Tatas!

I'm trying to get my creative juices flowing this morning and what better way to do that than updating my blog?

See the blog title? That's what this post will be about.

The ins and out of post mastectomy boobs.

Someone's gotta do it!

After chemo is finished, once the blood counts return to normal, it's time to get the temporary implants filled. I had all these crazy ideas in my head and worked myself into a high state of nerves and tears yesterday. Blood counts in the morning would confirm whether I could have my first filling of my implants in the afternoon. Counts were okay and I was in the clear.

Aside: It's typical to fill temporary implants before radiation starts to stretch the skin. Radiation removes some of the skin's elasticity. Fill the boobs and the skin is stretched a little more, see?

Bill and I went to the plastic surgeons office for my filling. He checked me carefully and said he suspects the left implant has a hole. Just great. When did it happen? Probably with the installation of my mediport. Dr. S decided to fill them anyway. So I expected this to hurt like the dickens and it did. But it was really cool.

Using a "stud finder," the Doc searches for the valve under the skin. It actually has a magnet on it so this little stud finder (with another magnet) attracts the port magnet and he makes a mark. This huge vial of saline with the needle from hell is injected into the valve and tada! Filled up tatas!

The procedure only took about 10 minutes max and I was out the door. Later on in the day, since I had taken an oxycodone for pain, I was extremely sleepy and crashed on the sofa. I do think there is some kind of leak in the left implant. It's not as firm as the right but then, due to the lymph nodes missing on the right side, I do swell alot more over there. Leave it to me to have a popped implant - Murphy's Law again.

I'm sore today but not as sore as yesterday. I have to keep up with my exercises to make sure I have as much range of motion as possible before radiation.

I did get some news yesterday that bugs me, somewhat. It looks like no final reconstruction will happen for at least 2-3 months after I finish radiation because of the sensitive skin issue. This takes me into the middle of the summer. However, I did find out that my temporary implants can last for years so I'm not in a rush. I just can't imagine what it will be like to not have someone poking at me all the time. Of course, I have no idea how a leaky implants figures into the scheme of things.

One somewhat flat boob and one expanded is not my idea of a good time.

Feels quite weird to have a chest again, even if it's a barely B cup.