I saw my oncologist today for my 6 month follow-up

[PennyK]

And he told me not to come back for a year!
(and that my blood counts were perfect)

I'm between other ailments at the moment (most recent was pneumonia) and I'm finally going to get my boobie reconstruction scheduled. A little nervous, but I can't wait to get rid of the scar tissue in the area.

[Trueblue Texan]

1. don't know you, but I'm proud for you.

I missed my appointment today. I'm hoping my news will be good too when I finally get to the doc.

[Solly Mack]

2. Yay!

Keep us posted on your reconstruction.

I hit the 5 year cancer-free mark in March. With continued good fortune, that is.

[samnsara]

3. great news!!!!

[Ohiogal]

4. That's wonderful news!

I was in your shoes about 10 years ago... best of luck with your reconstruction surgery!

[Turbineguy]

5. Good news!

Congrats!

[sharedvalues]

6. YAY!!!!

Love hearing good news

[cpamomfromtexas]

7. Wonderful news!

[GeoWilliam750]

8. Excellent news!

Champagne seems to be appropriate.

[Anon-C]

9. That's a victory, PennyK!

I hope it enlivens you...wind in your sails...you deserve it!

[dixiegrrrrl]

10. I can easily imagine the relief you felt.

Congratulations!!

[aka-chmeee]

11. Congratulations!

Feels great doesn't it? Took 5 years, but now none the Dr.s want to see me anymore. Will offer that the Oncologist was such a great person, it was almost worth having cancer to get to meet him.
Again, congratulations and pulling for more congrats due in the future.

[OregonBlue]

12. That is truly wonderful news. A year!!

[alfredo]

13. Huzzah!

[akraven]

14. Awesome! Sending healing vibes and aurora from way up here!

[PennyK]

15. Thanks so much!

It took me quite a while to realize that life was never going back to "before."
I just have to try and make "now' the best I can.

[JHan]

16. fantastic news Penny!

[PennyK]

17. Surgery scheduled for next Friday!

This is the breast reconstruction, nearly three years after mastectomy. Of course I'm pretty nervous -- it IS surgery with general anesthesia -- but I can't wait to 1) get rid of this horrendous and uncomfortable scar tissue and 2) have a real-ish breast. I'm so tired of having to deal with the fakery and wearing an uncomfortable bra over the tight area.
I will have what's called a lat flap; they take from your back to make the new boobie, so there will be an additional surgical zone to deal with in back. I think it's better than something my body could reject. It may also be because of my age (I'm 68) and not so concerned with how it'll look when I'm naked. And most likely, I'll only spend one night in hospital and let my husband have all the fun with emptying the drain.
I look forward to the Ceremonial Burning of the Fake Bewbie!

[PennyK]

18. I report in at 11:30 tomorrow morning

I need to have a chest X-ray before surgery...silly me, I forgot that my last one, in December, shows me with pneumonia!
Since I may have to stay for two nights, I've packed some clothes and books.
I'm nervous (not about the outcome); just want to have this over with.
I spent most of the day doing laundry -- clean sheets and towels and clothes. Stocked up the kitchen.
Chinese food, a nice murder mystery, and a shower with that hexa-stuff tonight.
Looking forward to symmetry again!

[PennyK]

19. Looks like I'll need more surgery

My lat flap accomplished two things: we got rid of the scar tissue on my chest and I'm no longer concave in that area. I guess I'll need an implant next. So much for getting rid of the fake boobie just yet.
Pain, second day after, is not too bad after spending all of yesterday on pain meds. The two surgical zones take turns vying for my attention. I think ibuprofen is going to be enough from here on in.

[PennyK]

20. Hurray -- I get my surgical drain out today!

I think this is the third time I've had a drain, and at some point every time, the tubing gets caught on something and pulls out 'just a little'. From that point on, it becomes slightly annoying and I can't stop thinking about it.
We've been measuring for four days and I just made it today. Maybe I can get the tape on my back incision removed today, too.
Freedom!

