Or at least all the "Dr. Right's" and his fellows and residents can put Kat back together again...
This blog entry is a huge praise for the miracle of modern medicine and plastic surgeon's that are artists. I spoke in my last entry about finding "Dr. Right", Dr. Scott Spear at Georgetown University Hospital in DC. Jeff was not able to go to Northern Virginia with me for the surgery, because Bethany got strep throat after being on an antibiotic for a ruptured ear drum (I am not sure how that happened, but after 5 days out of school they needed to be home to go back to school.) So Liam and I ventured off for the 4 hour journey to my mom's house, with at least a week's worth of clothes, because I just didn't know what my recovery would be like.
On March 9th I went under the knife once again. Dr. Spear entered the pre-op room with no less than 7 people in tow. There were fellows and interns and residents and nurses. The people just kept filing in. I guess that is part of what comes with having surgery at a teaching hospital, you get a village, not just the chief. It was kind of cool to think that all of these people were coming together for several hours just to make sure I had nice looking breasts again. My dad got up at 5 am and hung out at GU all day just to take care of his little girl. He even had a conversation with a dear friend of mine (a fellow young breast cancer survivor) who lives in Georgetown and came to check on my progress. Meanwhile, mom was home chasing Liam the wild man, around in circles.
The surgery was scheduled to take an hour and a half, but actually ended up being 3 hours because he had to do some muscle fixing, suturing and rearranging once he got in there. It also ended up being quite a bit more painful then I had bargained for. Pretty close to the pain I experienced after the initial mastectomies. Anytime you are operating on muscle, you can pretty much guarantee you will have a lot more pain. Even now, 3 weeks later, I still feel some tightness and pain when I stretch or lay on my sides. It will pass eventually.
WARNING...detailed Breast info in the next paragraph...
So you are dying to know.....how do they look? THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL!!!!! Jeff and I have both come to the conclusion that they are possibly better looking than my pre-cancer breasts. Yes, they really do look that good. Dr. Spear is truly an artist. I don't know where he stands spiritually, but if God gives out the gift of crafting nice breasts, Dr. Spear has it. He was able to do things I didn't even think was possible, like making my previous scars almost undetectable. I did come out of surgery with a lot more pain and two drains (two tubes and bulb shaped plastic balls that go inside your incisions and drain excess fluid, you have to empty them several times a day.) They are just as gross as they sound. Fortunately, I only had them in for 3 days (after my mastectomies it was over a week). All that being said, it was totally worth it for the results. I am now the living embodiment of "no pain, no gain." I am probably about a small "D" cup now (bigger than my natural breasts, but so pretty if I do say so myself)
BACK TO GENERAL TALK AGAIN....
I have tissue expanders in and will have to wait until the fall to switch them back to silicone implants again. One, because the Dr. wants to let them settle out and see what adjustments might need to be made and two, since they FDA has approved silicone implants for everyone now, now there is a several month waiting list for the Dr.'s implants of choice. bummer.
Now, I am recovering and trying to get back to normal again. Not just a "new" normal after cancer, but the good old fashioned normal of laundry, getting grass to grow, changing diapers (yes, no luck on the potty training front yet) and running errands. Its funny how much you miss this normal stuff when it gets taken from you for a few months, so try to find a little joy in these things, if just as an homage to all us cancer survivors out there.
Thank you for your ongoing prayers. Please pray for my family and friends as two of them have a double mastectomy and hysterectomy coming up. I am just tired of surgeries for me and those around me. I don't want to be the resident expert on these things, but I seem to be a lot lately, and its not something I want on my resume.
blessings to you all
Kat
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3 comments:
i'm very very glad for you for all the things that are going fabulously--sounds like a happy ending happening all around, & a perfect way to welcome spring (which i know you guys have been at for a while, but we're just starting!)!
something you said right at the end of that post really caught my attention, though, about becoming the resident expert at things you didn't really want to be. i certainly empathize w/how you get really, really tired of thinking/worrying about these things all the time, but i also think having come by that expertise--and having people nearby who need it--is a gift too, & a really valuable one.
i've thought for a long time about the ways that the things we don't necessarily want to learn turn to be really useful to us or to those we hold dear later, & how that ability to know things others need & be in the right place & time with that knowledge redeems so many of the shitty things that happens to us, at least to me...
my parents, for example, who are wonderful fabulous darling people, are finally getting around to getting divorced (they separated when i was 18, but they've always stayed friends & not bothered w/paperwork, & now my dad's met someone else), & my mom's dealing w/some emotions she didn't expect about that, & my dad's puzzled but trying to understand, & it turns out i know a few things about what they're going through that i wouldn't have known if i hadn't had one of my own last year--and it's weird to teach your parents how to get divorced, but it also feels really good to me, like it makes mine part of a reasoned world in ways it wasn't before. part of why i went through what i did was so i'd be able to turn around & help them--and i'm really glad to be able to do so!
Yippy!Yippy! For you and for Jeff.Wow a small "D",now I really am curious to see.I'm not sure that's enough justification though.May the mundane continue to bring you joy daily.Would love to see some new pictures of you and the fam.I'm still thinking of you and praying for your complete and total recovery.Love and Shalom to you and your precious family.Gina
Kat,
I'm so happy to know you've made it through surgery, are making it through recovery, and that life is on its way to being "normal" again.
And with big boobs, no less! :)
You, and all those dear to you, continue to be in my thoughts and prayers.
Love & continued blessings,
Amy H.
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