This time 2 years ago I was gearing up for my birthday and also my 3rd and biggest surgery. The “Lat flap” surgery that took 8 hours and had me in 3 or 4 different positions on the operating table. It involved taking skin and muscle from my back and nerves still in tact moving it around to the front to make a patch so I would have enough room to put in an expander and later an implant. When they did my mascetomy the mass was bigger than they thought and there wasn't enough room to put the expander for reconstruction. I had one expander on the right and flat on the left for 7 months. It is amazing what you can get used to as your new normal. I had a little pillow that I put in the left side when I went out but at home I wouldn't use it. I have photos where you can see the difference. I wanted to have some photos of what was real. The reality was that I lived with just one breast for 7 months. I never felt like a part of me had been "amputated" I saw it as the surgeon had to get the bad stuffing out and I just had to wait a little while to get the new stuffing put in. I remember before the surgery feeling like I was the bionic woman. “ We can rebuild her, we have the technology. Better, faster, stronger.” #ImStillHere#hopemovesmountains #survivor #su2c #momof3

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Embrace your community. Even Batman knew he needed the Justice League, you don't have to Move this Mountain on your own.

Image
You look at photos of before the mountain was even there. 3 years ago today I had a beautiful 8 week old baby girl. She was our most wonderful surprise. We had to try for a long time with each of our older girls but this one was an amazing gift we weren't expecting. Our "Bonus Baby" as we started to call her. I look at this photo and I can feel the feelings I was having at this time. I was overwhelmed by suddenly being a #momofthree of course but in these moments when it was just me and her things were sweet and simple. Shortly after this is when the random pains begun in my left breast. I just thought it was an inflamed milk duct so I worked thru the little electric shocks I would get here and there. Being a 3rd time mom doesn't make you an expert by any means. It's different every time. The one thing that is different is that you have even less time to worry about yourself and some little pain that just comes and goes with no rhyme or reason. Eventually when t...
Read more

“How are you feeling? Your smiling, but your always smiling”

 2 years ago. I had had my gallbladder out and ended up back in the ER because of intense pain. I remember checking into the ER and I had to keep talking my self out of passing out from the pain. I told the woman behind the glass, I just had surgery this morning and I've had a bi-lateral mastectomy, 3 babies and this was the worst pain out of it all. I spent 3 days in the hospital and at one point my doctor came to see me and asked how I was feeling. He said "Your smiling, but your always smiling." That was me, my theory was to "Just Keep Smiling" My hair was really starting to grow back and I was gearing up for my biggest surgery. You would think the first was the biggest but the rebuilding process proved more complicated. I earned my wings, my cape and a fast pass thru the pearly gates the past couple of years. For someone who had never had surgery before having 5 in one year was crazy. I am really trying to hold on to the memory of right before I fell asleep...
Read more