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.
********************************* Pictures below********************************************************
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.
Josefina…
aka…Pina
My Breast Cancer Journey 