January Mastectomy

How wonderful Paula!  Thanks!

Love it Paula !

Hi Team January! 

Thought I would stop in and see how everyone is doing.  I have been busy at work but did get to go to Destin for vacation week before last and it was wonderful to just relax.  The weather wasn't so great but that's ok rainy days are ideal for sitting on the patio and reading a book.

I will be having surgery on Aug 26th. I am going to Dr Khouri in Miami and having these implants replaced with smaller implants and fat grafting done on top.  I am excited and scared all at the same time.  I really hope this resolves my pain, rippling, bony sternum and the way my implants fall to the side when laying on my back.  I hate all those things and am willing to deconstruct if necessary to feel better but I am pretty confident that Dr. Khouri will be able to fix it all.

Keep me in your prayers team! Everyone have a great week!

Becky 

Good luck Becky!  I am very curious to see how it goes.  I have been having a lot of pain, just a constant uncomfortableness (if that's a word).  I can barely to stand to wear any bra that has any kind of shape to it at all.  I have been wearing just these stretchy sports bras and usually by the end of the day I am done!  And I have the ripples and bony chest which I absolutely hate....  I was talking to my DH the other day that I am thinking about talking to my PS about whether or not they can do a DIEP (or whichever one of those procedures) after they've already done the Tissue Expanders.  If someone would've told me that every time I wash my hands or do anything using my hands that my boobs would contract and look disgusting I would've rethought the whole thing.  That is the part that I hate the most about these new girls.  I am supposed to go back in the fall for my last fat grafting that I was supposed to have in the spring that I cancelled.  So I think I am going to be asking a lot of questions.  Also I have felt from the beginning that they are too low and since he replaced the implants with bigger ones I feel like they are too close together too.  So, I don't know what can be done about any of it, but I am tired of the whole thing.  And I still don't even have tats so I still have naked girls.  Grrrr!  OH well,  good news is I am having an awesome summer!  And I still have lots of plans coming up!  We have Relay for life this weekend and a golf outing/pool party.  Next weekend we are going to MIS for some crazy Nascar racing with 2 other couples.  Always a crazy drunken good time!  LOL!  We come back from that on Monday and head out on Wednesday with the kids to Michigan Adventure.  When we leave there we are headed to Ludington for some fun in the sun for 3 nights.  Very excited!  Then we might get Labor Day Weekend up at our friends cabin on Indian River.  Good times!

Hope you all are doing well, happy and healthy, and enjoying your summer!

Take Care!

Paula

Going on vacation, yay, yay, yay!  Leaving behind all my baggage (except essential luggage)

I have that contracting thing too.  I'm glad to know it isn't just me.  Since I kept one side "au natural" and did not do anything to "match" it seems even more noticable.  DH does not seem to notice but I just cry in the shower sometimes.

Hello ladies!  I didn't realize the last time I had posted was July.  Time is flying by.

I also have the ugly contracting thing-most noticeable when I'm washing my hands in front of the mirror.  Gross.  I really hate it.

I have to say, I am not happy with my boobs even with tatts done.  They're just so foreign.  So wide apart-I have NO cleavage.  That seems really weird to me.  Not that I had any before cancer, but having gone through all of this, you'd think I would at least end up with something I'm happy with.  Sigh.

I had been experiencing some severe arm pain starting at my fingertips and ending at my elbow, so I finally called and went into the Onc about it.  He ordered a PET scan, which came out fine (not that I was worried about cancer of the arm), and referred me to a physical therapist.  Turns out I have tendonitis somehow, and we discovered that my shoulder is practically frozen.  You know how you just learned to do stuff differently after the MX?  I had been "babying" it for a year and a half without realizing it.  So we're working on that.  I'm down to only taking Aleve after a session instead of every morning.  I spend an hour twice a day doing the exercises, which are not fun.  I didn't realize how weak I was.  He said all my problems are not uncommon after MX, and that they often don't appear until later like mine.  No LE, though.  Thank goodness.

Laura-I'm so sorry to hear about the infection and problems.  I'm glad they were able to place an implant right away, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you that all goes well this time.

Kat-congrats on your new career!  I hope the show went well.

Nice to hear from everyone else-I think of all of you daily.  Have a terrific day!

Hi Kim,

I had to do the physical therapy route.  I was fortunate enough to have one that specaializes in bc patients.  DH had frozen shoulder and I do know a shot of cortizone can help tremendously if it does not get better before too long.  He ended up with surgery after several rounds of shots but he was pretty ill at the time too and you are on the mend.

Sally, I don't face book at all.  For me to do this was a big thing.  I barely e-mail since I'm at a computer all day long at work I get sick of it!

Paula

Dear Team January!   My Sisters,You all have been on my mind! Hope all is well with all of you!

Sorry I haven't had  time to post, I have been reading & trying to keep up with all my Jan Sisters! Thinking of you! Hope all are safe from The Hurricane! Saying Prayers!. Please Let us know how you east coast girls are? 

I am back to work,Healing well( Thank goodness no infection this time)

Thinking of you! {{{hugs}}

 Love ya,Gina

Hi Jan gals!

