I'll try my best right now. After my last surgery (the official mastectomy), I had an unusual amount of drainage. Most people keep their surgical drains in for 10 days--mine were in for 22. After having them removed, I continued to have significant difficulties with fluid buildup near my faux-boob. I needed to go into the doctor's office to have it removed via syringe. Thank god they severed nerve endings in that area!
Additionally, my blister wounds weren't healing right...taking far too long and just not looking good. So when I went in Wednesday afternoon, my plastic surgeon and the resident suggested removing the injured skin, cleaning out the fluid pocket and then "belts and suspenders" to tack my skin down to my chest wall and remove space for the fluid to accumulate. Altogether, a 20 minute procedure with the largest recovery from anesthesia. This is important because all these factors are reducing my ability to start radiation in a timely fashion because we can't start radiation until they all clear up. We said sure and surgery was quickly scheduled for today.
Imagine my surprise when I woke up hours later. Turns out things weren't so simple. Frankly, things with me are *never* simple. When the docs opened me up, they had an "oh shit!" Moment. Turns out the fluid buildup was larger than anticipated, my muscle had slipped over the expander, a "film" covered everything and the donor material used to support the implant within the expander was not attached to my body. This meant that they had to take out everything and start from scratch. New expander, lots of scrubbing and more surgical drains.
The docs reported it's a good thing we went in for this minor-turned-major procedure though. The second I would've started radiation, the expander would've collapsed, causing me to have another surgery but this time leaving me with no expander or faux-boob (I happen to like having a pair of 'em, not just a single). I'd have to have something called a TRAM Flap. Obviously, not ideal.
So, here I sit. Mastectomy 2.0. Slightly less painful, but a little more grateful.
Here are some Platypus babies to lighten the mood.
The docs reported it's a good thing we went in for this minor-turned-major procedure though. The second I would've started radiation, the expander would've collapsed, causing me to have another surgery but this time leaving me with no expander or faux-boob (I happen to like having a pair of 'em, not just a single). I'd have to have something called a TRAM Flap. Obviously, not ideal.
So, here I sit. Mastectomy 2.0. Slightly less painful, but a little more grateful.
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