Life IS much better without drains.

Anyone I have ever talked to regarding breast reconstruction or augmentation has said that once the drains come out, it's all easier. It's only been a few hours but so far, I agree.

The plastic surgeon I generally see had to fly home for a family emergency today, so I saw one of his partners.

He checked my fabulously meticulously self-upkept output chart and agreed that those disgusting drains were ready to be removed.
He also confirmed that my skin looked great and were ready for another fill.
Could this Friday the 13th get any better?!? No, it certainly cannot!

Eric came with me for the appointment which was awesome. Appointments are always better with someone that cracks me up...and then takes pictures of me. :)

I will have another appointment next week for another fill.
The surgeon advised me to start trying on clothes so I know how much more we want to push in these puppies.
He, of course, didn't use those words, but that's what I got out of the conversation.
So, I'm supposed to just keep coming every week for fills until the shirts I like fit. That sounds easy enough.

I'm a walking breast cancer ribbon poster child some days.
Some people get peeved by the ribbons and logos. I don't. I like them.

I like when obviously ill people wear "their color" so I know which type of illness they are fighting. It's like a little unspoken language between everyone. It saves me time thinking about it.
I can just see someone obviously with cancer wearing a pink ribbon and think, Hmmm... Breast cancer. That sucks. Then I say a quick prayer for them. If I see someone wearing a logo or colored ribbon I'm not familiar with, I google it. Gotta stay educated on the causes!

I like to think that all of these ribbons really are spreading awareness.
Even if they're not, maybe there are some people like me that just like to drop random prayers for people wearing cause ribbons.
That works, too. :)

First and foremost, how adorable is this guy?
I mean, seriously?? He was just sitting in the plastic surgeons office and I knew I had to take a picture.
Actually, this is my adorable husband, who doesn't get nearly enough props on my blog. He is AMAZING.

One reason he is super amazing is that he doesn't care if I wear crazy hats or pink wigs. He doesn't get embarrassed. He takes me everywhere and anywhere without thinking twice. He's one of those guys that really gets the whole "in sickness and health" part of his vows.
Here is the hat I wore today. It's cold as hell here.

Cancer Hat...check!
Cancer shirt...check!
See how easy it is to determine why I'm bald?
You're all welcome! ;)

Here's what an expander looks like that is sitting on a cold counter top and hasn't been filled yet. I found it in a drawer. I'm super nosy at doctor's offices. It's a deceiving little sucker. This one looks so nice and soft and cozy. In fact, once it's placed and filled, it feels similar to a softball. The surgeon I had today said that I could "easily knock a little kid out with them." I might try that before bed. Kidding.
Instead, I will spend the next 6 months learning how NOT to sleep on my stomach or side.

'Weighing my options' with some fun implants I found in another drawer. They're really lucky that people don't steal their cool drawer stuff. I don't know what my fascination is with doctor's office drawers. I couldn't care less what people have in their house drawers and cabinets, but put me in a doctor's office unattended and I'm like a kid at Christmas. Ace bandages and gloves?? Score! :)

Tastes like chicken!

Getting ready to have the drains removed. The doctor and nurse counted to 3 and pulled them out at the same time. It was a little sore for a few minutes but feels great now. Easy Peasy.

Here is the handy stud finder. He uses this to find the little silver circle in my expanders. That's where they insert the needles for my fills.

This is me trying to persuade them to throw an extra 75 in each one. He flatly told the nurse to stop at 50 for today. Come on, man! Let's stretch these suckers!

If I weren't actually going through this right now, I would totally think people were just making it up as they describe the breast reconstructive process.
How can you not just lie there and laugh as two people simultaneously shoot fluid in your softballs with gigantic syringes? It looks like an SNL sketch!
I love my life.

A whole lot of nothing!

My drains are putting out what they should be FINALLY, so I think we're on track to have them taken out on Friday. Houston is trying his damndest to yank them out before then. He keeps me on my toes. In his sweet little mind, the fluid in the drains is cancer and he wants no part of it.
I don't blame him. My littles sure have learned a lot about the c-word since August. I can't wait until the day he tells all of his friends that his mom has new big boobs instead of cancer. :)

It's been nine days since my surgery and my mom is heading back to SD tomorrow. All good things must come to an end. She spent today packing. It gave me a 'trial day' to see if I could handle my kids alone post-surgery.
I was a little sore, a little tired, but we all managed. The kids were actually pretty easy on me. I'm hopeful this is a new trend.

I now know that anything I plan to feed the kids has to be on the 1st and 2nd shelves of the pantry and fridge, since I can't raise my arms. Thank goodness my kids are fans of cereal, grilled cheese, jarred peaches and cottage cheese. :)

I forgot to post some pics from the days right after surgery.

