On to the next phase and feeling extremely grateful and incredibly sore. My surgery call time was 5:45am this past Wednesday and I was as in surgery by 8. The breast team went in first and removed my breast fat and a few lymph nodes. My dr was able to keep my nipples AND nerve graft (which is new!). Supposedly you lose all your feeling and sensation when your breasts are removed (if I poured hot coffee on my chest I would never know) but my dr was able to map out my nerves somehow so I have the possibility of getting feeling back in both breasts! She said not all patients qualify for this, so I am feeling very lucky to have the team I had.
After the breast team was done, the plastics team came in and inserted expanders (like a thick plastic balloon) and these horrible drains filled with blood and other fluids. Josh empties my drains 3 times a day, I’ll have them in for about a week. Thank god for these pain meds because I feel like someone ran me over with a car when I’m not on anything… overall though it’s manageable. I’m feeling pretty tired, can’t lift anything and have bad back pain. Blakely has been adapting pretty well too.
But the good news… No remaining cancer in my breast or the few lymph nodes they checked so I am in the clear!! Hard to celebrate when I’m in pain but we will eventually!
I’ll have these expanders in for about 3 months and then will have my implant/exchange surgery. Hoping for a fast recovery here on out. 🎉
