This blog has been on my mind, I had intended to blog the week that the Lahaina fires happened also the fires in upcountry. Blogging took a back seat, as our beautiful island recovered and continues to recover from the tragedy that happened here. The picture above was taken April 2008, on one of our wedding anniversary trips to Maui. The Lahaina Banyan Tree turned 150 on April 24 of this year. The tree might recover and live…however so many people have lost their loved ones, families gone. I pray that the survivors of Lahaina will be able to recover from this tragedy.
The second phase: I am off to Louisiana for the second phase of my SGAP breast reconstruction. This surgery was supposed to happen the first week of June, however the complications pushed the surgery out. I am really happy with the way the left breast is healing. I still continue to wear a bandage under the fold of the breast that is still healing.
The plan for this surgery is to make the breast more symmetrical. Currently the right breast is quite a bit larger than the left. The left breast will not be manipulated, we plan on leaving it alone. I have always been told by the plastic surgeon that the breast would no longer be twins, that they will be sisters! Well currently they are not twins, nor sisters…they are more like distant cousins! The right side will be reduced and lifted to match the left.
I am going to stop here, I just wanted to touch base with all whom have subscribed to my blog and have been reading my blogs.
Mahalo for the well wishes and prayers for the people affected by the fires.
We are now in the month of May and I did not realize that I have not blogged this year! I received a message asking me about my progress and it made me think about the last time I blogged…so thank you for the gentle reminder.
Wow here it goes, in February I had a very candid talk with my plastic surgeon about moving forward with reconstruction. The decision was made to put off reconstruction to allow my body to heal. Dr. Eko was completely on board when I told him that I wanted to postpone reconstruction. I think having five surgeries under general anesthesia and several revisions under local anesthesia, merits taking some time for healing. So, we will wait for up to two years before I attempt left breast reconstruction again.
In the mean while I have been going to Eisenhower for Lymphatic Drainage Massage. The Occupational Therapist at Eisenhower Medical Center have been a god send. I asked for a referral for therapy, as I new that the heaviness that I was feeling on my upper arm was not just fat, and I could see my left side “puffier” then my right. However, the main concern as well was the adhesions that formed under my Diep Flap surgery scar. On both sides of my umbilicus (belly button) I have these tube like masses. The Therapist have been massaging them out in an attempt to break them up to no avail. Unfortunately they will have to be surgically removed. With that being said I am scheduled for a Scar Revision Surgery at Eisenhower Outpatient Surgical Center this Thursday May 9th. If the adhesions were not bothersome I would just leave them be, however, at times they cause me pain that stops me in my tracks.
The Therapist have shown me how to properly massage my chest wall, abdominal area, basically my front torso. And Jack (husband) learned how to do the back. The Latissimus dorsi flap is healing really nice. I have been fitted with a prosthetic (boob) and just this past week started wearing it. I kind of feel defeated, I feel like I am right back wear I started from but with a lot more scars on my body, the good thing is that I am alive and thriving! Scars are battle wounds that have a story to tell, I just didn’t think it would be part of my story.
Today is Saturday May 11th, my surgery went well, it was a minor surgery and I feel great. I am going to attach some pictures to this blog for those of you that have been following my journey, and wish to see how I am healing.
The Latissimus dorsi scar and drainage tube scars have healed nicely
The area in the black box is where the adhesions formed that were surgically removed May 9th.
This is the “donor site” where the skin from my left thigh was used to cover the Latissimus dorsi muscle when my Diep Flap surgery failed. My flap failed because it lost it’s blood supply due to a large hematoma. The picture below is a huge improvement compared to previous pictures. Losing the Diep Flap pretty much saved my life because that is also when the bacterial infections were discovered, preventing sepsis was the main goal. I am so grateful to the Infectious Disease team that worked along side with my Plastic Surgeon at Eisenhower Medical Center.
In the Month of March and April I had my Mammogram (of the Right side only) obviously even though I did have a prophylactic mastectomy of the right side, I also my annual Bone Density and Cat Scan at the Comprehensive Canter in Palm Springs…Happy to report that all my test went well, and my good friend, ex-coworker, cancer fighting sister was right along side me and she is doing spectacular!
Final picture…here I am again just before my scar revision surgery. I am recovering well, it was out patient surgery early in the morning, we were home be noon.
Thank you for reading my blog and feel free to share my story.
The final phase of reconstruction has arrived, tomorrow morning I will have my surgery. My expanders, which I nicknamed “cinder blocks” will be removed and replaced with Silicone Gel Implants! Some people think, awesome ….you get implants! I’m sure I have said this before in a previous blog…..reconstructive surgery and a breast augmentation are two total different surgeries. An augmentation is an “enhancement” of you breast. Where as all my natural breast tissue and nipples have been removed and the implants will be placed to form a breast. Later, I will have nipples tattooed.
In the picture above, I am at my primary doctors office, this picture was taken today. The reason I was at the doctors today is because I ended up with a sore on/in my nose. I was placed on an anti-viral med and had to come see the doctor today. If the sore did not scab then my primary doctor was going to recommend that my surgery be delayed! Good results…it scabbed….the surgery is on!
The operating room is reserved for four hours tomorrow. I arrive in the morning, with pre-op time and post-op time, it could be a seven hour day. It is an out-patient surgery so I will be coming home tomorrow.
The pictures below were taken this past week end. I am so glad that my husband and I were able to get together with my cousins and spouses. Words can not express how much these two dahlings ( I know that is spelled wrong, that is the pronunciation we use) mean. My cousins have been so supportive through out this journey, besides my husband and kids.
Notice the label on the wine bottle says “Group Therapy”….that was the best group session ever!!!!
Maholo for taking the time to read my blog, I need to go take a shower with “Hibicleanse” to prep for tomorrow.
De Quervain Tenosynovitis , well that is a mouth full! I had my appointment with the Orthopedist on Monday and that is what is causing all my pain! I received a cortisone shot in the joint space and my wrist/thumb was placed in this lovely immobilizer. I am to wear this contraption for six weeks preventing movement of wrist and use of thumb. IF after the six week period condition is not improved, surgery will be an option! Hummmm, the challenge for me will be resting it……six weeks…..really?
I have a couple of weeks before I see my Oncologist, so I won’t know the results of my CT scan till then. This is going to be a short post, just to update you on my wrist condition, kind of awkward typing not using left thumb !
Best news yet is the fact that our medical coverage did not change and I am able to keep all my current doctors. For those of you that read my last post, there was a possibility that our insurance coverage was going to change. It was a blessing and a huge relief when I found this out……was truly worried.
My Breast Cancer Journey 