I have put my 2nd, 4th and 5th expansions on YouTube.....

m-star
m-star Member Posts: 441
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hi all.

I know there are some women on here that are awaiting surgery and/or reconstruction.

I had prophylactic bilateral mastectomies on Feb 16th this year,and tissue expanders were put in place. When i went for my 2nd expansion,i asked one of my PS's if it was ok to video the procedure,as i was making a 'diary' of my journey. She thought it a little strange,but agreed it was ok.

My daughter videod it for me and if anyone awaiting surgery would like to see what is ahead,please feel free to take a look. I know how much my friend Micheles videos helped me prior to my sugery (her youtube name is CourageismyStrength).She has been an inspiration,and i hope my video may help someone,as hers helped me.


Copy and paste the link below and it should take you straight to my page.

http://www.youtube.com/user/JKKJ12

**The video shows a naked torso but is not of a sexual nature~it is for information purposes only**


Thank you
«13

Comments

  • RE
    RE Member Posts: 4,591 Member
    #2
    Hey there m-star, that is
    Hey there m-star, that is quite brave of you. When I had my expansions I requested to sit in the chair (similar to dentist's chair) otherwise it was pretty much the same. That is such good information for others, it was good of you to do so.

    RE
  • m-star
    m-star Member Posts: 441
    #3
    RE said:

    Hey there m-star, that is
    Hey there m-star, that is quite brave of you. When I had my expansions I requested to sit in the chair (similar to dentist's chair) otherwise it was pretty much the same. That is such good information for others, it was good of you to do so.

    RE

    yeah on my 3rd expansion
    yeah on my 3rd expansion (last week) they just had me sit on the side of the couch.I preferred to be layed down to be honest.

    I had that one video'd too but my friend did it that time and she chopped off my head and cus i was sitting up,my tummy looked big so that one's staying on my phone!!!

    If it helps and reassures just 1 woman then it was worth putting it on. =)
  • cindycflynn
    cindycflynn Member Posts: 1,132 Member
    #4
    M-star
    I didn't have a mastectomy, but I wanted to say how brave I think it is for you to do this. I'm sure it will help some women who are in that fear of the unknown stage, which as we all know, sucks!

    Thanks,
    Cindy
  • DianeBC
    DianeBC Member Posts: 3,881 Member
    #5
    cindycflynn said:

    M-star
    I didn't have a mastectomy, but I wanted to say how brave I think it is for you to do this. I'm sure it will help some women who are in that fear of the unknown stage, which as we all know, sucks!

    Thanks,
    Cindy

    Thanks for this M-star. I
    Thanks for this M-star. I had a lumpectomy, but, went to your site. It wouldn't download for some reason. But, you are very brave to post this and I know it will help others out.

    Hugs, Diane
  • m-star
    m-star Member Posts: 441
    #6
    DianeBC said:

    Thanks for this M-star. I
    Thanks for this M-star. I had a lumpectomy, but, went to your site. It wouldn't download for some reason. But, you are very brave to post this and I know it will help others out.

    Hugs, Diane

    Thank you all for your
    Thank you all for your positive comments.I was a little worried how people would react to me putting something so personal out there for the world to see.

    Diane,maybe if you just go on youtube and key in 'jkkj12' and search,then when you see some videos come up with 'jkkj12' as the username,click on the name and that should take you to my page. Can you view other videos on there? I had to update my flash player the other day to ba able to view stuff. Hope this helps.

    Its had 208 views since i put in on 18 hours ago!

    Kay
  • TawnyS
    TawnyS Member Posts: 144 Member
    #7
    Thanks so much for sharing
    Thanks so much for sharing that! You are very brave to have made that decision to have the mastectomy and also to share the video. I also wanted to tell you how funny it is the comment you made about my hair picture and I can go "topless" soon. Were you implying without the scarf or without a top? Either way, you're right! I'll be sporting a new short hair-do and new perky boobies soon so I can go topless all the way around! Well, maybe not here in the states, but I know Europeans don't have a problem with it. LOL! You're awesome! Big hugs! Tawny
  • m-star
    m-star Member Posts: 441
    #8
    TawnyS said:

    Thanks so much for sharing
    Thanks so much for sharing that! You are very brave to have made that decision to have the mastectomy and also to share the video. I also wanted to tell you how funny it is the comment you made about my hair picture and I can go "topless" soon. Were you implying without the scarf or without a top? Either way, you're right! I'll be sporting a new short hair-do and new perky boobies soon so I can go topless all the way around! Well, maybe not here in the states, but I know Europeans don't have a problem with it. LOL! You're awesome! Big hugs! Tawny

    Hey hun!
    was reffering to
    Hey hun!
    was reffering to your bandana~lol!! But hey,like you said,you'll be able to do both before you know it! =D

    I may post another expansion at some point.I have another one on Thurday but may have to go on my own so there'll be no-one to video it =(
    Will see if i can rope someone in to do it! It's good to share info and before my surgery,i wouldn't even go swimming i hated my boobs so much(very small). So i'm not an exhibitionist who likes flashing my boobs! It took some time and talking with my hubby before i felt brave enough to share.