I haven't posted in a while but check in regularly to see what is going on and all you are always in my prayers.

I had my surgery with Dr. Khouri on Aug 25th. It was quite a whirlwind due to the hurricane that was supposed to hit Miami. They called to push my surgery up one day and I had to rearrange my flight, hotel, rental car and work schedule all with in a matter of hours. Not to mention a mix- up about some pre- op labs which almost caused my surgery to be cancelled after all the changes. Talk about some pre-surgery stress! And then the hurricane didn't even hit Miami. Omg! Oh well now I am recovering but it has been more painful than I was expecting due to the extensive pocket work he had to do. It didn't resolve all my issues and I will be going back in late Oct for a second round of fat grafting and more work but hopefully not as extensive. However I no longer have any rippling, my breasts no longer slide under my armpit when I lay down and my breasts are warm to the touch again and feel and look way more natural. So all in all I am happy I did it. I am hopeful the next procedure will accomplish even more!

Hope everyone has had a great summer. I wish it wasn't almost over.

Becky

Becky, glad that things are looking better.  What exactly did he do in this surgery to make such great changes?  and how are they warm?  Now that summer is over (sigh ) I am going to be going to see my PS and I have some major complaints to throw at him and I'm just not sure where to go from here.  Would love some details on your surgery... 

thanks!  Hope everyone else is doing good.  Think of you all often.

Paula

Wow, that sounds interesting.  The fat grafting that I have been getting is the same way, small droplets, but he didn't completely cover the implant.  That is quite a jump from a 500 cc to a 150 cc, you are comfortable with that?  I guess you are, otherwise you wouldn't be so happy with your outcome, duh.  sorry.  I've been talking with Whippetmom and some girls on the picture forum, I am thinking about going to another PS to get another opinion of the issues that I am having to see what they have to say before I go back to my PS.  I'm just not sure if these issues are something that he is going to be able to fix or willing to fix, not because he's mean or not talented but maybe something he did is causing them and then he might not want to admit guilt?  I dont know, I'm probably being paranoid, but I am ready to get it right and move on.  I will check out that website though, for sure.  Never too much knowledge!  Thanks for sharing!  I appreciate it!

Paula

Wow, so cool, Becky!  thanks for sharing!  Another question, did your insurance cover all of this?  And does it cover your traveling expenses?  Are you posting on the picture forum too?

Hi ladies, just checking in.

I must confess-I seriously hate my boobs.  Small, far apart, low down...the nipples and the tattoos look great, but they aren't enough to make me want to be naked in front of my husband.  I haven't seen my PS since May because I'm so frustrated.  How do you tell her you hate your boobs?  That she created?  Ugh. 

I'm almost up for calling her-if I can get through all the other doctor's appointments that I've been having.  Oncologist, PET scan, breast MRI, physical therapy, Gyn, sports/spine doctor...really, it's been a whirlwind.  I've been using a lot of gas driving all over town.

I hope all of you are well and had a terrific summer.  It's just beginning to drop a few degrees here, thank God.  Miserable hot summer.

Take care all!

Hey all......Just checking in....I've finally come up for air for a few minutes to say "hi"....what a cazy time it continues to be for all of us!!!!  I'm enjoying(?) reading about the boob adventures....I had checked into the Miami doctor before, and semi-seriously considered his approach....since I had already gone the no-reconstruction route, I would have had to do the reverse type of expansion, where you wear the vacuum thing to stretch out the skin before he inserts the fat.  It was tempting, but in the long run, I didn't go that route for so many reasons.

I'm sorry so many are so unhappy, especially after ALL you have endured.....ugh.  How frustrating, disappointing, and more....

Things around here just keep staying stirred up.....daughter was supposed to go to college as a freshman two weeks ago, but she got sick and then passed out.  When she came "to", she couldn't walk.  She ended up crawling up the steps.  The only other person home was my oldest son, who found her, and he carried her up the stairs the rest of the way and put her in bed.  She landed face down.  Had another concussion!!!  This was the 2nd this calendar year.  Because of this, her doctor said NO school.  We all thought she'd be able to start just a week late, but it didn't work out that way.  She is still in no way able to go;  she can't read or be on the computer.  She is sleeping a lot, and the doctor decided to test her for mono, too.  By the time she'd be back to "normal", too much school would have passed and she wouold have been too far behind   So, she is having to sit this semester out.....her stuff is already in her dorm room and it's all ready for her.  The school is working well with us, thank goodness and letting us keep her stuff there.

I was tucking in a sheet, and tore a tendon on the top of my right ring finger!  I'm in a splint 24/7 fpr 8 weeks!!!!!  Surely makes it hard to play my instruments - and I have two orchestra concerts coming up really soon, and I don't know how I'm going to manage!!!

I've made it through 5 weeks of teadhing my 27 4th graders.  It's been absolutely exhausting!!!  I like my kiddos, but I am not getting anything else done around here.  I spend 10 hrs at school (I was spending 12+ hrs a day there), and then come home and work another 4 hrs (or more!!!!).  It just doesn't endl.

Well, that's the latest update....so glad to read all of yours!!!!
Will check in next month....

love, prayers, and blessings....robin