Finally! Reconstructon on Wednesday

jessiesmom1 said:

Getting New Foobs
Hi JoAnn,

Congratulations on getting your new foobs! I had my reconstruction surgery done on 6/13/2011. I had a breast reduction/lift on the left (non-cancer) side and had my tissue expander replaced with a saline implant on the right side. It was about a 3.5 hour surgery. The reduction/lift took more time than the exchange done on the right side. This was done in the Outpatient Surgery area of my hospital. I was told to bring a sports bra to the hospital with me. When I woke up from the anesthesia I had that sports bra on and had a compression garment over that. It was kind of like a tube top but closed down the front with super-strength velcro. I wore both garments for 2 weeks and then wore only the sports bra for another 4-6 weeks. I was then give the go-ahead to wear a regular bra. I had to go shopping for new bras as I was smaller but had no real idea what size I was. My 18 year old daughter was my lingerie consultant. When all was said and done, I had gone from a DD cup to a C cup. The reduced side looks fabulous. For the 1st time in maybe 40 years it actually points forward and not downwards. So strange. The reconstructed side is slightly smaller in volume and the shape is not as natural as I had hoped it would be. A person looking at me while I am clothed would probably not see much of a difference.

As to surgical recovery itself, it was not bad at all. Unfortunately I came home with the dreaded drains but they were removed within 2 weeks. I took the prescribed pain meds for the 1st couple of days but in reality could probably have done without it. I think I anticipated it would hurt so I took them. What helped more was reclining in bed watching TV with an ice pack on my chest. The reduced side was more sore than the reconstructed/implant side. I do not have a great deal of feeling on the right side of my chest since the mastectomy. What I was unprepared for was how hyper-sensitive the nipple on the reduced side was for about 8 weeks. A feather could touch me and I would cringe. Depending on your job you might not actually feel the need to stay out of work for 2 weeks. I am gong to wait a couple of months to make sure the new foobs (fake boobs) are the final shape then I guess I will get the nipple/areola reconstruction and tattoo.

I hope your surgery goes well. It is one more step on the road to feeling a little more "normal." Good luck. By the way, my last chemo was 1 year ago. I have a full head of those salt & pepper chemo curls and have even had 2 haircuts.

IRENE

IRENE

butterflylvr said:

Hi JoAnn,
Giving you lots of pink love and support for Wednesday. I will be having my implant exchange on November, I had a bilateral mastectomy so my girls grew up together. Should make it easy for my PS to cosmetically match and my recoop time shouldn't be a severe as yours since you still have a real breast to work with.

Anyways I wanted to jump in and give you a hug and let you know that we will all have you in our prayers tomorrow. Your gonna be so perky... Or as one of my girlfriends say "I give much firmer hugs now".

Hugs,
Lorrie

jessiesmom1 said:

Getting New Foobs
Hi JoAnn,

Congratulations on getting your new foobs! I had my reconstruction surgery done on 6/13/2011. I had a breast reduction/lift on the left (non-cancer) side and had my tissue expander replaced with a saline implant on the right side. It was about a 3.5 hour surgery. The reduction/lift took more time than the exchange done on the right side. This was done in the Outpatient Surgery area of my hospital. I was told to bring a sports bra to the hospital with me. When I woke up from the anesthesia I had that sports bra on and had a compression garment over that. It was kind of like a tube top but closed down the front with super-strength velcro. I wore both garments for 2 weeks and then wore only the sports bra for another 4-6 weeks. I was then give the go-ahead to wear a regular bra. I had to go shopping for new bras as I was smaller but had no real idea what size I was. My 18 year old daughter was my lingerie consultant. When all was said and done, I had gone from a DD cup to a C cup. The reduced side looks fabulous. For the 1st time in maybe 40 years it actually points forward and not downwards. So strange. The reconstructed side is slightly smaller in volume and the shape is not as natural as I had hoped it would be. A person looking at me while I am clothed would probably not see much of a difference.