    ((hugs))
    Kay
  • Kylez
    Kylez Member Posts: 3,761 Member
    #9
    m-star said:

    Thank you all for your
    Thank you all for your positive comments.I was a little worried how people would react to me putting something so personal out there for the world to see.

    Diane,maybe if you just go on youtube and key in 'jkkj12' and search,then when you see some videos come up with 'jkkj12' as the username,click on the name and that should take you to my page. Can you view other videos on there? I had to update my flash player the other day to ba able to view stuff. Hope this helps.

    Its had 208 views since i put in on 18 hours ago!

    Kay

    Thank you for sharing this
    Thank you for sharing this Kay!
  • Skeezie
    Skeezie Member Posts: 586 Member
    #10
    m-star said:

    Hey hun!
    was reffering to
    Hey hun!
    was reffering to your bandana~lol!! But hey,like you said,you'll be able to do both before you know it! =D

    I may post another expansion at some point.I have another one on Thurday but may have to go on my own so there'll be no-one to video it =(
    Will see if i can rope someone in to do it! It's good to share info and before my surgery,i wouldn't even go swimming i hated my boobs so much(very small). So i'm not an exhibitionist who likes flashing my boobs! It took some time and talking with my hubby before i felt brave enough to share.

    ((hugs))
    Kay

    Way to go M-Star!
    Your video was terrific. I had a single mastecomy and chose not to have reconstruction. You look normal now! It's going to be beautiful when your finished. I was wondering if you put Emla cream over the area where they poke you, I use that on my port and there is no pain of being poked at all.

    I applaud your doing this so all of those who are on the fence about this can see how it looks, what is done and how. Good job.

    Hugs, Judy :-)
  • Dawne.Hope
    Dawne.Hope Member Posts: 823
    #11
    thank you
    Dear M-Star,

    Deciding to do the reconstruction was a long, hard decision for me. I didn't decide until the last minute. Watching that video would have made that decision easier. Thank you for posting it. I know it will help a lot of women who are unsure of the process.

    I agree, you are a brave, young woman!
  • DebbyM
    DebbyM Member Posts: 3,289 Member
    #12
    m-star said:

    Hey hun!
    was reffering to
    Hey hun!
    was reffering to your bandana~lol!! But hey,like you said,you'll be able to do both before you know it! =D

    I may post another expansion at some point.I have another one on Thurday but may have to go on my own so there'll be no-one to video it =(
    Will see if i can rope someone in to do it! It's good to share info and before my surgery,i wouldn't even go swimming i hated my boobs so much(very small). So i'm not an exhibitionist who likes flashing my boobs! It took some time and talking with my hubby before i felt brave enough to share.

    ((hugs))
    Kay

    What a really brave thing to
    What a really brave thing to do Kay. Thank you!
  • m-star
    m-star Member Posts: 441
    #13
    Dawne.Hope said:

    thank you
    Dear M-Star,

    Deciding to do the reconstruction was a long, hard decision for me. I didn't decide until the last minute. Watching that video would have made that decision easier. Thank you for posting it. I know it will help a lot of women who are unsure of the process.

    I agree, you are a brave, young woman!

    Skeezie~DebbieM and Dawn!
    Thank you all for your comments and support! It's so nice to get some positive feedback as i was unsure whether or not it was the right thing to do in putting online.

    I now know it was.

    I know from my own experiences prior to my surgery that seeing videos of real women in real situations helped me immensly. It's a long,drawn out process filled with many ups and downs, and to see how you can look after it's been done is a big help i find. The first time i saw my friends video blog,about 2 weeks post op, i cried as i had still yet to have my surgery at that point. It was a shock ~ i won't deny it. But it helped me face up to the reality of what i was about to under go.

    I think i'm on the road to looking 'normal' again and i'm happy with the way the recon's going. I went out today for the 1st time, with no padded body warmer on! I ran the Race for Life in a fitted t-shirt and didn't feel self conscious! It was great!


    Kay
  • DebbyM
    DebbyM Member Posts: 3,289 Member
    #14
    m-star said:

    Skeezie~DebbieM and Dawn!
    Thank you all for your comments and support! It's so nice to get some positive feedback as i was unsure whether or not it was the right thing to do in putting online.

    I now know it was.

    I know from my own experiences prior to my surgery that seeing videos of real women in real situations helped me immensly. It's a long,drawn out process filled with many ups and downs, and to see how you can look after it's been done is a big help i find. The first time i saw my friends video blog,about 2 weeks post op, i cried as i had still yet to have my surgery at that point. It was a shock ~ i won't deny it. But it helped me face up to the reality of what i was about to under go.