Here are the signs I was welcomed home by:

My wonderful niece, Cheyanne, made this fabulous sign for me once we got the all clear on the pathology report.
Yes, she's wayyyy too young to write ASS. We will let it slide since she asked her dad's permission first. Love that girl!

The most fabulous woman ever took the day off from her job as a social worker to babysit my kids for the entire day of surgery. She even came equipped with art supplies.
The kids are still asking for Jodi to come back to "do art and play phones."
I will never be able to thank you enough, Jodi!

Here's me in all of my hotness. I have no idea which day this was. I may or may not be wearing the same exact outfit right now.
Don't hate on my XXXXL old lady robe. The recommended zip up flannel robe options for post mastectomies are very limited.

I made myself a drain holder by using my dusting mitt to stuff my three bags in. That's some Pinterest shit, right there. ;)

Here's a different pic of my drains. Gross, right? Check out the fancy safety pins. :)
The pants may be even worse than the drains. They, too, have become a staple this week.

I have to write down my outputs daily.

I also kept a little med chart so I could make sure my caretakers remembered to keep me drugged at all times.
Yes, for all you eagle-eyes, I did take a stool softener for a few days. No, for all you nosy people, they didn't work. Ha!

Small things like this crack me up.
Six months ago, I wouldn't have in a million years even posted a pic on Facebook that I hadn't first used Picnik.com to take 5 lbs off, add highlights to my hair or whiten my teeth.
I now openly (and often!) post pics of me sans make up, a little chunkier than I would like and with no hair, eyebrows or lashes. I also post the frequency of my stool softener usage.
Insanity, I tell you!

I would like to think that once I'm back to full on health, I might splash on a little lipstick and mascara, for old times sake. Paraben-free, of course!


Whew. I feel so much better getting this all typed out and off my oddly shaped chest. You know this blog is more for me than for you, right? ;)

Have a good one!

Plastics Guy

I love meeting with my plastic surgeon. He's adorable and considered a genius in his field.
I like to people watch in his office more than anything.
I feel like I'm on a Midwestern version of 'Nip/Tuck'.
Tomorrow marks one month before my 'ticking time bombs' will be removed.

Everything is on schedule for my surgery as long as my Echo and physical results come back ok.

The doctor thinks I will only have to stay in the hospital for two nights. He also reassured me numerous times that he's liberal with the pain meds, so I shouldn't worry.
The fact that pain meds make me puke is the ONLY thing I'm currently worried about.

I will be in surgery for 3-4 hours between the mastectomies and first stage of reconstruction.
There will be drains placed on both sides that will drain excess fluids from the surgical sites. They will be gross and uncomfortable, but necessary. I will have them for about a week.

Here's a pic of a complete stranger with a drain. I love the internet! :)

Another fun fact, Dr. Migliori will be using AlloDerm when he puts my expanders in.
AlloDerm is derived from tissue of postmortem human cadaver donors that have been donated to the US tissue banks.

My final surgery where my expanders will be exchanged with implants will depend on how much radiation I will need. Right now, we are planning on 35 treatments. We won't know for sure though until my first surgery.
I will either have it six months from the date of my mastectomy, or six months from the start of radiation. That puts it at either July or August 2012.
It also seems like an eternity from now.
Cancer-free in 2012, yo!

Are you curious how big I will be at the end?
Of course you are. ;)
Well, I won't be anywhere near Dolly Parton. We are just hoping to almost double my original ones and put them back where they used to be pre-kids.
We are shooting for at least 450-500 ccs.
I would like to go bigger but it's not in the cards.
Dr. Mig is a genius, but not a magician. It all depends on how my skin does with the radiation and tissue expanders.

I have an appointment on Monday with my primary care physician to have my pre-op physical.
I haven't seen her since she missed my initial lump.
I have no idea why I'm going to her again.

Actually, I have thought about changing doctors, but I don't want her to forget me or my story.
I don't want her to dismiss another patient that is concerned about a lump. I don't want her to tell another person that she has "lumpy bumpies" and send her on her way.
I want this doctor to see that *LUCKILY* I was persistent and gave her another chance to order a mammogram for me.

I hope I was a "teaching moment" for her.
I hope she now errs on the side of caution and orders mammograms every damn time she feels something she questions, no matter what the age or family background is of the patient. I hope I will be her last "lumpy bumpy" patient that has to go home and worry, without answers, as to why the bump in her breast is growing.

Besides the tumor biz, she was a pretty good doctor. As long as I don't get cancer again, I'm probably ok sticking with her. :)

I hope you all have an awesome weekend!