Saturday, March 5, 2011

New boobies are coming, new boobies are coming!

Here's the link to my latest article called, "Give me a minute". It's about trying to run into the grocery store, fully intending to pick up a few things. However, like a lot of things in life, crap happens!

OK, enough of my silliness & on to my update.

I had my CAT and bone scan to determine if I'm still cancer free. WHICH I AM!  How cool is that?? But, as you probably imagined, there was a "Lucy moment" when I was getting the bone scan.

Chris (guy doing the scan) had me take off my necklace which got me to thinking; would my breast prosthesis get in the way? So I asked, and he said that, yeah, it would be best to take it off & he hands me a neatly folded cloth. I went into the rest room to change, and then I shook out the fabric, only to find it was a sheet! I'm thinking that Chris doesn't usually get people with prostheses, so he didn't have those unbelievably stylish gowns on hand. I wrapped myself in the sheet, toga style & proceeded back to the room.

Chris looked at me as if I had two heads. It took a second until it hit me – I was supposed to take off my bra & replace my shirt! Instead, I was "nekked" from the waist up.  Why don't things occur to me until AFTER I've done something stupid?

Oh, well, on to the update.

Yesterday, Matt & I went to see Dr. Neal Topham of Fox Chase Cancer Center.  Here's his picture:





Now, remember, I love my former booby daddy, Dr. Morrissey. He's been awesome through everything. However, he's not a micro surgeon, and even though he's skilled at normal breast reconstruction, he didn't think he could give me the best outcome. Rather than give it the old college try, though, he kept telling me about micro surgeons. I think that speaks a lot to that man's character!

Usually, after a mastectomy, a tissue expander is inserted. Gradually, it's filled with saline, until it's stretched enough to insert an implant. This is one of the more common reconstruction practices. However, my tissue expander was eaten by the staph infection that I suffered & it had to be removed. They couldn't put in another one & if you've been following me, you know all about it. If not, you can read about the beginning here.

Due to my many abdominal surgeries from endometriosis, appendectomy, hernia, and three c-sections, the traditional TRAM flap wasn't thought to be an option. The flap is one of the best & most natural looking reconstruction options. Bonus, you get a "two-for" – a tummy tuck! Woo Hoo!

Sadly, though, I wasn't thought to be a candidate & get that perk. Until Dr. Topham!

He looked over my recent CAT scan as well as my bone scan, read my history, & did an exam, and he thinks he can do the TRAM flap anyway. Excellent. There are perks after all!! I figure this guy can do reconstructions in his sleep, so that's why he can do what others can't.

Here's the bummer, though. Due to my recent hernia operation, I have to wait THREE FULL MONTHS before I get my "addaboobtome"! Boogers. But on the bright side, we can go to the shore for our family's Mother's Day weekend! Then, the following week, we schedule my honkin' hooters! There's always a bright side.

OK, I'll keep you posted!

PS You can see all my work for Patch on my home page here!


 
My guestbook