Wow ! Where to begin! The non-cancer side (RT) was reduced/lifted and treated with fat transfer for contouring. The left received fat transfer through two small injections on the flap mound. The healed previous scar was not manipulated.
Scare revisions: The gluteal (buttocks) scar was revised, with fat transfer for contouring. The front diep flap scar was revised, the scar will now sit lower below the umbilicus, and will be tighter. For those of you that have been following my blog, you know that I have a long scar on my back from the latissimus dorsi, surgery in November 2018. My NOLA surgeon asked how that scar felt. I answered honestly,:the scar has been bothersome, sometimes it pulls stopping me in my tracks we talked about revising that scar as well, which he did. It turns out there was a void underneath the scar wear he had me point to at my pre-op appointment.
Seems like a lot, I am not in pain🌸 I did not expect all the scar revisions, however when we talked about it at my pre-op it made sense, especially for the Lat- D scar!
The Lat-D scar is long, starts just below the left shoulder all the way down to below the waist line. I grateful for this facility an all their expertise with breast reconstruction.
The current plan is to discharge me today, I will finish my recovery here in NOLA till next week, we will fly to Cali for a couple of weeks after that. I have always said “ all want is two boobs” I know they will never be twins, I am good with “sisters”
This time it is working 💞🌸Mahalo for reading my blog and continued prayers for Lahaina🏝️ Pina (Josefina)
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.
Since my last blog, I had mentioned how the Surgical Center in NOLA was trying to coordinate wound VAC care on Maui. The two facilities mentioned in previous blog would not take me on as a patient, however the Surgical Center did find a wound care specialist with Venture Physical Therapy here on Maui that took me on as a patient. I am forever grateful to the team in Louisiana for searching high and low for someone that allowed us to return to Maui for my recovery.
Originally I had six drains from the March 1st surgery. Four of the drains were removed 2 weeks post-op, leaving the two on my hips. Traveling with the drains was interesting, but now add on a medical device and it gets interesting. I was also required to wear a compression garment, with ABD bandages padding the drainage tubes and scars around my waist. Let’s just say that I had a private pat downs at the airports getting thru TSA.
Since I have been back on Maui, I have been seeing Terri with Venture P.T. three times a week for wound VAC dressing change, the Jackson-Pratt drains have been maintained by my husband. The WV can be disconnected for two hours daily to allow me to shower. In case you are wondering if it takes two hours to shower? Yes it does. having these tubes connected to your body and wearing a compression garment made it so it was a whole production to shower. The compression garment had to be undone for about half hour prior to a shower to avoid getting dizzy(we learned the hard way). The tubes then had to wrangled on a rope around my neck, they could not just dangle from my body. After showering, the drains, which I named “Bonnie and Clyde” were treated and padded and the compression garment was back on. Then the wound VAC, which I named ” Al Capone” was reconnected and turned on.
Above the tubes with blue are the drains, that are attached to right and left hips. The WV tube is the one that is just below the left breast. With each dressing change, the entry point placement is moved to allow my skin to recover from the adhesive tape. Quite an ordeal, my skin was not liking the tape!
I have been wearing a compression garment and have had the drainage tubes since the March 1st surgery. The wound VAC has been attached to me since March 28th! With that being said, I am now “decompressed and free”! I was given the ok to have the drainage tubes removed on Thursday May 11th! On Mothers Day, the wound VAC was discontinued and we switched to a topical dressing! Last week was a test for discontinuing use of the WC, the decision to keep it off was made on Thursday the 18th!!!!
The left breast flap that detached from my body warranting the surgical debridements and the use of a wound VAC, is not completely closed up. However, it is now to the point where a topical dressing will suffice, so I continue to see Terri with Venture P.T. My first visit with Terri was on April 15th. the open wound measured about 17cm wide and almost 3cm in height, I do not remember the depth. Today the wound is 6cm wide, and under 2cm in height, with the wound being flush to the skin. Wound VACS are cumbersome but amazing !
I am going to stop, I did not intend for this to be so long…Mahalo for reading my blog and for all the get well wishes and prayers.
