over asleep at any time.
I was told that my lack of sleep was because of the steroids and anesthesia that I was given during surgery. However, I did sleep great Tuesday night (thanks to my Arbonne Sleep Spray) and all day Wednesday. Unfortunately, the napping on Wednesday made me miss that I was having an adverse reaction to my pain meds. I had a dull headache all day that would get worse when it was time to take my meds. At first I thought it was just the medicine wearing off causing the headaches until I woke around 4:30am Thursday morning with a terrible, terrible migraine. I knew right away that it was from the medicine and I stopped taking it. I've only had Tylenol since and it seems to be keeping the pain under control.
I officially met the twins on Thursday when the bandages were taken off at my follow up appointment. I was thoroughly impressed with how "real" they looked. Honestly, they were nothing like I envisioned. My best friend drove me to the appointment and she was also impressed with their "realness." I know that I will like them more as I continue to heal, but for now, I'm still pretty impressed. They don't look exactly the same, which makes them perfectly imperfect. My biggest fear was that I would have "Hollywood boobs" and they don't look that way at all. I look like I was born with this set so my doctor gets a big high five for listening to my concerns and delivering a product that I can be proud of!
Results so far:
- Goodbye rock hard expanders with zero movement.
- Hello gel like silicone implants that are soft and move like real breasts.
- My right breast scar was re-opened the whole way to allow for the trade off in the back half of the breast, but also to fix the open hole in the front part of the breast.
- My left breast scar was only opened on the back 2/3rds.
- I can't wear a bra for a month to allow things to settle properly.
- My breasts are sitting close to where they will be for the rest of my life. I expected them to be high and swollen, but I was stretched so much that it allowed the implants to sit at just the right spot after surgery. So I guess being majorly uncomfortable the last 4 months with the expanders was worth it.
- I'm sore, but it's manageable.
- Ice packs definitely help the soreness.
- I go back next week to have my outer stitches removed. The inner ones will dissolve in 6 months.
- I'm back on no heavy lifting and workout restrictions for 4-6 weeks.
- I should be healed and good to go by the end of the year. Praise the Lord!
- A special thanks to my parents for taking care of our girls (even sick Lou) the whole week, and to all of our friends/family that are bringing us meals, cards, gifts, prayers, etc. We are loved!
1 Peter 5:10 - "And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast."
