I started a blog, with photos

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Turtletots
Turtletots Member Posts: 35
edited June 2014 in Living Without Reconstruction After a Mastectomy

I did a lot of soul searching and decided to post my story with photos on a blog. They are semi-nude, of scars and surgery and also after it healed. I also put a few on there clothed. Pass it on! I'm hoping it'll help some people when they are searching, as all of us did, for photos online of mastectomy scars.

http://facingmastectomy.blogspot.com/

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  • JanClare
    JanClare Member Posts: 305
    edited March 2011

    Good for you!  Excellent site.  I also choose no reconstruction and don't wear any prosthesis.  With layers and interesting prints on my tops, no one even notices. 

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  • Erica3681
    Erica3681 Member Posts: 1,916
    edited March 2011

    Turtletots,

    Great website. You are beautiful!!

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  • River_Rat
    River_Rat Member Posts: 1,724
    edited March 2011

    Turtletots, I echo what Erica said, you are beautiful!  I'm sure that you will help many women.

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  • christine47
    christine47 Member Posts: 1,454
    edited March 2011

    Turtletots,

    What an inspiration your blog is!!!  Congrats!

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited March 2011

    How brave and wonderful for you to post your photos!  You look absolutely beautiful!

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  • shadow2356
    shadow2356 Member Posts: 393
    edited March 2011

    Great blog! I am sure it is therapeutic for you as well as informative for others. I did a blog through my whole treatment. Like you I put pictures on. I got various comments but most people thought it was good.

     I am sure you are happy to be finished with surgery!!

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  • meodingu
    meodingu Member Posts: 2
    edited March 2011

    Yes. I enjoyed it, It's great. You did very well. Wish you happy.

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  • Marple
    Marple Member Posts: 19,143
    edited March 2011

    Very very good job.  And btw, you do look great!!  A non-scarey account for those facing surgery.

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  • dreidteacher
    dreidteacher Member Posts: 53
    edited March 2011

    Thank you for sharing this with others. I have a BMX next week and it really helped me. You look beautiful.

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  • anonymice
    anonymice Member Posts: 532
    edited March 2011

    Thank you Turtletots!  Your pictures are beautiful.  

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  • KittyDog
    KittyDog Member Posts: 1,079
    edited March 2011

    Great job on your blog.  I guess I can no longer say my surgeon left to much skin.  He did an excellent job under my arm I just hate the dog ear he left in the front....I think he still thought I would want reconstruction down the road.  NOPE  I want the other one off too.  Your Plastic surgeon did an awesome job!

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited March 2011

    Great pictures! I could have been looking at my own chest!!! You healed beautifully. I am just over 2 years out and it does get even better. I check my scar whenever I'm in a well-lit change room to look for changes. So far, so good.

    I looked at a TON of pictures before I decided to stay flat. The scarring is so simple on my mast. When I looked at recon photos, all I saw were scars!!!! So I stayed flat and am very happy. I dress professionally every day, wear interesting earrings and/or necklace and know that no one really notices. I used to be a full 42D.

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  • tnbcRuth
    tnbcRuth Member Posts: 454
    edited April 2011

    I have a feeling that I am tip toeing down the reconstruction-less road.  Barbe, like you I was big!  At 16, I weighed 110 lbs and was a 34DD.  Hated it.  Had a reduction at 35 and loved it.  Over the years and thru bits of weight gain, I'm again a D.  Got the diagnosis of bc and because I am divorced and in pretty good shape, I opted for recon...asked for a B-Small C and my talented but chauvenist ps gave me a D.  9 months later, they weigh a TON (650cc gummies) and the skin still hurts.  Its uncomfortable to lie on either side and I feel like they are choking me.  

    I am so proud of those that opted not to reconstruct.  I actually didn't mind the 2months between mx and recon...but I didn't feel feminine enough (I'm a girly girl).  You have been able to go beyond that and not wrap your identity around your physical appearance.  I'm going to keep working on it and hope I can happily make that decision someday soon. 

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited April 2011

    I'm a girly girl too. I wear jewellry all the time and use earrings and big necklaces to draw the eye to my jewels not my chest. I wear make-up every work day, and dress professionally (NOT business casual). I look slimmer and walk easier without my heavier chest. I hate to say it, but I LOVE being flat!!