As to surgical recovery itself, it was not bad at all. Unfortunately I came home with the dreaded drains but they were removed within 2 weeks. I took the prescribed pain meds for the 1st couple of days but in reality could probably have done without it. I think I anticipated it would hurt so I took them. What helped more was reclining in bed watching TV with an ice pack on my chest. The reduced side was more sore than the reconstructed/implant side. I do not have a great deal of feeling on the right side of my chest since the mastectomy. What I was unprepared for was how hyper-sensitive the nipple on the reduced side was for about 8 weeks. A feather could touch me and I would cringe. Depending on your job you might not actually feel the need to stay out of work for 2 weeks. I am gong to wait a couple of months to make sure the new foobs (fake boobs) are the final shape then I guess I will get the nipple/areola reconstruction and tattoo.

I hope your surgery goes well. It is one more step on the road to feeling a little more "normal." Good luck. By the way, my last chemo was 1 year ago. I have a full head of those salt & pepper chemo curls and have even had 2 haircuts.

IRENE

IRENE

butterflylvr said:

Hi JoAnn,
Giving you lots of pink love and support for Wednesday. I will be having my implant exchange on November, I had a bilateral mastectomy so my girls grew up together. Should make it easy for my PS to cosmetically match and my recoop time shouldn't be a severe as yours since you still have a real breast to work with.

Anyways I wanted to jump in and give you a hug and let you know that we will all have you in our prayers tomorrow. Your gonna be so perky... Or as one of my girlfriends say "I give much firmer hugs now".

Hugs,
Lorrie

JoAnn4818 said:

Appreciate the info!
Thanks so much for posting Irene. I appreciate you sharing what you went through. It gives me a much better idea of what to expect. I think I'm going to do OK.

JoAnn

jessiesmom1 said:

Getting New Foobs
Hi JoAnn,

Congratulations on getting your new foobs! I had my reconstruction surgery done on 6/13/2011. I had a breast reduction/lift on the left (non-cancer) side and had my tissue expander replaced with a saline implant on the right side. It was about a 3.5 hour surgery. The reduction/lift took more time than the exchange done on the right side. This was done in the Outpatient Surgery area of my hospital. I was told to bring a sports bra to the hospital with me. When I woke up from the anesthesia I had that sports bra on and had a compression garment over that. It was kind of like a tube top but closed down the front with super-strength velcro. I wore both garments for 2 weeks and then wore only the sports bra for another 4-6 weeks. I was then give the go-ahead to wear a regular bra. I had to go shopping for new bras as I was smaller but had no real idea what size I was. My 18 year old daughter was my lingerie consultant. When all was said and done, I had gone from a DD cup to a C cup. The reduced side looks fabulous. For the 1st time in maybe 40 years it actually points forward and not downwards. So strange. The reconstructed side is slightly smaller in volume and the shape is not as natural as I had hoped it would be. A person looking at me while I am clothed would probably not see much of a difference.

As to surgical recovery itself, it was not bad at all. Unfortunately I came home with the dreaded drains but they were removed within 2 weeks. I took the prescribed pain meds for the 1st couple of days but in reality could probably have done without it. I think I anticipated it would hurt so I took them. What helped more was reclining in bed watching TV with an ice pack on my chest. The reduced side was more sore than the reconstructed/implant side. I do not have a great deal of feeling on the right side of my chest since the mastectomy. What I was unprepared for was how hyper-sensitive the nipple on the reduced side was for about 8 weeks. A feather could touch me and I would cringe. Depending on your job you might not actually feel the need to stay out of work for 2 weeks. I am gong to wait a couple of months to make sure the new foobs (fake boobs) are the final shape then I guess I will get the nipple/areola reconstruction and tattoo.

I hope your surgery goes well. It is one more step on the road to feeling a little more "normal." Good luck. By the way, my last chemo was 1 year ago. I have a full head of those salt & pepper chemo curls and have even had 2 haircuts.

IRENE

IRENE