From Uniboober to Bionic Boobs....

"We can rebuild her, we have the technology, we can make her stronger, faster, thinner." Ahh, fond memories of Lindsay Wagner. For those of you who don't get the reference (ie. Kara Mullican and friends - I know you like to be mentioned in the blog) it is probably better that way.

Well, it is a spectacular Friday morning as I write this. I am hoping that a spontaneous trip down the shore will actually happen later today. I have my surgery scheduled for next Tuesday, August 11th at 7:30am. I am the first "case"on the schedule. It is an odd feeling for me. It's not like I didn't come through the first surgery with flying colors...I have always counted on my body to come through the surgeries I've had and I've never had a problem so I don't anticipate any now. It's just different. Maybe it's because my body has been through so much this year, maybe it's because I am tired (!), maybe it's because I have had more time to think about the surgery (which is much more involved than the last one), or maybe it is just that I am losing my only remaining breast (my back-up boob...).

Now don't get me wrong - I have good feelings about this surgery, I think it's just that I want it to be over already. I want to be healing, have the next surgeries, and be healing, and then I want to go back to my life with only tests and doctors appointments every three months to look forward to...

Here is what's happening (I have to warn you that some of this is not for the squeamish). I've started Tamoxifen (later than expected due to sinus infection), and I will be on that until some time in the fall when Dr. Kennedy is satisfied that I am in menopause. Some concerns here are that some of the possible side effects are uterine cancer, DVT, blood clots, stroke, etc. but it is better than recurrence so on to the next. (and if you really think about it, those are the possible side effects of birth control pills too) Then I will switch to Femara for about 10 years. The Femara will not work unless I am in menopause so that is why we are starting with Tamoxifen.

My CAT Scan (as reported earlier) showed that the pneumonitis has resolved, and my PET Scan is clear. I have had all my pre-admission testing bloodwork, ekg, etc. and I had my last appointment with Dr. Gottlieb before surgery on August 4th at 2pm. He went over all the details of his part of the surgery and follow-up again and I signed all the consents. Susan, Colleen and I asked a million questions. I told him that I won't know if I'm coming or going. (that is a punch line that will only make sense after you read about the surgery)

So this surgery is a 2 parter. First, Dr. Simmons will do a left mastectomy. That should take about an hour. Then Dr. Gottlieb will begin the process of reconstruction. Initially (last year) I thought I was going to go with the abdominal flap but I have rethought this, as major abdominal surgery at this time is just too much stress on my body. I had planned to have implants but you know what they say about the best laid plans.....Well, I shouldn't say that - I am having implants it is just that due to the radiation to my right side Dr. Gottlieb has opted to remove all that skin and take skin, muscle, and blood supply from my right back and shift it, under the skin, under my right arm until it is covering my right chest wall. He will make that into a flap and insert an expander. The other side (where Dr. Simmons will have just finished the mastectomy) will be easier - Dr. Gottlieb will just insert the expander. Essentially, on my right side, part of my back will become part of my boob - hence - (punch line) I won't know whether I'm coming or going...He said that in some cases he has to take the skin from the butt and that causes all sorts of other punch lines but I'm glad that we are not going there "la la la la". He says that he will start the expansion process two weeks after surgery. He will inject saline into the expanders which will expand the skin. This will be done a few times and then more surgery to replace the expanders with silicone implants and create nipple and areola. But I'm getting ahead of myself. When I come out of surgery I will have 2 drains in my back and drains on each breast. I will have 2 pain pumps this time. I am thinking that I will have to experience all this before I can report it to you accurately. Strangely, the thing that bothers me most is that I have this bilateral tentonitis in my wrists which is very painful. I am concerned about how much I will be able to do for myself in the early weeks of recovery.

But today is a beautiful day and I am heading down the shore. For a few hours this will all be out of my mind (really- to you who doubt). Pondering what it was like for my mother to have her second mastectomy, or what the next week will bring will be put on hold for awhile while I enjoy - just being. So while I may write again before surgery - (ponderings, remember?) more likely than not I will be back after surgery - which - oh, by the way, Aetna pre-certed 7 (!) days in the hospital (Torresdale again...now known as Aria Healthcare...don't get me started) 7 days is unheard of. I predict 3 or less....Gottlieb says about 5 maybe 4....we'll see.

I feel all of you with me, please continue to keep me in your prayers and even though I see you or you call, e-mail, facebook, etc. - if you get a moment, leave a comment on the blog. I like reading them here. Thanks.

Talk to you later.