    I think i'm on the road to looking 'normal' again and i'm happy with the way the recon's going. I went out today for the 1st time, with no padded body warmer on! I ran the Race for Life in a fitted t-shirt and didn't feel self conscious! It was great!


    Kay

    I think you look great Kay!
    I think you look great Kay! Congrats on running the Race for Life!


    Hugs, Debby
  • m-star
    m-star Member Posts: 441
    #15
    DebbyM said:

    I think you look great Kay!
    I think you look great Kay! Congrats on running the Race for Life!


    Hugs, Debby

    Thanks Debby!
    It was a great
    Thanks Debby!

    It was a great day and we were blessed with good weather! I just know i will ache like crazy in the morning!
  • m-star
    m-star Member Posts: 441
    #16
    m-star said:

    Thanks Debby!
    It was a great
    Thanks Debby!

    It was a great day and we were blessed with good weather! I just know i will ache like crazy in the morning!

    Well i'm hoping to get
    Well i'm hoping to get someone to come with me to video my 4th expansion this Thursady so hopefully can put them online as i go. But i am working on a slide show of the photo's i've taken since 4 days post op~ showing the different stages of my reconstruction. I will save that until i've had my implant exchange though as i'd like the full 'start to finish' product.
  • jnl
    jnl Member Posts: 3,869 Member
    #17
    m-star said:

    Well i'm hoping to get
    Well i'm hoping to get someone to come with me to video my 4th expansion this Thursady so hopefully can put them online as i go. But i am working on a slide show of the photo's i've taken since 4 days post op~ showing the different stages of my reconstruction. I will save that until i've had my implant exchange though as i'd like the full 'start to finish' product.

    Thank you for the video
    Thank you for the video m-star!

    Hugs, Leeza
  • m-star
    m-star Member Posts: 441
    #18
    jnl said:

    Thank you for the video
    Thank you for the video m-star!

    Hugs, Leeza

    =)
    you're welcome Leeza!
  • sherik
    sherik Member Posts: 26
    #19
    how very cool! Wish I had
    how very cool! Wish I had seen that before I had mine. I had a r breat mastectomy in Sept and finishing up my reconstruction - tissue expander (and expansions...), implant, a little addition to the left breast and now a lift and my nipple. What a process. I'm generally a really private person, but I created postings re the entire process on my FaceBook page to inform, educate, and vent. I think the more women feel comfortable talking to others and sharing their experiences re cancer the better. thank you
  • m-star
    m-star Member Posts: 441
    #20
    sherik said:

    how very cool! Wish I had
    how very cool! Wish I had seen that before I had mine. I had a r breat mastectomy in Sept and finishing up my reconstruction - tissue expander (and expansions...), implant, a little addition to the left breast and now a lift and my nipple. What a process. I'm generally a really private person, but I created postings re the entire process on my FaceBook page to inform, educate, and vent. I think the more women feel comfortable talking to others and sharing their experiences re cancer the better. thank you

    Thank you
    Thanks for your kind words. I agree with you. Before my surgery i searched the net and youtube for videos of what i was about to go through.I found many of the actual mastectomy but nothing really good regarding expansions. So i thought i'd make my own!

    I know how much the videos i saw,helped me come to terms and to get real with what was about to happen. I saw my frien Michele's vids on youtube which she took AFTER her surgery and expansions and they were so helpful. We Skype each other and chat still now! (im in UK she's in Colorado).I guess we have helped each other through it,though she had her op 3 weeks before me.

    I am quite a shy person when you meet me in person but am able to express myself better in writing! I would never have dreamed of putting such a private video out there for the worl before i had this done! Heck,i wouldn't even get undressed in front of people without feeling self conscious! But putting my own insecurities behind to help other women become more informed about mastectomy and recon was my aim.

    I'm glad it is being helpful.

    Kay
  • m-star
    m-star Member Posts: 441
    #21
    m-star said:

    Thank you
    Thanks for your kind words. I agree with you. Before my surgery i searched the net and youtube for videos of what i was about to go through.I found many of the actual mastectomy but nothing really good regarding expansions. So i thought i'd make my own!

    I know how much the videos i saw,helped me come to terms and to get real with what was about to happen. I saw my frien Michele's vids on youtube which she took AFTER her surgery and expansions and they were so helpful. We Skype each other and chat still now! (im in UK she's in Colorado).I guess we have helped each other through it,though she had her op 3 weeks before me.

    I am quite a shy person when you meet me in person but am able to express myself better in writing! I would never have dreamed of putting such a private video out there for the worl before i had this done! Heck,i wouldn't even get undressed in front of people without feeling self conscious! But putting my own insecurities behind to help other women become more informed about mastectomy and recon was my aim.

    I'm glad it is being helpful.

    Kay

    woo hoo!
    I am now picking my
    woo hoo!
    I am now picking my daughter up from school tomorrow so i will have someone to video my 4th expansion!! (she did my 2nd one). If it video's ok,i will put it online also.

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