Looking back on 2016

It's December tomorrow...DECEMBER, PEOPLE! What the heck?!
I was answering some questions about my upcoming procedures today and it hit me. This time last year I was trying to mentally prepare for 12 months of reconstruction work. It seemed so daunting at the time. It hasn't been easy, in fact, it's probably been the most physically challenging part of my cancer journey so far. But here I am, just 21 days from the final steps in the year-long process. The key is keep looking forward, don't focus on the challenge of the moment, but on the goal at the end.
I don't bore you with a long narrative...not right now, anyway. So here is 2016 in summary.

• January 11 - surgery 1 - release the lattisimus dorsi muscle to increase blood flow prior to moving it
• February 1 - surgery 2 - move the muscle (with some skin) from back to chest on the left side. tissue expanders implanted on both sides.
• March - September - tissues expansion - saline added to expanders every 2 weeks.
• September 26 - surgery 3 - tissue expanders removed and replaced with implants
• December 21 - surgery 4 - multiple procedures including tattooing, fat grafting and some surgical adjustments
• Also
• DRAINS - have I mentioned how much I loathe those things?
• Scar tissue
• Seroma
• Buckets of fluid
• Physical Therapy
• ASTYM
• Cancer Scare
• Physical challenges
• Low points
• Upswings

All that for some Frankenboobies.

 

I'm often asked if I would go through it all again. HECK YES! All of the procedures have been tough but the end result is worth it. Though more invasive, the process has a better success rate than other options. I would go through all of it again without hesitation!

 

 

Back soon!

Love to all,

Andee

I'm such a slacker

I really am a slacker - at least I have been when it comes to the blog. I've said it a million times, I feel better when I post regularly. It's pretty inexpensive therapy and no one even has to read the posts! Life, once again, snapped back to a certain level of normal after my last surgery. Sometimes it wears me out but the more hectic, the better. I work best under, at least a little bit of, pressure. It's bizarre but it's me...

I thought I should post a brief update before moving on to finish and release the 2 drafts that have been sitting in my post list. I have to complete the "letter" series and one entitled "Acceptance...now what?"  I'll wrap those up soon enough. 

If you follow along on the Facebook page, you might have seen that I have another surgery coming up in about 30 days. Calling it one surgery isn't quite correct. Technically I think I'm having 4 procedures at one time. It has been one heck of a year for surgery. This will be #4. In between #2 and #3 I experienced the joy of tissue expansion with fills every couple of weeks. It was not entirely pleasant but it's in the rear view now and I'm ready for the next step in the process. I'll provide the details soon enough.

I'm happy to announce that, for the next 4 weeks at least, I'm now physically able to exercise. I'm still not where I was in 2015 but I'm light years ahead of where I was only a couple of months ago. I haven't really been able to do any of the things I love, and that work best for me, due to a number of issues. The primary being the muscle that was moved. It still pulls a bit but it no longer feels like it's going to pull loose and snap back around to the spot where it came from. The visual of that in my head cracks me up every time.  :-) So, for the next 4 weeks I'm making sure I'm getting some exercise that counts in each day. Today was yoga. I've lost any and all flexibility over the past 2 plus years. I want to build strength and lose weight but I am very determined to get my flexibility back.  Just like 2015, I will publicly post my goals and my progress. It's all about holding myself accountable and not because I think anyone else is remotely interested. 

So there you have it. Things are rolling right along and I'll be posting more frequently in the coming weeks. That's the plan, anyway.  As always, feel free to send your questions via the site or pop over to FB. 

Love to all!

Andee