Feeling Motivated

I haven’t had the motivation to give an update for a while. The last few weeks have been challenging to say the least. Last Tuesday the cosmetic surgeon finally removed the drains and set me free! It was just one day shy of three weeks of having those hand grenades dragging me down. I’d never wish this experience on anyone, not even my worst enemy.

The doctor said that everything looked great and I’m healing well. He added 50ccs of saline into the expanders in each breast which certainly helped to fill them out. They are basically semi-hard baggies placed inside the chest wall that are filled with saline (first fill was immediately when the expanders were placed during surgery the same day as the mastectomy). Because there have been so many questions about the expanders themselves and the entire process of filling them, I’ve included a photo below for more details. These are extremely uncomfortable due to the shape and the tissue expansion but they do the necessary job so that the implants can be placed without any issues.

The surgeon will continue to fill the expanders every week for the next three weeks until they’re the size appropriate for me. After that phase is complete, it will be at least another month of healing before I can have the actual implants placed.

One side effect of all that’s been happening has been weight loss. I believe it’s mostly due to loss of appetite (NOTHING sounds appetizing to me these days) but I’ve lost 10 lbs. I’m actually starting to feel much more like my old self when I look in the mirror but I still have a long way to go on this journey (at least three more months of surgeries and recovery).

This morning I met my medical oncologist referred to me by the breast surgeon, Dr. Keith, to determine if chemo is necessary. This has been weighing heavily on my mind and I’ve been praying I won’t need it. The oncologist, Dr. Ma, is just as incredible as all of my other doctors and I’m so happy with her. She spent a significant amount of time with me, taking her time to go over my pathology reports (there are two) in full detail and made sure I understood the information she was providing. Ask me again in a few hours and I probably will have forgotten everything she said.

So basically, there is no definitive answer yet as to whether or not I need chemo but the oncologist is confident I will NOT need it. She’s running two more tests (one on estrogen levels and the other to determine the likelihood of cancer to reoccur in the long term). Once those tests results are in (about three more weeks) we’ll have a firm answer on the chemo and I’ll know if I’ll need to take that wonderful estrogen pill I mentioned in the previous post. Can’t wait for hot flashes and menopause! 🙄

I’m still on full restriction from the plastic surgeon – sit like a T-Rex and don’t be so Italian. I’m handling it the best I can, trying to take it easy and sleep the days away. I’m honestly so tired of watching my iPad, playing games, using Instagram, writing and reading. My patience is being tested every day (and now God is testing me again with another three-week wait). Luckily those awful drains are out and I’m not feeling the soreness from them pulling on my sides. Having them out makes this a little more bearable.

I took a jaunt into Nashville on Friday to enjoy some shenanigans with my girl friend Cynthia. We didn’t get into anything crazy – no dancing, kept my arms to my sides and no getting wild, but at least I was able to sit out on a rooftop bar under a heat lamp and not be stuck between these same four walls. It was much needed! I’ll continue to behave and follow doctors orders to the best of my ability but sometimes a girl just needs to be out amongst the land of the living!

I want you all to know that whether you’ve donated money, gift cards or sent gifts, cards, flowers, called, texted or emailed, or said a prayer for me, I feel so incredibly grateful for all the love and support you’ve shown me. I know that I am blessed. Until the next update, all my love!

P