It seems like just yesterday my breast cancer journey started. As a matter a fact this month marks two years since my diagnosis. It was August 18th that I had my biopsies that resulted with those dreadful words….”you have cancer”! Many of you have kept up with my journey via this blog, and I thank you for your messages and support.
Now that Chemotherapy, Left Breast Mastectomy and Radiation Treatment are behind me, it is now time for reconstruction! The decision to have a Right Breast prophylactic Mastectomy was an easy one for me as I am aware that I am high risk for a reoccurrence. This past month (July) I had a little scare, I had a Breast MRI, and was called back for a second look on the right breast! I immediately thought “oh crap….here I go again”! Fortunately it was nothing and I was given to go ahead to proceed with the surgery! (sigh)
The surgery will happen on August 22nd, as of today I do not have a time. I will have two surgeons working on me. While the Breast Surgeon is performing the skin sparring mastectomy on the right side, the Plastic Surgeon will be placing an expander on the left side. When the PS is finished with the left side and the right side mastectomy is complete he will the place an expander on the right side. When I wake up, I will have four drains, two of which will be removed one week after surgery. The other two drains will be removed when fluid has subsided. After the scars have healed somewhat, the Plastic Surgeon will then start to fill (inflate) the expanders weekly till desired fullness has been reached. After about three months of healing and praying that my body does not reject the expanders, the expanders will be switched out with the implants. The goal is a C cup:)
People have to understand that this is Breast Reconstruction after treatment for cancer…..it is not an Augmentation…….huge deference! I am thankful for the medical team that I have, but most of all for my husband and family without them this journey would have been impossible, I know that I am in good hands!!!
I always mention a little something about the picture I include with my blog. My husband and I took a quick little getaway trip to Maui the last week of June. This sunset picture was taken using a sunset setting on my camera, it cracks me how people (tourist, visitors) leave the beach as soon as the sun disappears from the horizon. This pictures was taken approximately 20 minutes after the sun had set! Dependent on the clouds, there is usually a show of colors AFTER the sun has set….you just have to be patient….dinner can wait !
Mahalo for reading my blog
I just got a call from the hospital, they verified name and insurance etc…. they will call me the day before the surgery with the time of the surgery!
My Breast Cancer Journey 