Friday, I went in to the Orange office for my expansion. I took a percocet before hand, so I could be prepared for the pain. It actually wasn't painful at all. They found the center of my breast with a little tool, and then stuck a really large needle connected to a really large syringe in there. But since I'm so numb still, I felt pressure only. It looked fake, like it was a medical prop they use in movies. But he slowly filled my breast and put 100 cc's in the left (one full bag). Then he filled my right breast with a full bag plus some of another, for a total of 150 cc's. Now each breast is even and I have a total of 300 cc's in each. They look fake, round, tight, and uncomfortable, but he said they will fix that later. Right now, they are just worried about stretching the skin- not making them look "pretty." Great.
After my appointment, I walked out and asked the nurse if Dr. Link and Dr. West had met yet about the decision on whether or not I'll need radiation. Then, Dr. West happened to walk by so I was able to ask him myself! He gave me a hug and then dropped the bomb that yes, I will indeed be needing radiation. Everybody looked at me, expecting me to be disappointed. Instead, I managed to blurt out "Great! Now I'll have really big boobs AND they will be tan too!" Everybody laughed, but you know it was the percocet talking. Because deep down inside I was thinking "great... a major chemo cocktail, major surgery, and now radiation too? Really? Can't a girl catch a break? Ugh." I will have to wait until I'm done being fully expanded to start my 33 radiation treatments. It will take 6 1/2 weeks because I go 5 days a week. Once those are done and I'm recovered (6-12 months later), I can finally get my implants. Then, eventually after that, I can get a new scan to finally determine that I'm "cancer free." This whole process is obviously going to take a little longer than I originally thought. Yikes.
I got my first bill from St. Joseph's and I am so thankful that I have insurance because it was $106,560! Our co-pay? Zero! Thank God for Chris' great job and insurance. I honestly have no idea how people who are uninsured get through something like this. We are already down to the last dollar while I wait anxiously for my paycheck and Chris' unemployment to finally kick in this week. It has been torture waiting! Please keep those DWBH shirt purchases coming, because I have been getting threatening bills from collectors, and DWBH is waiting to pay the bills I sent until I have enough in sales to cover them. www.DWBHshirts.com. They are covering my $4500 in co-pay, and have covered about half of it already.
Well, I have been going out and about either bald or with a trucker hat on (mostly) because it is HOT outside. So far, the major perk to having these expanders in is that I don't have to worry about a nipple slip or a bra strap showing, because I don't have either one! haha The expansion hurt a LOT the next two days (especially in my right breast OMG), but it's nothing a little Valium in the evening can't take care of. It basically feels like I have a really tight, uncomfortable under wire bra on all day and the pain doesn't let up. My ribs and sides are sore, too. Imagine not being able to take off your super uncomfy bra when you go to bed at night. That's how I feel every day! But every day I get a little bit better, and I am actually looking forward to the next expansion. Bring it on!