Much ALOHA, Pina
The picture of me above was taken at The Hotel Wailea, which is where I was treated to breakfast for Mother’s Day by my son-in-law and daughter. We laughed because my shirt matched the orchids!
I have been wanting to blog for a couple of days now. I was discharged from The St. Charles Surgical Hospital on Saturday March 4th. My husband Jack stayed with me the whole time as each room is private and has a Murphy Bed for you significant other. Each day nutritional services takes down your order for breakfast/lunch and dinner for both patient and family member.
I remember when I was taken back to pre-op shortly after arriving at 6am, Jack was told that he can wait for me in my room (more like a suite), Suite 217. After changing into the gown the Physical Therapist came in and wrapped my left arm, which stayed wrapped for several hours after the surgery. It was challenging for the team to find a vein for I.V. access, one of the Anesthesiologist is the one who was able to get it after they placed my arm in a heated blanket. With that being said they did not have multiple nurses attempting to access my vein. They immediately let the Anesthesiologist know that they were unable to start my I.V. After the I.V. was successfully started I was taken to the O.R. I remember getting wheeled out of pre-op and that’s it!
The operation was over eight hours long, I do not know the exact length. I was brought to my suite between 7-7:30pm, making the surgery 12 hours, but I do not know how long I was in post-op. Either way , it was long. My incision is 360 degrees around my waist line. Bilateral SGAP and they harvestesd veins from abdominal area, hence the incision across the belly. I knew going in that, that was going to be a possibility if the veins from the back side were not long enough, they would harvest veins from abdomen. Drains were a total of six. Right side; Breast, Abdomen, Hip. Left side; Breast, Abdomen, Hip. I was up and walking the next day (March 2nd) and was going to be released on Friday the 3rd. However because I threw up my breakfast they opted to keep me till Saturday the 4th. Jack then took over my care, keeping track of pain medication times, draining the tubes, documenting the fluid for each individual drain, helping me shower, shampooing my hair and redressing the incisions, putting back on the compression girdle and compression bra.
My post-op was on the 8th, four drains were removed, I still have both hip drains. Everything is looking really good. Challenging for me is that for the next four weeks I have to sleep on my back, can not sleep on my side (I am a side sleeper) or tummy. Also the compression garment that I have to wear. My next post-op appointment is Monday the 12th, I should be released to travel back after that.
I am really trying to make these blogs short, one last thing. Thank you for all the prayers and get well wishes thru this blog and social media.
Tomorrow is the day! Over a year in planning, the day has come. I’m excited for the end result. I am emotionally ready, SPIRITUALLY READY, physically ready and with the love and support of my husband, family, friends and medical teams both here in Louisiana and on Maui I know this will be it! Since the beginning of this year every Friday I have had countless appointments leading up to this. Labs, urinalysis, physical therapy, dental cleaning, EKG, wellness therapy appointments have been non stop. Surgery number 9, but who’s counting! The day has finally arrived!
Todays appointments consisted of Physical Therapy, went over lymphedema of the left arm. My left arm will be wrapped from fingers to just above the elbow. My upper body strength and range of motion was documented, and we went over post-op therapy. I was then taken to radiology to have a Cat Scan and sat with nurse to discuss what would happen once I arrive at The St. Charles Surgical Hospital tomorrow morning at 6am. The pre-op nurse went over all the pre-op instructions, and gave us (my husband and myself) plenty of opportunities to ask questions. The Anesthesiologist also sat with us and went over everything. My final appointment was with the Surgeon and his clinic with one of the facilities P.A’.s. To say that this hospital is well organized, kind, empathetic and know how to place one at ease is an understatement. My body has been marked with the purple pen mapping out the plan. I have been given the Hibiclens (very familiar with that). The challenge for me will be NO products on my body, hair etc. after my shower this evening and tomorrow morning. It going on 9pm here in Louisiana, time to start prepping for tomorrow.
Mahalo for all the well wishes and prayers (KEEP THEM COMING)…Aloha Pina
My Breast Cancer Journey 