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  • Latte
    Latte Member Posts: 1,072
    edited April 2011

    hey turtletots - great blog, and thanks for being brave enough to share! I also loved the party you had :-)  (I didn't comment on the blog because it doesn't allow anonymous comments)

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  • tnbcRuth
    tnbcRuth Member Posts: 454
    edited April 2011

    Good to know the package can work...jewelry, clothes, attitude.  You do look girly, girl!

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  • redninrah
    redninrah Member Posts: 773
    edited April 2011

    I have a question, im worried about the scanners at the airport with a prosthesis. Does it show up and will i be stopped and asked to have it checked? that worries me.

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited April 2011

    A prothesis shouldn't look any different than a breast in a bra and there's no metal in it, so it shouldn't set off any alarms.....

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  • redninrah
    redninrah Member Posts: 773
    edited April 2011

    ok- but im suprised it wont show up as foriegn material- i have a bean boob with micro beads in there.

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  • lafera12
    lafera12 Member Posts: 71
    edited April 2011

    What a great job you did...

    I had a mastectomy in 2008, but only one of my breasts.

    Decided against reconstruction..so far it's the best decision I made..

    Angie

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  • Turtletots
    Turtletots Member Posts: 35
    edited April 2011

    OOPS about the not allowing anonymous comments...I fixed that!! :)

    Thanks for the great words everyone! Feel free to pass the link on to others!

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  • jjjsjames
    jjjsjames Member Posts: 46
    edited April 2011

    Thank you for having the courage to post your photos.  I found it helpful and many of the things you wrote in your blog are exactly my thoughts.  I have to have a nipple removed (central lumpectomy) and am trying to decide if I should have the other one removed to be symetrical. 

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited April 2011
    jjj - I think I responded on another thread for you. I would keep the nipple you can! That is the most erogenous area of a breast so why lose it? Also, both sides would be changed for you. Maybe it'd be better to only do one side at a time. As far as symmetry goes, if one side is flat and the other side has a breast, I don't think the nipple comes into that equation at all. Don't punish the good breast. Laughing
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  • jjjsjames
    jjjsjames Member Posts: 46
    edited April 2011

    Yes, Barbe, thanks for your advice.  I am taking it into consideration.  I can't imagine anything will be erogenous from here on out, but I know what you mean.  I am adamant that I will only have one surgery.  I'm thinking of it kind of like an ugly breast reduction, but I'd at least would like to fit into a regular bra and not deal with filling in one side every day.  Bras are such a pain normally, I can't imagine how uncomfortable they will be with one side different than the other.  Plus, I think symetry will help the asthetics. Still trying to get used to the idea and photos are helping to take away the shock value, I think.

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited April 2011

    Sherri, then why not just go with a double mast? I will never, ever wear a bra again!!!!

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  • tcam3472
    tcam3472 Member Posts: 22
    edited April 2011

    Hi Turtletots,

    Wow what a wonderful thing you have done!!  This blog will help a lot of people.  You are beautiful just the way you are.  Thank you for having the courage to share your story.  The pictures will help people understand.  I really wish I would have seen your blog before the removal of my breast..I was in such shock right after the surgery!!  Funny now though it doesn't really bother me.  I'm more caved in then you though so I am going for reconstruction soon.  If I was  flat I probably wouldn't bother with more surgery..but caved in makes it hard to wear clothing. 

    There are soo many great woman on this site willing to share their stories. 

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  • Kezzie62
    Kezzie62 Member Posts: 189
    edited April 2011

    Turtletots, Thanks for posting the link to your blog.  I have had a BMX and no recon, I have been thinking about some scar revision as like you I have a bit of excess skin under each arm and little pointed bits on the inside end of both scars.  Being able to see the wonderful result you have been able to get with your scar revison I am going to talk to my BS about a referal to a PS to see what they can do for me.  At the moment I have no fat under the skin where my breasts were so it looks a bit sunken but I am hoping that will get better with time or maybe the PS can do something for that too.

    Thank you again for posting your photo's

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  • starzhere
    starzhere Member Posts: 162
    edited July 2011

    Great blog!  Your revision surgery came out wonderful.

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  • June2268
    June2268 Member Posts: 1,202
    edited August 2011

    You are one beautiful and brave woman, thank you for sharing your story with all us woman.

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  • Dana25
    Dana25 Member Posts: 36
    edited August 2011

    Thanks so much for sharing!!

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