Gettin on with life and reconstruction

It has been a while since I have have posted so I figured there is no time like the present to update. On 10/22/08 I had a bilateral with immediate reconstruction. I now have expanders in. They are like implants only they are filled with saline over a period of time. This is done to stretch the skin. And let me tell ya they are as hard as BRICKS, but hey I am not complaining. I will keep these in until I get my permanant ones put in around April.

This has been a long road. Both mentally and physically I still have a long road ahead of me. I am so happy that I dont have to have radiation. I went to a radiation specialist at MCV in Richmond and he advised me that it really would not be worth the trouble for me. YAY!! I am really just ready to get back to San Antonio and exhale! I have one more fill next week and then I will be just waiting for my surgery date. I will keep you posted!!

By the way it sure is nice to be able to say PRESIDENT Obama!!! YAYYYYYY!!!!

Surgery Over and Done!!

Okay so surgery was the 22ncd of October. I did the bilateral with immediate reconstruction. It was really cool. The Tv news crew was there filming the whole thing. They are doing a documentary on my journey through breast cancer. It will air most likely in Feb. I will keep you posted. Surgery went really well!! The breast cancer is now just meaningless dead cells and I only had 1 node with 6 dead cells involved. I may not have to have radiation which is really good news! So far I dont miss my breast but the implants that I have in right now are hard and high. I have been told that this is just temporary until they put the permanent implants in. I got my drains removed today and I feel like a new women!! So far so good. I feel so much better with the surgery behind me.

48 Hours Left with my breasts

Well I now have less than 48 hours left until I must say goodbye to my breasts forever. Even though I am having immediate reconstruction it will not be the same as the breasts I grew and have had all my life. I have been crying off and on all day. I am a wreck but I am hoping by Wed I will pull it together and "women up!" I know that I am blessed to be leaving the cancer at the hospital but I am still sad about the loss of my breasts. I am feeling so nervous and afraid but I am sure I will be okay because I trust God and as long as he is in control I will be okay.

Getting Ready for Surgery

Okay surgery month is finally here. I am scared but ready to get er done. I have decided on a bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction, which means my plastic surgeon will put in temporary implants at the time of my mastectomy surgery. So I will wake up with a B cup if im lucky. Then each week I will go to my plastic surgeon and get them filled until we have reached the desired size. After that I will get the "exchange" surgery where the plastic surgeon will replace the temporary implants with the permanent gummy bear implants. Oh did I forget to mention that I am gonna have radiation in the midst of all of this. Wow what a journey!

I feel great!! I am back to my love of running and I have lost a total of 10 pounds of the chemo/steroid weight that I gained. Running feels so good now and I appreciate it now more than ever before. After this diagnosis I dont look at things as I did pre breast cancer. I dont sweat the small stuff and as I read somewhere before, it's all small stuff!

To Radiate or not, that is the question

Sep 11, 2008

Well today I went to see a radiation doc who advised me that because I had the one positive node I will need radiation. I even explained that I will be having a double mastectomy with immediate reconstruction, and he still feels like radiation is warranted. He said it will give me an additional 10% chance of it not returning. All of this is so confusing!! The side effects of radiation from what I hear can cause cancer!!! My second opinion doc says that if they dont find more than 3 positive nodes at the time of surgery, radiation may not be necessary. I dont want over kill on my body but I want to reduce my risks of cancer coming back as much as I can!! UUGGHHH Im so confused!!