[PennyK]

21. I got my stitches out yesterday

Now i don't report back for two weeks.
I can take an Epsom salts bath and even see my chiropractor.
And now it'll just be a wait until the area is healed enough for the expander to go in. Several months, I think.

[PennyK]

22. This step is done!

I can call any time starting a month from now, and start the next step (expander).
I'm flying up to NY to spend some time with my very sick mother, so I'll start planning my next surgery later this summer.

[PennyK]

23. Step Two today

I had a tissue expander placed today. One-day surgery with general, so I'm still feeling a little weird. From what I've read, the expander will feel uncomfortable for at least a few days, but hopefully, big doses of Tylenol and ice ( and the big-gun pain stuff) will help with that.
This was at Cape Canaveral Hospital, which is a pretty nice, modern facility.
No drains, no overnight stay, shower tomorrow.

[PennyK]

24. I'm now in Tissue Expander mode

And it is NOT comfortable! Every week I see my doctor and he pumps me up. It's usually 50cc of saline, but last week, he felt that the skin was stretching so nicely that he put in 100cc. It was fairly uncomfortable for four days! The area is as hard as can be. This week I'll ask for the lesser amount...but I think we're getting close.
From what I've read, the expander is overfilled, and then the final implant is much more comfortable than the expander. Can't wait to get there.

[alfredo]

25. Three Cheers for PennyK

[tblue37]

26. Congratulations ! nt

[Freedomofspeech]

27. Beautiful news!!!

[dawg day]

28. That's great!

What a relief it must be.

[Laffy Kat]

29. What great news for you!

Hugs are called for:

[Karadeniz]

30. Yay!!! I got pneumonia last January...then was diagnosed with CLL, so that's probably what

Dragged me into the hospital.

[secondwind]

31. Always good to hear this kind of news! Very happy for you!

[virgogal]

32. Yaaay to you.Great news.

[lunamagica]

33. Yay!

[bearfan454]

34. Good for you!

That’s great.

[PennyK]

35. I now have a date for my breast implant

Doctor gave me the final fill on my expander. I now have 350cc of saline in there, and it's no fun at all!
The real implant will be smaller and much more comfortable, and in the right place (the expander is somewhat over to the side).
He says that I'll be best off with a saline implant rather than silicone, as there will be much less chance of scar tissue forming around it, an issue because of my radiation history. He will also do a small tuck on my other breast, to perk it up a bit, so that I'll look more symmetrical.
We'll go for the surgery in December...I have company coming for Thanksgiving and I will need to be pretty active for that, so better to wait until nothing's going on around here.
And after THAT, we go about recreating the center features!

[onethatcares]

36. YAY for you

and congratulations of the deepest possible means.

[PennyK]

37. I get my breast implant tomorrow.

The tissue expander has been very uncomfortable. I am looking forward eagerly to having something on the left side of my chest that resembles the breast on my right. It's supposed to be a quick procedure, but I still have to observe all the pre-op procedures. Jewelry off, Hibiclens showers, etc. Hopefully this will be my last procedure for a while!

[PennyK]

38. All went well

Now I'm just dealing with the recovery.
Doctor changed his mind twice about doing an adjustment on the 'good' side, and ended up taking a bit in on the underside to make it more perky. I have two rows of stitching over the new implant. At first look, it appears to be very large, but that is just where the expander was overfilled, and is being brought in.

The only things that will still need to be done are fat grafting in the implant side, to get rid of a creepy horizontal indentation that goes across to my underarm, and possibly a bit above the tuned-up 'good' one.

Hoping to get by on just Tylenol if possible, but I think I might need some of the hard stuff as the day goes on.

Now if only I could get the husband to stop waking me up for my antibiotic, I'd be happy! Must he be that solicitous so early in the morning?!?

[PennyK]

39. Finally back to "normal"

Somehow I developed a UTI within a day or so of my surgery. It disguised itself, somehow, as constipation, and I struggled for days before the classic symptoms showed up. Once I was properly diagnosed, the thing went away. now I'm doing very well.
I have to massage my implant several times a day to prevent capsular contraction.
Much more comfortable than the horrible expander. One step closer!