UNDER CONSTRUCTION!!!

Today I finally get these tissue expanders removed....yay!  Even though I've kinda got "used" to them, I can always still "feel" them.  Not painful, but can be uncomfortable.  You just always "feel" a hard foreign object inside of you!  I've had these things in me since July 26, so I'm so ready for this exchange!!!  They are hard and un-natural looking....one is considerably larger and higher than the other (it even wants to poke up above some tops I wear...lol...so I have to be careful what I wear!).  Dr. Jackson has assured me that he will fix that and make them match and tells me I'll be pleased....and I trust him!  :=)

Today I get them replaced with my permanent, soft, silicone implants...yay!  I must admit...I can't wait to see what they will look like (and I'm not a vain person, but this is such a change to my body).  The reconstruction has been such a long journey......barely over 4 months.....but I don't regret it and am so happy to finally be looking at the "prize" today!  :=)  I came really close to NOT doing this!  I could have had my masectomy back in July and healed and been done....except for follow-up check-ups with my surgeon and oncologist.  And I would have been fine with that.  And I'll admit that there were times I wondered..."oh why, oh why did I do this!"...lol!  But, that was in the earlier days.  It isn't particularly easy, but it does get better.

And now, once again, I'm going under general anethesia and the knife.  I tell them they can do anything they want...as long as they put me to sleep.  lol!  I do not expect this surgery to be anything like the last one.  I expect to be sore, of course, but I do not expect to be "down" like I was with the masectomy.  I expect the healing time to be much shorter.  I have my two cancer sisters (hi Carin and Amy!), who have gone through this ahead of me, telling me that it will be instant relief!  I can't wait!  So, I can honestly say that this is one surgery I'm looking forward to!

It is outpatient surgery, so once I get awake and am ready to come home, I'll be set free!  I've come a long way baby!!!!  I'll be a new woman...lol!

Until next time....prayers are accepted and appreciated!  Thanks!

Cindy



I HAVE MY SURGERY DATE!!!!!

I'm so excited that I just had to share!  Dr. Jackson's office just called and set up my "exchange surgery" for December 2.  This is where I will have surgery to get these hard, uncomfortable tissue expanders removed and replaced by nice, soft silicone implants.  So, looks like I'll have my new ta-tas for Christmas!  What else could a girl want?  LOL!

I feel a little silly, as I could have had the surgery done in Columbus (20 miles from me) on Nov. 18 or in Greenwood (50 miles from me) on Dec. 2.  I had to make a quick decision on the phone and while the closeness of Columbus seems appealing, all of my other surgeries have been at the hospital in Greenwood and I love that hospital and the staff and just feel really comfortable with it.  So, I chose to wait and go to Greenwood.  Is that silly?  After I hung up I just felt kinda silly about choosing to wait 2 weeks and go further.  I guess it's just a comfort level.

I asked about the recuperation time and she said it would only be a few days, so this surgery will definately be a simpler one!  I've actually heard from others that have had it done that it's a "piece of cake" compared to the masectomy/reconstruction surgery!

Ok, Dr. Jackson's office just called back to set up the "nipple reconstruction" too....Dec. 22 in Seymour.  Moving right along!   I told her I was feeling a little silly about choosing to wait and have it in Greenwood and if we needed to go ahead at Columbus in November, it would be ok with me.  She assured me it wasn't silly and many patients choose to go there and it won't delay anything at all and they'd have all of my records already at that hospital....so now I don't feel as silly!  Looks like everything is going to get done by the end of year!!!  Yay, considering we've met our "out of pocket" on insurance!  The only thing going into 2012 will be the tattooing of the areola.  Yep, I said tattooing!  And that will be several months after the nipple reconstructon, but is part of that charge....so no big deal! 

LOL...I'm so excited to get my new boobs in time for Christmas!  Now I have 5 more "fills" to go....last one is the first part of November.  Wow, what a process!  I will tell you this....they don't look very pretty right now!  I did a full mirror view of them last night and yuck!  LOL!  They definately need filled more to stretch that loose skin out!  And one incision looks really good and dried up, but the other pulled slightly apart and is raw looking.  The nurse said to use neosporin on it.  I just have to keep reminding myself that they will be beautiful in the end!  :=)  But right now they don't look anything like all those pictures I looked at online before my surgery!  I'll admit it, I'm looking forward to seeing my new boobs.....just like I'm looking forward to my new hairdo!  :=) 

Wow, two more things I can mark off of my "bucket list" soon....a boob job and tattoos!  LOL!  Actually, next year I have decided to get a pretty tattoo of a pink ribbon (down by my ankle). 

 I showed you all what I plan to get earlier on my blog, but here it is again in case you missed it.  I will have 3 stars....one for me, one for my sister Sheila, and one for my mom.  I may end up making a few changes, but this gives you the idea what I have in mind.  But, hey, by that time it will be my 3rd tattoo, so getting a tattoo will be old stuff!  LOL!  Might as well get me a pretty one!  Never imagined me ever even wanting one! 

And other than follow up doctor appointments and my tatoos, it appears my journey will be coming to an end by the end of this year!  But, my journey has changed me.  And as I move forward, I want God to use me and my journey to help others.

Until next time....always remember, I am here if you ever need me!

Cindy