Tag: diep flap

Looking back, Moving forward

So with my next and hopefully last surgery next week as well as Thanksgiving, I got to thinking about what this year and a half has been like.  A bit of a roller coaster to say the least.

  • March 2011 mammogram and breast ultrasound; lump confirmed
  • June 2011 needle guided biopsy
  • June 2011 surgery to remove the lump due to “abnormal” pathology results
  • August 2011 Breast MRI
  • Doctors appointments with specialists
  • early 2012 abdominal CT to ensure I was  DIEP candidate
  • Blood work
  • more doctors appointments
  • July 2, 2012 Bilateral Prophylactic Mastectomy and DIEP flap
  • More blood work
  • more appointments
  • August 24, 2012 Breast reconstruction and revision
  • More blood work
  • more doctor appointments
  • November 7, 2012 Pelvic Ultrasound
  • November 9, 2012 Colonoscopy
  • November 19, 2012 Breast revision Pt 2 **Pending**

In between Birthdays, Holidays, back to school nights, summer break and normal daily activity because the reality is, doctors, scans, tests  and surgery have been normal daily activity for me for a many months now.  I have tried to keep a good attitude but there is a stress that hangs over the family since it is on going.

What have I learned?  Shit happens and most of it can not be controlled so, relax.  I will not say I do not have my moments but as a whole, I am more relaxed.  I am enjoying my family and our time together.  I am putting “us” first.  I am more thankful for what I have!

And with Thanksgiving around the corner, what am I thankful for? These are easy…first although my list looks long and obnoxious, I do not have cancer!  I am thankful that I did not wait to take action.  I am extremely thankful for my health.  I am in the best shape I have been in for years. I am Thankful for my beautiful family. I am also so very thankful for concerned doctors who continue to go the extra effort to ensure that we check everything.

My list is not finished yet.  Surgery next week and follow-up appointments after.  I will have to repeat the pelvic ultrasound and hope the cyst removed itself, if not it will need to be removed.

So although there is more to go, I sit here so very thankful for a wonderful year.  A beautiful family and good health, what more can you ask for right?

More surgery

We have a date for the next round of surgery, November 19th.  I am referring to it as either “tieing up loose ends” or “the clean up”.  My surgeons scheduler chuckled a little but I don’t think either of us thought it would be a good idea to refer to it in such a way to him.  The consent is calling it, “revision of bilateral reconstructed breasts and revision of abdominal scar”.  I think it should really say revision to the revision but hey who am I?

It has been over 3 months now since the Bilateral Prophylactic Mastectomy and DIEP flap surgery and almost 2 months since the nipple reconstruction.  This has been a long process.

SO more blood work, another early morning arrival at the hospital, more anesthesia.  I wonder if I will miss all of the coordination, tests, scheduling and recovery  once all of the procedures are over? (KIDDING!)  I am glad that we have this scheduled, one step closer to finished, I hope!

ON a different note, Madison lost another tooth today and it happened at school.  She was so excited when she got off the bus wearing the tooth necklace given to her to secure the tooth.  It was almost like she knew it was going to be a special day.  When she woke up she requested to wear a “pretty” dress and “high heels”.  I see a visit from the tooth fairy this evening! 

76 days post BPM, 23 days post reconstruction

Been a little since I did a surgery followup.  The actual bilateral prophylactic mastectomy was On July 2, followed by the nipple reconstruction and revision on August 24.

The reconstruction was completed at the same time via a DIEP flap procedure.  After many weeks of initial struggles with core strength, I am fully able to move as I wish.  I am at the point now where I do sit up crunches every night.  At first only 10 or so now 100+ .  I also either walk or spend some time on the elliptical machine a few days a week. I still have tightness in the abdomen but it is a good tight. I am stunned at the change of size in my abdomen.  I am not on the scale of Barbie but it is by far the flattest stomach I have seen in many years.

I do still have discomfort in the breasts.  The breast revision was much large than initially expected.  Due to the size of the incisions and amount of surgery performed, I still have a hard time wearing a bra.  I feel that I need to wear one if I am going out in public, ie back to school nights, shopping, soccer etc because of the nipple issue.  As I had stated in an earlier post, the surgeon had to make the nipples large to allow for shrinkage.  One of them has and is about right.  The other has not and still reminds me of a strange little thumb like appendage. He has assured me that if needed this can be corrected very easily.  They are also a bit out of line which I am also told is a an easy fix.  So it does look like we have a small procedure ahead.  I see him again mid october.

I do look forward to a day when I have no discomfort but have accepted the fact that the day is not around the corner.

I am thrilled that my life for the most part is getting back to normal, but one highlight of my day does still remain the bra removal.

I have lost close to 40 pounds since my max weight 1 year prior to surgery.

My Bra size is 4 sizes smaller and pant size is almost 2 sizes smaller.

More importantly is the fact that I feel good and have used this situation as an attempt to live healthier.  Most importantly is the fact that I have gone from a minimum 50/50  chance  of developing breast cancer to one of only about 5%.

**(post pathology with the finds of cancer markers, the risk would have increased but no one ever put it into number for me)