Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Positive Update

So, I just posted my few weeks following my revision surgery because I didn’t get it posted before we left on vacation. Now at almost 6 weeks post-op, I wanted to give an update of how things have been since then.

First, I am pretty sure I have almost all of my energy back! I haven’t been feeling anywhere near as tired as those first couple weeks. I wish I could honestly say no more naps, however, …oops! For the first time in over a year, my body’s defenses let down and I got whatever bug is going around. First, I woke up barely being able to talk, which lasted for almost a week. Then that turned into a lovely sinus infection (while we were on vacation!) and a cough. Antibiotics quickly helped with the sinus infection, but I still have a cough. Needless to say, over our vacation I took a few naps just because of how crummy I was feeling. Who knows?! I could have been tired due to my surgery and whatever buggy I caught! Either way, I am now feeling pretty good!

I have been lifting more and more. I held off on heavy lifting for as long as I could because I really wanted the internal stitches encompassing the pocket to heal and remain put this time around. I don’t know what caused the pockets to disappear following the exchange surgery, but I was not taking any chances. So, until I had to load up the suitcases into the car for our vacation (hubby was on business!), I hadn’t been doing too much strenuous lifting. Now I’m pretty much back to the norm – carrying several grocery bags at one time, lugging the folded laundry upstairs, picking up one of the boys to place them in a cart, etc.

In between the exchange and revision surgeries, I had explained briefly how having the implants under the chest wall muscle deformed the implants with certain movements (see post). As, I stated previously, I know that was probably something only I was aware of, but it still really bothered me. I have noticed following this surgery that there is much less deformity during those same movements. Maybe it was due to the fact that the implants had fallen out of their pockets before the revision surgery and there was the ability for movement of the implant and deformity of the surrounding skin? No matter what the reason, I am very happy to not be seeing that so much now! Well, at least to a much lesser extent.

Last week I had another post-op appointment. It went really well! I still have a small area (where it popped open before, see post) underneath the right breast that is not completely healed. It is still about the size of the tip of a pencil eraser, so not too bad. Also, on the left side underneath there is a small area that still hasn’t finished healing either. My plastic surgeon (PS) said that it was probably an abscess where a suture was. She figured it would take at least several more weeks or a month or more for everything to finally be fully healed. It’s weird how if you get a cut or something fairly superficial, your body normally closes up the wound and heals pretty quickly. Actually, the majority of my incisions healed up very quickly. However, there are a few times now after being cut open 3 separate times in one year my body has just taken its sweet time finishing the job. Very soon I should be healed with no open “wounds” and hopefully done with surgeries (at least until it’s the ovaries’ turns).

So far, the placement of the implants is great and I am pretty sure they still look natural. Thank you to my PS, who has done an outstanding job keeping them looking as natural as is possible in these circumstances! As a reminder to those who are new to my blog, last April, my breast surgeon removed all of my breast tissue from my collar bone down to underneath each breast. Then my PS placed expanders, followed by implants, underneath the chest wall muscle. So needless to say, there really isn’t much for her to work with. If the implants do not stay in their new “homes” I will have foobs that go down to my waist, like before my revision surgery. (Okay, that is a little bit of an exaggeration, but you get my point!) And if my PS had made the pockets too tight, my foobs would be very round and not look natural. She has done a great job though. I am fairly certain they look pretty normal to the casual observer. Although this could just be wishful thinking or the fact that this is my new “normal” and I am actually starting to get used to it! My PS did say there will probably still be some dropping due to gravity, but I am going to try to wear very supportive bras and still wear a light one at night to help them stay as close to where they are as possible!

At the end of the appointment my PS decided to take pictures. (I can’t remember if I’ve mentioned this before, but right before the mastectomy and in between the other two surgeries, they took pictures from different angles so they would have the progression of the results.) I was pretty happy about that just because that meant she felt we were at the end. At least complete enough for a (somewhat) final picture. Additionally, she made my day when she said she didn’t want to see me again for 3 MONTHS!! Yes, I said months! That is the longest I’ve gone without seeing her for about a year and a half, maybe longer due to all of the preparation, decisions and appointments prior to the mastectomy! I was thrilled! Even the girl making my next appointment commented, “Wow! Three months!” My PS said 3 months, then after that 6 months and then only once a year! But of course if I have any issues I can see her earlier. It may seem weird to be so excited about that, but it makes me feel like the whole process is coming to a close. And that feels WONDERFUL!! :)

Until next time, here’s to the return of energy, accepting a new norm and silicone where it should be! :)

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