Monday was a long day!!! We left home at 8:00 am to head to London and didn't get back home until 8:00 that evening.
I first had my MRI. I had to check-in about 30 minutes prior to my scheduled time, which I did, but of course they were behind schedule and I went in about an hour later. I HATE MRIs, so I'm hoping that will be my last one ever. I should have my results next Wednesday.
Later on in the afternoon, I had my consultation with the plastic surgeon. I first saw her Resident, then her Fellow and finally I saw Dr. Temple. The Fellow explained the reconstruction options in great detail, complete with some not-so-nice operating room photos. I saw lots of before and after photos as well. Afterwards, she examined me. She then left the room to speak to Dr. Temple. When Dr. Temple came in, she took one look at my abdominal and said it looks like I am not a candidate for DIEP reconstruction, BUT after hearing what I did about it, I wasn't that upset about it anyway. I was told that once surgery started, if they didn't feel the blood vessels were good enough for DIEP, they would automatically do a TRAM Flap...no way! I do not want a TRAM under any circumstances. I don't want to lose abdominal muscle and strength. I have a fair amount of abdominal scarring from previous surgeries and it's not that she couldn't do DIEP, but some blood supply has probably been cut off to the abdominal and as such, I probably wouldn't heal properly and could end up with necrosis!!! YUCK!!!
So as it now stands, I'll be having a mastectomy with immediate expander reconstruction. I should have my surgery scheduled shortly. They figured I'll have this stage done within 3 - 4 months. Once the expanders are in, I will have to make weekly trips to London for saline injections to fill the expanders. Once I'm filled one size larger than my implant size, I will be scheduled for exchange surgery at which time the expanders will be removed and the implants inserted. Following that there will be 2 smaller surgeries for nipple reconstruction and tattooing.
My surgery will likely be day surgery. Can you believe it??? Who would have thought they'd send you straight home after a mastectomy????? They said if all goes well, the surgery will be about two and a half hours and I'll be sent home with home care to tend to my drains, etc. They said this surgery should be easier on me than the hysterectomy was. That remains to be seen!!! I can't imagine this is going to be pleasant. Even though it's day surgery, I will still have about a 6 week or so recovery. She said she has no problem giving me as much time off work as I need as the expanders are not the most comfortable things in the world!!!
That's about it for now. I'll update when I get my MRI results. Fingers crossed they are fine. I don't want the need for a biopsy or the dreaded "C" to screw around with this surgery!
I first had my MRI. I had to check-in about 30 minutes prior to my scheduled time, which I did, but of course they were behind schedule and I went in about an hour later. I HATE MRIs, so I'm hoping that will be my last one ever. I should have my results next Wednesday.
Later on in the afternoon, I had my consultation with the plastic surgeon. I first saw her Resident, then her Fellow and finally I saw Dr. Temple. The Fellow explained the reconstruction options in great detail, complete with some not-so-nice operating room photos. I saw lots of before and after photos as well. Afterwards, she examined me. She then left the room to speak to Dr. Temple. When Dr. Temple came in, she took one look at my abdominal and said it looks like I am not a candidate for DIEP reconstruction, BUT after hearing what I did about it, I wasn't that upset about it anyway. I was told that once surgery started, if they didn't feel the blood vessels were good enough for DIEP, they would automatically do a TRAM Flap...no way! I do not want a TRAM under any circumstances. I don't want to lose abdominal muscle and strength. I have a fair amount of abdominal scarring from previous surgeries and it's not that she couldn't do DIEP, but some blood supply has probably been cut off to the abdominal and as such, I probably wouldn't heal properly and could end up with necrosis!!! YUCK!!!
So as it now stands, I'll be having a mastectomy with immediate expander reconstruction. I should have my surgery scheduled shortly. They figured I'll have this stage done within 3 - 4 months. Once the expanders are in, I will have to make weekly trips to London for saline injections to fill the expanders. Once I'm filled one size larger than my implant size, I will be scheduled for exchange surgery at which time the expanders will be removed and the implants inserted. Following that there will be 2 smaller surgeries for nipple reconstruction and tattooing.
My surgery will likely be day surgery. Can you believe it??? Who would have thought they'd send you straight home after a mastectomy????? They said if all goes well, the surgery will be about two and a half hours and I'll be sent home with home care to tend to my drains, etc. They said this surgery should be easier on me than the hysterectomy was. That remains to be seen!!! I can't imagine this is going to be pleasant. Even though it's day surgery, I will still have about a 6 week or so recovery. She said she has no problem giving me as much time off work as I need as the expanders are not the most comfortable things in the world!!!
That's about it for now. I'll update when I get my MRI results. Fingers crossed they are fine. I don't want the need for a biopsy or the dreaded "C" to screw around with this surgery!
1 comment:
This sounds so much more involved than day surgery and it is ridiculous how uninvolved the health care system is in aftercare!
I hope that was your last MRI forever too!
What a long day.
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