While I was getting the Carboplatin, I got to walk my IV pole over to meet with Dr. Justin West, my plastic surgeon. He works with Amy Bremner, the surgeon who performs the mastectomy. He gave me different options for breast reconstruction, and said I am not a candidate for the flap surgery (where they give you a tummy tuck and use your own fat to put into your breasts). He said I don't have enough fat for both boobs.That's too bad because I really I liked that option because the breasts look so natural afterward. Oh well. So I will be getting the stint put in and it will be filled with 250cc's at first, and eventually will have around 500-550cc's. That sounds massive but you have to remember that I will have no breast tissue in there, so it's only like a size C. What's nice about them filling it slowly is at any time I can say "ok, I think that's a good size" and he will just put in an implant at the exact size I decide I like. It's almost like getting new, bigger boobs every 2 weeks until I'm satisfied with the size. I'll be in the hospital recovering for two days. Not too bad. Surgery is going to be somewhere around June 1st. My one fear is that I cannot lift more than 5 lbs for 6 weeks! I am going to need some serious help with the kids! Eek! Chris may have to start driving home to put the kids in the bath and bed. Perfect timing with gas prices on the rise and my pay finally cut in half. Ugh.
The only decision that is left to be made is... do I keep my nipples or not? Option one: Keep my natural nipples, and get the most natural result. The downfall is- there is a 10% chance of cancer recurrence in the nipple, but then they would simply remove the nipple at that time. They said recurrence more often happens in the skin than it does in the nipple. Option two: I can have nipples remade/reconstructed and tattooed for color. Downfall is they are not as natural looking. Option three: I can go nipple free and never have to worry about looking "cold." But obvious downfall is totally unnatural looking. Chris pointed out that "Barbie doesn't have nipples" haha. Help me decide because I really can't choose! Let me know what you would do...
My PET scan will be around May 13th, but this will not effect the surgery because I am getting a double mastectomy so it's sorta irrelevant to surgery. The scan is more for my oncologist to determine what cancer is left and for a more accurate measure of how my body reacted to the chemo. I can tell you, I am already tired and already don't feel very well. It's going to be a double dose of Benedryl kind of night, I can feel it. I am soooo happy this was my last treatment. I wish I could just sleep the week away and this part can finally just become a bad memory.