March 2014 Surgery

Looking great Julie! 

Thinking about all my March sisters as we continue to move forward.  I'm excited for those that are preparing for their upcoming exchange surgeries.  

Frostecat,  I also had my exchange surgery done at the surgery center. The people there were awesome. .  It was a breeze.  I took 12 bix days off of work with the double exchange.  My sister had a lift and augmentation and was off for 4 weeks so that sounds about right.  I am also considering the 3d tattoos.  I'm still on the fence with that. 

Ugh - seriously, if I knew then what I know now I would have went the the BMX!

Trying to get myself mentally prepared for the exchange surgery on 9-2 and finding that I'm not doing a very good job at it. I honestly wasn't afraid to go in for the BMX at all but just the thought of being operated on again is leaving me terrified. Maybe I am finally headed for the breakdown that I have never had yet. My MO also suddenly stopped my Femara as of yesterday. Wants me on nothing at all until one week post exchange and will start me on Tamoxifen instead. He was not happy with the SE's I am having with the Femara and thinks I may do better with Tamoxifen. Who knows. Feeling like a yo-yo at this point. Doesn't help that our 16 year anniversary is Friday and I'm not feeling like celebrating. Poor husband is being such a good sport about all of this. Just not feeling like myself at all. OK pity party over

KLJ - I'm scheduled for 9/9 and like you, this seems to be bothering me more than the initial surgery.  I think the first time around I was oblivious as to what I was in for, and this time around not so much.  I'm also going to be having a lift/reduction so both breasts are involved.  I was told I would have a drain, on the TE side not the lift side.

My PS told me that fat grafting is not covered by insurance, even though it should be, so he is encouraging me to have liposuction so he can fat graft at the same time.Has anyone else's surgeons told them fat grafting is not covered?

I think I'm going to go ahead with the lipo - it's scary as all heck to me, but I can use a small stomach to match my smaller breasts.  There is an out of pocket cost to me.  I guess I have buyers remorse for not going with a BMX initially (knowing what I do now), so I just want to get everything over with and let the healing begin.  My PS said, if I come to him a year from now for fat grafting the cost would be more, then while I'm already in surgery.  I asked him if it were you would you do it, he said absolutely without a doubt.

Well they talked me into it.  I think my PS felt he could get better results with lipoing under my armpit area too.  The nurse said he can get "good fat" from the abdomen.  I hope I'm not getting the runaround, but I've trusted my PS so far, and he is very well respected.  I think he is somewhat of a perfectionist and he wants to obtain optimum results.  I'm having my abdomen done, he wanted to do my flanks too, but I can not afford all of that.  I'm a bit nervous about this, but he said if it were him he would do it without a doubt and all his staff keeps telling me that I will be so happy that I did it. 

I guess what is pushing me over the edge is I don't want anymore regrets, or second guessing myself, in hindsight wishing I had done something especially now that I am somewhat regretting choosing a UMX over a BMX.

I think I'm larger than a lot of you gals on the forums, I am built like so many women who reach menopause and look pregnant, I carry most of my weight in my belly. So he's probably thinking a smaller tummy to go with the smaller boobies!

Frostecat, I hope this surgery is everything you expect it to be. I am sure it will be! Listen to SpecialK. She has been my "go to" wealth of information. I carry my extra weight in my belly too. Don't most of us? The dreaded menopause middle! I will be thinking about you on your surgery day. Mine is one week before you so I will be recuperating and waiting to hear that you are doing great!

frostecat - I only had enough lipo for the necessary fat grafting to be done, so mine was covered by insurance as a revision.  My abdomen was the donor site and I needed fat added to the chest, as opposed to any taken away on, or near (dog ears or underarm) for any correction to my recon.

Exchange surgery bright and early tomorrow morning. I should be sleeping but I don't think that is going to happen. If so, it will be very little. Have to be up by 4, shower if their icky soap and be on the road by 5. Can't wait to get this overwith!

KLJ- good luck today. Let us know how it goes!  Did you take a goodbye pic of your TEs?

Congrats, KLJ!!!  I hope your itchiness goes away.  I never heard of that from anesthesia but I have n allergy to IV iodine.  Take it easy.

thanks  Julie and Frostecat. Saw the PS yesterday and he thinks the itchiness is from the soap he scrubbed me with prior to surgery. He explained to me that he PERSONALLY really scrubbed me down which explains the goo at the back of my neck and in my hair. That's a visual I could have done without! He told.me.to shower this afternoon and just the the water run down the front and back. Kind of afraid though because I still have drains in. I am going to call and talk to his nurse before I do anything! 

Happy with what I saw yesterday though. He took everything off except for the steri strips. So I just have the surgical bra and the horrid strap that I hate so much!

Frostecat, isn't it great that we can still laugh after all of this? It's one of the great things that we still have left! I wonder if I will EVER get that visual out of my head though LOL!

Thanks Stfne! Do you have a date yet for your exchange or did you already have it? It's funny now how many different aches and pains are appearing. Like a sore neck. Makes me wonder if someone was holding me up so he could decide if he had placed the right implants or not. Or, did they strap me down??? It's definitely nothing I would want to see on video! But you're right...we laugh, we cry, we laugh, we cry. And in the end I hope we all end up laughing all the time!

Julie, I wish I knew which one's he went with. I forgot to ask. I asked before they put me under and he said he ordered 9 different sets so hopefully he picked the best! I will find out next week. I whined about the drains and was promptly told it was for my own good but they are hardly putting out anything now so I am calling tomorrow to see if they can come out. Fingers crossed! Yes, the strap is the one that goes across the top. He is adamant about that darn thing. So uncomfortable but it stays for 2 weeks. I can't wait to burn this thing I can see the light at the end of this tunnel! How are you doing?